A new international study explores why lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) people in Israel express a stronger desire for parenthood than those in Poland, and how public policy and legislation may help explain the gap.
While recent years have seen progress in the recognition of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) rights in Israel, issues surrounding equality, parenthood, and family remain at the center of public and political debate. A new international study, published this week in the journal Sexuality Research & Social Policy , indicates that public policy has a profound impact — not only on the formal recognition of rights, but also on the lived experiences of LGB people and how they envision their future, including the possibility of having children.
Whereas previous studies on parenthood aspirations have focused mainly on comparisons between LGB individuals and heterosexuals, there has been almost no research examining differences among LGB people living in different countries. The current study aims to address this gap.
The study compares members of the LGB community in Israel and in Poland, and, for the first time, examines how sociocultural context and legislation in different countries are related to aspirations for parenthood and the sense of stigma surrounding LGB parenthood.
The study was conducted by Prof. Geva Shenkman Lachberg of Reichman University, together with Yuval Shaia, Dr. Kfir Ifrah of Ruppin Academic Center, and Jerzy Bandel of Adam Mickiewicz University in Poland. It surveyed 561 LGB adults without children, aged 18–49: 317 from Israel and 244 from Poland. Participants completed online questionnaires assessing their desire to become parents, their intentions to have children, their perceived likelihood of actually doing so, their experiences of stigma, and their pronatalist attitudes — that is, the extent to which they perceive the society in which they live as encouraging parenthood.
The study hypothesized that, given Israel’s stronger pro-childbirth policies and broader protection of LGB rights in the context of parenthood, LGB individuals in Israel would report greater aspirations for parenthood, stronger pronatalist attitudes, and lower levels of stigma — both overall and specifically with regards to having children. The researchers also hypothesized that more experiences of stigma and less pronatalist attitudes would be associated with lower aspirations for parenthood.
Significant gaps in parenthood aspirations between LGB individuals in Israel and Poland
The findings indicate a clear difference between the two countries: LGB people in Israel reported a stronger desire to become parents, clearer intentions of starting a family, and greater confidence that they would be able to realize this, compared with LGB individuals in Poland.
At the same time, participants in Israel reported lower levels of perceived stigma, including fewer concerns about future stigma if they were to become parents, along with higher levels of pronatalism — indicating the internalization of a powerful social message that parenthood is a central value.
The higher levels of general stigma and stigma surrounding LGB parenthood among the LGB community in Poland may be explained, among other factors, by the country’s legal and political climate. Poland ranks at the bottom of Europe when it comes to the protection of LGB rights, with no recognition of same-sex couples, a ban on adoption, and a prohibition on surrogacy. These conditions of discrimination and stigma may also be reflected in lower aspirations for parenthood.
In contrast, in Israel — although full equality for LGB individuals has not yet been achieved — the legal and political environment surrounding the formation of LGB families is significantly more supportive than in Poland.
So what truly influences aspirations for parenthood?
The study shows that pronatalist attitudes — a social message that encourages parenthood and is backed by supportive public policies — are significantly associated with higher aspirations for parenthood among LGB people, particularly in Israel. In addition, the expectation of negative stigma surrounding parenthood was found to be linked to lower aspirations for parenthood, with this negative effect being stronger in the Polish sample.
Israel: Progress — but not the end of the road
According to the researchers, Israel is a unique case: on the one hand, it is a highly pronatalist country, with broad support for fertility treatments and surrogacy, including for LGB individuals; on the other hand, legal and social barriers in matters of relationships and family still persist, continuing to create insecurity and fears of stigma.
Prof. Geva Shenkman Lachberg explains:
“Our findings show that legislation and equal rights do not just regulate reality — they shape the way people imagine their future. For many heterosexuals, future parenthood is viewed as something basic and self-evident, whereas for LGB people it is often accompanied by questions, concerns, and social, legal, and economic barriers. When policies are inclusive and supportive, the ability to envision parenthood becomes more tangible. Significant progress is evident in Israel, but it is also important to note that as long as equality is incomplete and stigma persists, uncertainty and fear of discrimination continue to accompany the path to parenthood.”
Social implications
The researchers note that the study’s findings highlight the importance of an inclusive and egalitarian sociocultural environment. When countries work to create a safer legal and social climate for sexual minorities, the hope and possibility of parenthood, which is a basic human aspiration, become more attainable.
Sexuality Research and Social Policy
People
19-Jan-2026