An interdisciplinary project is blending research and storytelling to create visual artworks that share the birth and family formation experiences of queer people. Intrigued? Here’s how you can take part.
The Queer Birth Project is a collaboration between artist Liss LaFleur and sociologist Katherine Sobering, both professors at the University of North Texas, and both queer parents. It is based on a re-envisioning of feminist artist Judy Chicago’s Birth Project (1980-85), which asked how women feel about all aspects of birth, using an original survey to spark a series of visual artworks by numerous artists.
The Queer Birth Project is broadening the idea to ask: “How do queer people feel about all aspects of birth?” and “to promote an intersectional and radically inclusive view relating to childbirth in America.” The project will include a new national survey, archival research at the Schlesinger Library at Harvard University and the National Museum of Women in the Arts, a collection of visual artworks for exhibition, and a series of publications.
The research team explains, “Our updated survey includes both Chicago’s original questions that we updated with inclusive and affirmative language (ex: changing father to partner/donor) in addition to new questions that explore the complex relationships that make up queer families.” and seeks to promote an intersectional and radically inclusive view relating to childbirth in America.
Why is this needed? The researchers assert:
Representation and inclusion around birth and family building plays a significant role in expanding cultural ideas, ensuring access to healthcare, and building community. Yet discussions of childbirth in western art and culture have long excluded the lives of lesbian women and non-conforming queer bodies and families. From DIY to IVF, scholarly and artistic attention to queer (LGBTQ+) childbirth and same-sex parenting is still relatively new, and there are unique physical, emotional, legal, and psychological challenges that are imposed by mainstream society.
The first exhibition from the project was on display earlier this year at the Nasher Sculpture Center in Dallas, and you can still see images and a video of it here. I love this combination of research and art and can’t wait to see the project will create next.
In order to be as inclusive as possible, though, they need as many people as possible to participate who are queer/LGBTQ+, over 18 years old, and “have experienced or participated, in some way, in queer family building and/or childbirth. This includes gestational and non-gestational parents, surrogates, single parents by choice, adoptive parents, or anyone who identifies as queer and has experience with childbirth, lactation, or loss.” There is no monetary compensation for doing so, but you’ll be helping in “highlighting stories of queer birth that are largely excluded from nationally-representative surveys and absent from artistic production and scholarly literature on gender, reproduction, and families.” The survey, which should take approximately 30 minutes, is confidential and anonymous. See the full details and take it here.