Homoparentality and the Ambivalence of Same-sex Civil Unions in Czechia

Though the Czech Republic is one of few post-socialist countries that has legalised civil unions for same-sex partners and has done it already 15 years ago, the position of this institute is quite ambivalent among gays, lesbians, bisexuals and same-sex couples. The publicly accessible data show low but steadily growing interest in civil unions, especially by women in the last six years. I argue this is due to the growing media visibility of homoparental families, the advocacy efforts to legalise step-child adoptions (2013 to 2017) and the equal marriage (since 2017), and the repeal of the prohibition of adoptions within civil unions by the Czech Constitutional Court (in 2016). This has made civil unions appear less child unfriendly. However, regarding parenting, civil unions are especially ambivalent. On one hand, it makes some paths to parenting more difficult and symbolically it is a second-class institute, on the other, for some people, it provides certain symbolic security but also a practical tool for their existing homoparental family. This paper will introduce original qualitative data based on 48 in-depth interviews that were collected during a project on parenting desires and intentions of Czech LGB people. Within the analysis, the negotiation of parenting desires and experiences with the concurrent lack of legal recognition will provide interesting contestation to the heteronormativity (e.g. Warner) of the (Czech) society.