ABSTRACT
The third chapter deconstructs the sentiment, embedded in heteronormative notions of kinship, that genetic ties serve as an advantage point in attachment processes: first, it shows that the genetic factor, in and of itself, had no impact on the quality of parent-child relationships, children’s early attachment patterns, or their Oedipal object choices. These were rather determined by performative factors, such as the physical and emotional availability of each parent; second, by discussing cases in which spotting genetic resemblance between a child and his parent served as a source of conflict and emotional discomfort rather than a gratifying practice, this chapter lays the ground for the conclusion further demonstrated in the following chapters, that while the genetic factor, in and of itself, has no major significance, the various meanings attributed to it by the parents indeed affect the family’s emotional climate and relational matrix.
