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Dissertation du Toit new merge.pdf (2.33 MB)
ETD Abstract Container
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Fertility Intentions and Attitudes Towards Children Among Unmarried Men and Women: Do Sexual Orientation and Union Status Matter?
Author Info
du Toit, Nola Cora
Permalink:
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1385119567
Abstract Details
Year and Degree
2013, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, Sociology.
Abstract
This study examines fertility wants, attitudes, and intentions to have a child to illustrate differences that exist within the unmarried population in terms of union status and sexual orientation. Using data on 15,418 men and women from the 2006-2010 National Survey of Family Growth (Cycle 7), I find that fertility attitudes and intentions to have a child differ significantly by union status. Married men and women have more positive attitudes towards children than those who are unmarried. Singles and cohabiters lag behind married men and women in their intentions to have a child, and cohabiters have significantly less certain fertility intentions than singles. However, cohabiters have greater odds of wanting a child than marrieds and singles. There are, however, gender and age differences. At older ages, cohabiting women have significantly greater intentions to have a child than older marrieds and singles. The results also demonstrate differences between sexual minorities and heterosexuals. While many sexual minorities want to have children and intend becoming parents, their attitude towards children is less positive and they report less certain fertility intentions than heterosexuals. However, while sexual minority men, in general, have the least certain fertility intentions of all groups, when in a couple, their intentions to have a child surpass those of sexual minority women and heterosexual men. These findings provide evidence of many differences in fertility wants, attitudes, and intentions across sexual orientation, union status, gender, and age. This study adds to the growing literature on sexual minority families and demonstrates ways in which sexual minorities are similar to or different from heterosexuals in their family formation desires and attitudes. It also offers suggestions for future research on fertility intentions among unmarried men and women and the meaning of marriage and cohabitation among this group.
Committee
Wendy Manning, Dr. (Advisor)
Susan Brown, Dr. (Committee Member)
Kara Joyner, Dr. (Committee Member)
Laura Sanchez, Dr. (Committee Member)
Nancy Patterson, Dr. (Committee Member)
Pages
200 p.
Subject Headings
Demography
;
Sociology
Keywords
Fertility
;
fertility intentions
;
attitudes towards children
;
marriage
;
cohabitation
;
unmarried population
;
sexual minorities
;
gays
;
lesbians
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Citations
du Toit, N. C. (2013).
Fertility Intentions and Attitudes Towards Children Among Unmarried Men and Women: Do Sexual Orientation and Union Status Matter?
[Doctoral dissertation, Bowling Green State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1385119567
APA Style (7th edition)
du Toit, Nola.
Fertility Intentions and Attitudes Towards Children Among Unmarried Men and Women: Do Sexual Orientation and Union Status Matter?
2013. Bowling Green State University, Doctoral dissertation.
OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center
, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1385119567.
MLA Style (8th edition)
du Toit, Nola. "Fertility Intentions and Attitudes Towards Children Among Unmarried Men and Women: Do Sexual Orientation and Union Status Matter?" Doctoral dissertation, Bowling Green State University, 2013. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1385119567
Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)
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Document number:
bgsu1385119567
Download Count:
1,065
Copyright Info
© 2013, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Bowling Green State University and OhioLINK.