An Exploration of Lesbian Maternal Bereavement
Abstract
Research on parental bereavement has focused historically on single or partnered cross-gendered (heterosexual) bereaved parents. No previous studies have examined the unique experiences of same-gendered bereaved parents. This multiple-case study focused on child death in same-gendered-parent families. The goal of this study was to yield information that will expand the existing body of knowledge regarding parental bereavement and add to the scant literature on lesbian parenthood and the challenges that lesbians may face as a marginalized group. The study used in-depth interviews with six self-identified lesbian mothers who had experienced the death of a child at various ages and from various causes. Results suggest that lesbian bereaved mothers experience a type of double-disenfranchisement after their losses and that social support is often insufficient to meet their psychological needs. Because previous research has not been published on this specific population, the findings may be worthwhile for the lesbian and gay parenting community, community advocacy groups, and the clinicians who serve them.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
The overarching theme of the model is double disenfranchisement, first introduced by Cacciatore and Raffo.
“The overarching theme of this model is the concept of “double disenfranchisement”, first introduced by Cacciatore and Raffo [99] in their study on lesbian maternal bereavement.”
From Men’s grief following pregnancy loss and neonatal loss: a systematic review and emerging theoretical model (2020) · cites this paper as [99]
Cacciatore and Raffo argued that lesbian women can experience added disenfranchisement following pregnancy loss due to lack of societal recognition as legitimate mothers.
“The authors argued that given an additional lack of societal recognition for their status as legitimate mothers, lesbian women can experience an added level of disenfranchisement following pregnancy loss [99].”
From Men’s grief following pregnancy loss and neonatal loss: a systematic review and emerging theoretical model (2020) · cites this paper as [99]
Cites
(1984) · Cited by 81,983 · see citing works
Research Methods for Social Work
Rubin, A., & Babbie, E. R. (2006) · Medical Entomology and Zoology · Cited by 1,854 · see citing works
Disenfranchised grief: recognizing hidden sorrow
(1990) · Choice Reviews Online · doi:10.5860/choice.27-3546 · Cited by 914 · see citing works
Talking and Listening from Women's Standpoint: Feminist Strategies for Interviewing and Analysis
DeVault, M. L. (1990) · Social Problems · doi:10.2307/800797 · Cited by 702 · see citing works
Bereavement: Reactions, Consequences, and Care.
Owen, G., Osterweis, M., Solomon, F., & Green, M. (1985) · Contemporary Sociology A Journal of Reviews · doi:10.2307/2071413 · Cited by 497 · see citing works
Lesbian Mothers, Gay Fathers, and Their Children
Tasker, F. (2005) · Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics · doi:10.1097/00004703-200506000-00012 · Cited by 250 · see citing works
PARENTAL BEREAVEMENT: THE CRISIS OF MEANING
Wheeler, I. (2001) · Death Studies · doi:10.1080/07481180126147 · Cited by 236 · see citing works
Growing Up in a Lesbian Family: Effects on Child Development
D’Augelli, A. R., Tasker, F., & Golombok, S. E. (1998) · Journal of Marriage and the Family · doi:10.2307/353461 · Cited by 235 · see citing works
Rando, T. A. (1986) · Lexington Books · Cited by 207 · see citing works
Not Just a Passing Phase: Social Work with Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual People
Appleby, G. A., & Anastas, J. W. (1998) · Medical Entomology and Zoology · Cited by 112 · see citing works
Differences Between Heterosexual-Nonparent Couples and Gay, Lesbian, and Heterosexual-Parent Couples
Kurdek, L. A. (2001) · Journal of Family Issues · doi:10.1177/019251301022006004 · Cited by 100 · see citing works
Reinventing the family: the emerging story of lesbian and gay parents
(1995) · Choice Reviews Online · doi:10.5860/choice.32-4195 · Cited by 84 · see citing works
Beyond endurance: When a Child Dies.
