Abstract
This article moves from Arendt’s concept of ‘parental responsibility’
expressed in ‘Reflections on Little Rock’ (1959), where the author
questioned whether children should be made part of adults’ political fights.
Whilst pertinent to the school de-segregation movement for black children
in the US in 1950s, Arendt’s provocations are applied here to navigate the
tensions between the right to self-determination of the child, the child’s
best interest, and parents’ desire to raise their children as they wish in
relation to children’s sexual orientation and/or gender identity. The article
suggests that a new radical engagement with the notion of ‘children’s
political agency, and a re-articulation of the concept of ‘the best interest of
the child’ are required in order to enhance the right of the child to sexual
and gender self-determination.
© 2018, The Author(s), published by SAGE. This is an author produced version of a paper published in SEXUALITIES uploaded in accordance with the publisher’s self- archiving policy. The final published version (version of record) is available online at the link below. Some minor differences between this version and the final published version may remain. We suggest you refer to the final published version should you wish to cite from it.
expressed in ‘Reflections on Little Rock’ (1959), where the author
questioned whether children should be made part of adults’ political fights.
Whilst pertinent to the school de-segregation movement for black children
in the US in 1950s, Arendt’s provocations are applied here to navigate the
tensions between the right to self-determination of the child, the child’s
best interest, and parents’ desire to raise their children as they wish in
relation to children’s sexual orientation and/or gender identity. The article
suggests that a new radical engagement with the notion of ‘children’s
political agency, and a re-articulation of the concept of ‘the best interest of
the child’ are required in order to enhance the right of the child to sexual
and gender self-determination.
© 2018, The Author(s), published by SAGE. This is an author produced version of a paper published in SEXUALITIES uploaded in accordance with the publisher’s self- archiving policy. The final published version (version of record) is available online at the link below. Some minor differences between this version and the final published version may remain. We suggest you refer to the final published version should you wish to cite from it.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Sexualities |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 31 Oct 2018 |