Regulation and un-regulation of LGBT reproductive and parenting rights: The case of Italy and Belgium

The development of Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ARTs) has led to new forms of child production, family reproduction and kinship practice, confronting societies with the question of whether and how to legally recognise these new family structures and kinship ties. This is the case of same-sex couples who are parents, whose reproductive strategies and family configurations are not equally regulated and recognized in different countries. This article will examine the consequences of the lack of adjustment between legislation and public policies on family organization. This question is explored by comparing two European countries, which differ radically in their approach to regulating ART and recognising same-sex family configurations: namely, Italy and Belgium. The ethnographic gaze will show that the way in which both countries regulate reproductive practices and recognise kinship ties contains ambiguities and contradictions, although to a different extent. We can then talk of reproductive tactics and kinning processes.