Trans*, inter*, and non-binary (TIN*) people’s desire of parenthood and concrete fertility intentions in Germany

Background: Trans*, inter*, and non-binary (TIN*) individuals often face unique challenges in navigating societal, legal and institutional barriers to parenthood compared to cisgender sexual minority people. A prerequisite to adequately support this population is understanding their desire to become parents, expectations of barriers and concrete fertility intentions. Aims: This study systematically investigates the parenthood desires and concrete fertility intentions among TIN* individuals compared to cisgender sexual minority people in Germany to deepen our understanding of TIN* desire for parenthood. This highlights heterogeneity within what is often summarised as one LGBTQI* community. Design/Methods: Using a large sample of 2,819 respondents, including 502 TIN* individuals, we examine differences in the desire for parenthood and the presence of concrete fertility plans among parents using binary logistic regression estimation. Results: Our results show that TIN* individuals assigned female at birth are 62% less likely to desire parenthood compared to cisgender sexual minority women, while TIN* individuals assigned male at birth display similar parenthood desires to both cisgender sexual minority men and women. Further, TIN* individuals are less likely to have concrete fertility plans compared to cisgender sexual minority women. All respondent groups named legal and bureaucratic reasons most frequently as the main hurdles for fertility planning. Conclusion: These findings highlight the complexity of family planning within the TIN* community and underline the importance of comprehensive care and support for LGBTQI* individuals navigating parenthood aspirations.