This book examines the role of marriage in contemporary society, with a particular focus on gender and sexual inequalities within the context of marriage and family. This study employs qualitative social science methods to explore the potential of a more inclusive and sexually-fluid society to reshape traditional institutions like marriage by examining the lived experiences of 41 married people residing in Wisconsin, including members of the LGBT+ community.The book further examines overlooked complexities of married life, including the practice of consensual nonmonogamy and the experience of bisexual identity erasure, to challenge cultural norms and raise thought-provoking questions about what marriage and family can look like in a more equitable world. The study provides critical insights into the social and legal mechanisms that reinforce and disrupt gender and sexuality norms, as well as the larger implications of undoing these norms for achieving greater gender and sexual equality.
Daniel Bartholomay is Assistant Professor of Sociology and Co-Coordinator of Women’s, Gender, & Sexuality Studies at Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi.
Chapter 1: Introduction: What is Marriage, Really?Chapter 2: Marriage (Re)defined: Exploring the Changing Landscape of Marriage Chapter 3:About the Study: How Do People Experience Marriage? Chapter 4: First Comes Love, Then Comes Health Insurance? How Legal Benefits Influence Decisions to MarryChapter 5: “Yeah, Daddy’s Got Two Girlfriends:” How People in Open Marriages Are Redefining FamilyChapter 6: “So, Does this Mean You’re Straight?” How Married Bisexual, Queer, and Pansexual People Experience Privilege and Erasure Chapter 7: Conclusion: What is the Future of Marriage?