Maybe, eventually, I'll be allowed to be a parent to my own child

The purpose of this essay is to examine how same-sex couples experience the second-parent adoption process. To assist us, we have used our questions: how do the couples describe their experiences of the adoption process? Which are the couples’ stories about the experience of contact with the involved professionals? What are the opportunities and barriers for same-sex couples to start a family? How do the couples describe their experience of reactions from the community and society, and how do they think the future will look like for same-sex couples? This study has been achieved through a qualitative approach. The empirical data is based on seven semi-structured interviews with same-sex couples or pair members that want to or have had a second-parent adoption. The theory we have used for analyzing the results is phenomenology with focus on queer theory, heteronormativity, and power. We conclude that the couples’ experiences of the second-parent adoption process is that it is a long, time-consuming, and emotionally consuming process. They question why they have to go through with an adoption process. The couples think of it only as a legal security to their child. They have experienced varying treatment in the contact with professionals. The course of action has been different for all our seven couples: home insemination in Sweden, insemination at clinic in Denmark, and surrogacy in India. One clear result is that it is more difficult for gay men to start a family than for lesbians. The couples have mostly received positive responses and a lot of support from their surroundings. Despite that, they are worried about the negative view of homosexuality that is increasing in the world