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ERIC Number: EJ934282
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2011-Sep
Pages: 27
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0192-513X
EISSN: N/A
Donor-Shared Siblings or Genetic Strangers: New Families, Clans, and the Internet
Hertz, Rosanna; Mattes, Jane
Journal of Family Issues, v32 n9 p1129-1155 Sep 2011
Donor-shared sibling families have recently emerged. Families who conceived using the same anonymous donor are locating one another through websites designed to match children with their biogenetic half-siblings. Based on a survey of 587 parents with donor-conceived children, we discovered that a growing number of unrelated parents whose children are genetically related are organizing into durable groups. These groups mainly exist on the Internet where members can choose their level of participation. A smaller group has met offline, but most select one or two families they especially connect with. Overall, these families illustrate that genetics cannot be ignored. Whereas some respondents view donor-siblings as a latent affiliation--an insurance policy for future questions by their children--others have used the Internet as a social arena to connect and form relationships. In this new world, the Internet is altering how kinship is discovered and formed. (Contains 7 tables, 3 figures and 13 notes.)
SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: http://sagepub.com
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A