One of the goals of the LGBTQ Parenting Connection is to encourage more research on LGBT parenting and families. We invite LGBTQ people to consider participating in research that may be of benefit to our communities.

The research projects listed on this site have reviewed by the LGBTQ Parenting Connection and we support the broad goals and objectives of these projects.

If you participate in a research study and you have concerns about the collection or use of the information you provided, we encourage you to contact the ethics review committee at the respective institution.

Please note: Being listed in this database does not imply any endorsement by or affiliation with the LGBTQ Parenting Connection and exclusion does not indicate disapproval. The individuals listed have submitted these calls to the LGBTQ Parenting Connection, and are responsible for the accuracy of their information. Researchers who post projects in this database do so because they are seeking LGBTQ people who will participate. Inclusion of a researcher’s project in this database should not be taken as an indication of the sexual orientation or gender identity of the researcher. 

If you have a research project you would like to submit, please email website coordinator Mariko Tamaki at mtamaki@sherbourne.on.ca.

1) The Creating Our Families Project: A pilot study of the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people accessing Assisted Human Reproduction services in Ontario.

The Parenting Network and CAMH recently received a grant to examine the experiences of LGBTQ people who have used fertility clinics and sperm donation services in Ontario or who considered using these services but didn’t due to barriers.

Goals of the research:

In 2004 The Assisted Human Reproduction Act became law in Canada. This legislation contains a non-discrimination clause barring discrimination in AHR services based on sexual orientation and marital status.

1. We want to know if LGBTQ people’s experiences with AHR services are congruent with this non-discrimination clause.

2. We also want to identify barriers and supports to AHR service access for LGBTQ people.

3. We want to see if there are similarities and differences in the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people (including people who identify as more than one of these categories) with AHR services.

4. We plan to use the knowledge we gain to inform AHR service delivery in Ontario and to develop future research in this area.

We hope to interview approximately 40 LGBTQ people from across Ontario.

How can you help?

Pass on the information below to anyone you think might be interested! Or you can participate yourself if the information below applies to you.

We are interested in talking to LGBTQ people who:

• Have used a fertility clinic or sperm bank in Ontario in the past three years
OR
• Have considered using fertility clinics or sperm banks but didn’t because you faced barriers or thought you might

Participation includes a 1 hour interview.
We’d love to talk to individuals, couples or multi-parent families.
Compensation will be provided.
ASL interpretation and wheelchair accessible interview spaces are available upon request.

For more information or to participate please contact us:
1-866-371-6667 or 416 535-8501 x 7380
Email: creating_families@camh.net

2) Queering Early Childhood Education
 

Are you a queer parent with a young child enrolled in a child care program in Ontario? Would you be interested in participating in a research project?

The goal of this research is to develop a better understanding of the experiences queer parents with young children in early childhood programs. There is a growing number of LGTBQ parents having young children and research on queer parents’ experiences in early childhood programs is limited in Canada.

This research project will focus on the following issues:

• How to improve early childhood education training programs’ capacity to include queer identity in early childhood practice?

• Support early childhood educators develop a stronger understanding of the interests and needs of queer parents with young children.

• Contribute to research and practice in early childhood education by challenging a very narrow definition of equity and inclusion that excludes queer parents and their children.
Your participation would involve a 90 minute semi-structured interview to discuss your experiences as a queer parent with a young child enrolled in an early childhood program in Ontario. The interview will be held in a location that is convenient to the participant or by telephone if distance is an issue. Child care expenses will be covered.

All the information you provide will be kept confidential. The University of Toronto Research Ethics Board has approved this project.

For more information or to participate in the research project, please contact:

Zeenat Janmohamed
PhD Candidate, Department of Adult Education and Counseling Psychology, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto
zjanmohamed@oise.utoronto.ca or by phone at (416) 978-0940