Raising children for a gay or lesbian parent forces one to reconsider the strategies of visibility or invisibility adopted for one’s own protection from stigmatisation.
Interviews conducted with 14 lesbian parent families belonging to a gay and lesbian parents’ association (apgl) provided an insight into the strategies adopted in the way the child and its parents are presented to early childhood professionals, school management and teachers. When the child was young, most of the mothers interviewed were prepared to describe the family context because keeping a low profile in the matter was not a viable option. As the children got older and depending on the location, selective disclosure replaced complete openness. Parents resorted to complementary strategies of an “open house” nature and involvement in the world of the school.