Pratt, L., & Knapp, R. J. (1987) · Contemporary Sociology A Journal of Reviews · doi:10.2307/2071201 · Cited by 61 · see citing works
Concerns and Issues Faced by Families Headed by a Lesbian Couple
Hare, J. (1994) · Families in Society The Journal of Contemporary Social Services · doi:10.1177/104438949407500103 · Cited by 56 · see citing works
Epstein, R. (2002) · Journal of Lesbian Studies · doi:10.1300/j155v06n02_06 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
Bereavement Counseling for Gay Individuals
Siegal, R. L., & Dd, H. (1981) · American Journal of Psychotherapy · doi:10.1176/appi.psychotherapy.1981.35.4.517 · Cited by 26 · see citing works
Cacciatore, J., & Bushfield, S. Y. (2008) · Affilia · doi:10.1177/0886109908323972 · Cited by 24 · see citing works
Self-citationLesbian Widows: Invisible Grief
Whipple, V. (2006) · Cited by 20 · see citing works
Imag(in)ing the Queer Lesbian Family
Gabb, J. (1999) · Journal of the Association for Research on Mothering · doi:10.25071/jy9x1y21 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
The expression of parental identifications in lesbian mothers' work and family arrangements.
Hadley, E., & Stuart, J. (2009) · Psychoanalytic Psychology · doi:10.1037/a0014676 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
Ryan, D. (2006) · Nursing Standard · doi:10.7748/ns2006.02.20.21.36.b422 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
1 of the 22 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Obst, K. L., Due, C., Oxlad, M., & Middleton, P. (2020) · BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth · doi:10.1186/s12884-019-2677-9 · Cited by 222 · see citing works
The Unfolding of LGBT Lives: Key Events Associated With Health and Well-being in Later Life
Fredriksen‐Goldsen, K. I., Bryan, A. E. B., Jen, S., Goldsen, J., Kim, H., & Muraco, A. (2016) · The Gerontologist · doi:10.1093/geront/gnw185 · Cited by 93 · see citing works
The psychological, social, and economic impact of stillbirth on families
Murphy, S., & Cacciatore, J. (2017) · Seminars in Fetal and Neonatal Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.siny.2017.02.002 · Cited by 82 · see citing works
Self-citationObst, K. L., & Due, C. (2021) · Death Studies · doi:10.1080/07481187.2019.1688430 · Cited by 31 · see citing works
Howat, A., Masterson, C., & Darwin, Z. J. (2023) · Midwifery · doi:10.1016/j.midw.2023.103650 · Cited by 25 · see citing works
Schoonover, K. L., Prokop, L., & Lapid, M. I. (2022) · Journal of Palliative Care · doi:10.1177/08258597211062762 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
Carlson, R., Lammert, C., & O’Leary, J. M. (2012) · Illness Crisis & Loss · doi:10.2190/il.20.3.e · Cited by 20 · see citing works
LGBTQ+ peoples’ experiences of workplace leave and support following pregnancy loss
Rose, A., & Oxlad, M. (2022) · Community Work & Family · doi:10.1080/13668803.2021.2020727 · Cited by 17 · see citing works
Impairing Social Connectedness: The Dangers of Treating Grief With Naltrexone
Thieleman, K., Cacciatore, J., & Thomas, S. (2022) · Journal of Humanistic Psychology · doi:10.1177/00221678221093822 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
Self-citationOur babies[’] count[er story]: A narrative ethnography of a baby loss remembrance walk ritual
Willer, E. K., Krebs, E., Castaneda, N., Hoyt, K. D., Droser, V. A., Johnson, J., & Hunniecutt, J. R. (2019) · Communication Monographs · doi:10.1080/03637751.2019.1666289 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
LGBTQ+ Loss Experiences and the Use of Meaning Reconstruction with Clients
Wheat, L. S., & Darrow, N. E. T. (2019) · Journal of LGBTQ Issues in Counseling · doi:10.1080/15538605.2019.1627973 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
Losing a Child: Death and Hidden Losses in LGBTQ-Parent Families
Allen, K. R., & Craven, C. (2020) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-030-35610-1_22 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Perinatal Bereavement in Racially, Culturally, and Gender Diverse Families
