Story: Parenting

Same-sex parents

Same-sex parents

Sperm donation makes parenthood possible for people who in the past might not have had children. Manaaki Jackson (born in 2009), the son of Wellington women Ruth Jackson and Marolyn Krasner, was conceived using sperm donated by a friend of the couple. Ruth and Marolyn chose a known donor because they wanted their son to have access to his father. Because Manaaki's father is Māori, maintaining the connection is important for cultural as well as personal reasons – whānau (family) and whakapapa are crucial elements of Māori identity.

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How to cite this page:

Lesley Patterson, 'Parenting - Different kinds of parents', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/26324/same-sex-parents (accessed 25 April 2024)

Story by Lesley Patterson, published 5 May 2011, reviewed & revised 26 Jun 2018