‘Deviant’ or the consequence of social evolution? Discourses of intentional ‘multiple parenthood practices’ in the Dutch and the Flemish press

Nola Cammu

doi:10.21825/digest.v7i1.16510

Abstract

Practices of ‘intentional multiple parenthood’, by which more than two parents agree to conceive and raise children together, have gained increased news coverage in recent years. This paper explores written press articles concerning intentional multiple parenthood in Belgium and the Netherlands. Through a discourse analysis of press articles, the paper challenges the gendered and dyadic concept of parenthood as an understandable given. Newly developed concepts within the ‘traditional’ framework of parenthood are explicitly presented as ‘new’ and ‘revolutionary’ within the public discourse, yet their existence remains dependent on mainstream conceptual usage and the dominant social relations underpinning them. Furthermore, it has been found that press articles on the topic of multiple parenthood frequently use familiar concepts (such as traditional family values of love and commitment) and existing terminology (such as ‘father’, ‘mother’, ‘donor’) to describe the non-mainstream practice of multiple parenthood despite the lack of recognition for this practice in the legal realm.

Highlights

Introduction ‘Intentional multiple parenthood’ is a term used to describe situations in which more than two adults decide to conceive and raise children together
Several intentional multiple parenthood practices are uncommon according to Western custom and, they do not fall within the realm of familiar concepts
The analysis and discussion are based on the central hypothesis that non-mainstream, controversial concepts such as intentional multiple parenthood are shaped after familiar concepts

Summary

Introduction

Introduction ‘Intentional multiple parenthood’ is a term used to describe situations in which more than two adults decide to conceive and raise children together. In Western societies, certain forms of ‘multiple parenthood practices’ are widespread as a number of children today are raised by more than two parental figures. Such is the case, for instance, in reconstituted families/step-parent families, following a separation or divorce.. A much less frequent parenting form is seen in so-called intentional multiple-parent families or ‘plus-two-parent families’ (Wallbank & Dietz, 2013), in which more than two individuals voluntarily decide to parent together on the basis of an agreement made between them.. The analysis and discussion are based on the central hypothesis that non-mainstream, controversial concepts such as intentional multiple parenthood are shaped after familiar concepts. The paper concludes with thoughts on the research findings and the implications they might have for legal consciousness, which is understood as ‘an individual awareness of law and legality which has a profound ideological effect on people’s outlook on the world’ (Gies, 2008, p. 134)

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