Analysis of the positions of Chilean parliamentarians regarding the access of homosexual persons to assisted reproduction

Abstract

The present article gives an account of the positions of Chilean parliamentarians regarding the access of homosexual persons to assisted reproduction (AR) and analyzes how they justify them. We used a qualitative methodology, collecting information using semi-structured interviews that where conducted to 21 parliamentarians of the two main political coalitions present in Chile and analyzed with textual discourse analysis. In the parliamentarian’s discourse, there was consensus on the need to prioritize heterosexual couple’s access to AR and also on the requisite of having a legal frame for homosexual couples, before granting them access to reproductive medicine. The main argument used to reject or postpone the access of homosexual persons to AR was the wellbeing of the children conceived, that would be affected by a society that discriminates them.

Keywords

• familias homoparentales
• grupos sexuales minoritarios
• investigación cualitativa
• poder legislativo
• reproducción asistida