Same Sex Intimacies Families of Choice and Other Life Experiments

Our families are increasingly a matter of choice, and the choices are widening all the time. This is particularly true of the non-heterosexual world, where the last ten years have seen a popular acceptance of same sex partnerships and, to a lesser extent, of same sex parenting. Based on extensive interviews with people in a variety of non-traditional relationships, this fascinating new book argues that these developments in the non-heterosexual world are closely linked to wider changes in the meaning of family in society at large, and that each can cast light on the other. Same Sex Intimacies gives vivid accounts of the different ways non-heterosexual people have been able to create meaningful intimate relationships for themselves, and highlights the role of individual agency and collective endeavour in forging these roles: as friends, partners, parents and as members of communities. This topical book will provide compelling reading for students of the family, sexuality and lesbian and gay studies.

Introduction; Chapter 1 Families of choice; Chapter 2 Life experiments; Chapter 3 The friendship ethic; Chapter 4 In search of home; Chapter 5 Part nership rites; Chapter 6 Sexual pleasures; Chapter 7 Parenting; Chapter 8 Towards intimatecitizenship; Appendix 1; Appendix 2;

Jeffrey Weeks is Professor of Sociology and Dean of Humanities and Social Science at South Bank University, London., Brian Heaphy is Senior Lecturer in Sociology at Nottingham Trent University., Catherine Donovan is Principal Lecturer and Team Leader in Sociology and Social Policy at Sunderland University.