CFP: Queer Fertility Journeys (no deadline; collection)

full name / name of organization: 
Laura Marr
contact email: 

Call for Papers - Queer Fertility Journeys

As my partner and I embarked upon our journey of trying to become =
parents, I devoured every last bit of information that examines and =
explores LGBT families, pregnancy and adoption. Although there are now =
some wonderful books on the market about these topics, I was left =
hungering for something different. I wanted to read about and find =
comfort and inspiration in others' experiences about the fertility =
journey itself - the time before we become queer families, when we are =
still making plans and dreaming our families into existence.=20

The time between deciding to grow our families and actually becoming =
parents is a time fraught with complicated emotions and experiences - it =
can be simultaneously exhilarating, sorrowful, anxiety-producing, =
isolating and enriching - it can shift our conceptualizations of who we =
are, how we think about ourselves and the world around us. Yet, in our =
haste become parents, I believe that we often ignore the significance of =
this very "fertile" time in our lives.=20

To this end, I am putting out a call for proposals for essays about =
people's experiences with the queer fertility journey. It is my hope =
that these submissions will eventually be compiled into an edited =
anthology for publication (there is of course, no guarantee for this). =
Essays may be academic, personal stories and/or both, but all must be =
written for a general reading audience.=20

There is of course, no one "fertility journey" for lesbians, gay men, =
bisexual and transgendered people. It is my hope that this anthology =
will create a pastiche of diverse queer experiences, and help to fill in =
the gaps for others in our communit(ies) who hunger for the same kinds =
of information that I have sought.=20

  a.. How does this time of "waiting" to become parents impact us?
  b.. How does our identity shift in the time between deciding to try to =
create a family and actually becoming parents?
  c.. How has the fertility journey shifted our relationships with =
partners, family, the world around us?
  d.. How have we experienced and been impacted by homophobia and =
discrimination?
  e.. How are our choices about how to become parents constrained by our =
gender orientation, sexual orientation, relationship status, =
socio-economic status?
  f.. What are the ups and downs of deciding how to become parents =
(using known/unknown donors, surrogates, adoption, fostering)?=20
  g.. How do we as queer people navigate finding donors and surrogates =
and finding our way through adoption and foster care systems?
  h.. In the case of donor insemination (or IVF), how does the journey =
differently impact upon carrying and non-carrying partners?
  i.. How does the experience of miscarriage impact queer people and =
might this be different than how straight people experience miscarriage? =
(For example, how are gay men who use a surrogate impacted if their =
surrogate miscarries?)
  j.. What are the experiences of lesbians who are struggling with =
infertility?
The above questions are meant as examples of possible angles of inquiry. =
I welcome submissions on any and all topics relating to this period in =
the queer fertility journey.=20

I look forward to receiving and reading your submissions. Those whose =
proposals are accepted will be invited to write and submit essays for =
consideration for publication.

Along with your submissions, please include a separate piece of paper =
with your contact information, including email.

Please send proposals for essays to:

Email: tpinterics_at_hotmail.com

Or to:

Natasha Pinterics

14-6354 Edinburgh St

Halifax, NS

B3L 1W3

Canada

         ==========================================================
              From the Literary Calls for Papers Mailing List
                        CFP_at_english.upenn.edu
                         Full Information at
                     http://cfp.english.upenn.edu
         or write Jennifer Higginbotham: higginbj_at_english.upenn.edu
         ==========================================================
Received on Sun Nov 27 2005 - 16:43:58 EST