ABSTRACT
Although most European countries offer paid parental leave to both mothers and fathers, mothers continue to take the lion’s share. Previous studies have analysed patterns of parental leaves in heterosexual couples, in order to understand the gendered skewness and its effects on the lives of women and men. This chapter adds new perspectives on parental leave as it focuses on lesbian parents. Swedish lesbian parents generally share parental leave more equally than heterosexual couples, and they highlight the benefits of an equal relationship and close parent-child bonds. Both parents’ parental leave is depicted by the interviewees as desired; however, only the birth mother’s leave is depicted as necessary. Therefore, the non-birth mother’s leave is often shortened to meet practical circumstances, while the birth mother’s leave is not. The chapter concludes that access to a long parental leave promotes equal sharing among couples where both parents desire parental leave, while the issue is far more complex in cases where one parent does not.