Nurse-Clarke, N., Freedle, A., Bindeman, J., Jarvis, J., & Sember, J. (2024) · MCN: The American Journal of Maternal Child Nursing · doi:10.1097/nmc.0000000000000983 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Hughes, A. K., Waters, P., Herrick, C. D., & Pelon, S. (2014) · LGBT Health · doi:10.1089/lgbt.2014.0039 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Minority stress and bereavement: The impact of social positioning on LGBTQ+ bereavement experiences
Johnson, F., & Bindley, K. (2025) · Social Science & Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2025.118186 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Røseth, I., Hvidtjørn, D., & Dahl, B. (2023) · Sexualities · doi:10.1177/13634607231168962 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Parenting while grieving: the impact of baby loss
Cleaver, H., Rose, W., Young, E., & Veitch, R. (2018) · Journal of Public Mental Health · doi:10.1108/jpmh-07-2018-0042 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
A womb and a tomb: mothers’ experiences of single fetal loss in a twin pregnancy
Gershfeld-Litvin, A., & Nur, N. Y. (2025) · BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth · doi:10.1186/s12884-025-07922-4 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Diversity of Family Formation: LGBTQ+ Parents
Darwin, Z. J., & Greenfield, M. (2022) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-17285-4_13 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
The Intersect of Miscarriage and Work: Concealment, Minimization and Discriminatory Practice
Schnitzler, K. (2024) · Emerald Group Publishing Limited eBooks · doi:10.1108/978-1-80382-219-820241007 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Culture and Workplace Bereavement
Eyetsemitan, F. E. (2025) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-86817-7_7 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Jonas-Simpson, C. M., & Blin, C. (2015) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-17326-9_24
Apiainen, R., Åstedt-Kurki, P. M., Palonen, M., & Kylmä, J. (2018) · Sosiaalilääketieteellinen Aikakauslehti · doi:10.23990/sa.74423
Craven, C. (2021) · Journal of Family Theory & Review · doi:10.1111/jftr.12428
Enduring hope and loss: qualitative evidence synthesis of LGBTQ+ experiences of perinatal loss
Darwin, Z. J., Bainbridge, A., Bekiropoulou, A., & Greenfield, M. (2026) · Frontiers in Psychiatry · doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1732197
Psychological Aspects of Infertility, Assisted Conception and Perinatal Loss
Healy, S., Vaillancourt, K., & Rosan, C. (2026) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/9781911623496.011
What are fathers’ experiences of neonatal-perinatal palliative care? A Scoping review
Redman, H., Thomas, F., & Clancy, M. (2026) · BMC Palliative Care · doi:10.1186/s12904-026-02103-2
Tarmey, L., Iles, J. E., & Poole, L. (2026) · Frontiers in Psychiatry · doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1867729
- Authors
- Cacciatore, J., & Raffo, Z.
- Affiliations
- Arizona State University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Cacciatore, J.
- ORCID
- Cacciatore, J.
- Venue
- Social Work
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2011-04-01
- Volume
- 56
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 169-177
- ISSN
- 0037-8046 (ISSN-L)
- 1545-6846
- OpenAlex
- W2146246204
- Cited by
- 28
- References
- 22
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 0.69
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Social Work (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health
- Social Sciences › Anthropology › Death, Funerary Practices, and Mourning
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy
- Keywords
- lesbian mothers, maternal bereavement, child death, same-sex parents, social support, psychological needs, marginalized communities, bereavement experience
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Bereavement, Death, Female, Humans, Interviews as Topic, Middle Aged, Mother-Child Relations, Mothers, Professional-Patient Relations, Social Support, Social Work, Homosexuality, Female
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
