Skip to main content

Distributed for University of British Columbia Press

Transforming Law’s Family

The Legal Recognition of Planned Lesbian Motherhood

In Transforming Law's Family, Fiona Kelly explores the complex issues encountered by planned lesbian families as they work to define their parental rights, roles, and family structures within the tenets of family law. While Canadian courts recognize lesbian parenthood in some circumstances, a number of issues that are largely unique to planned lesbian families – such as the legal status of known sperm donors and non-biological mothers – remain undefined. Drawing on interviews with lesbian mothers, Fiona Kelly illuminates the changing definitions of family and suggests a model for law reform that would enable the legal recognition of alternative forms of parentage.

232 pages | © 2011

Law and Society

Law and Legal Studies: General Legal Studies


Table of Contents

Introduction

1 The Legal and Social Context

2 On Whose Terms? On What Terms? Lesbian and Gay Family Recognition

3 Defining Queer Kinship: How Do Lesbian Mothers Understand Their Familial Relationships?

4 Engaging with Reform: Legal Mechanisms for the Recognition of the Lesbian Family

5 (Re)forming Law’s Family

6 Some Concluding Thoughts on Law Reform and Progressive Social Change

Appendix

Notes         

Bibliography

Index

Be the first to know

Get the latest updates on new releases, special offers, and media highlights when you subscribe to our email lists!

Sign up here for updates about the Press