Same Sex Relationships Law And Social Change

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Same-Sex Relationships, Law and Social Change

Author : Frances Hamilton
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 0429664443
Total Pages : 280 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (296 download)

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Book Synopsis Same-Sex Relationships, Law and Social Change by : Frances Hamilton

Download or read book Same-Sex Relationships, Law and Social Change written by Frances Hamilton and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2020-01-15 with total page 280 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This edited collection provides a forum for rigorous analysis of the necessity for both legal and social change with regard to regulation of same-sex relationships and rainbow families, the status of civil partnership as a concept and the lived reality of equality for LGBTQ+ persons. Twenty-eight jurisdictions worldwide have now legalised same-sex marriage and many others some level of civil partnership. In contrast other jurisdictions refuse to recognise or even criminalise same-sex relationships. At a Council of Europe level, there is no requirement for contracting states to legalise same-sex marriage. Whilst the Court of Justice of the European Union now requires contracting states to recognise same-sex marriages for the purpose of free movement and residency rights, unlike the US Supreme Court, it does not require EU Member States to legalise same-sex marriage. Law and Sociology scholars from five key jurisdictions (England and Wales, Italy, Australia, Canada, and the Republic of Ireland) examine the role of the Council of Europe, European Union and further international regimes. A balanced approach between the competing views of critically analytical rights based theorists and queer and feminist theorists interrogates the current international consensus in this fast moving area. The incrementalist theory whilst offering a methodology for future advances continues to be critiqued. All contributions from differing perspectives expose that even for those jurisdictions who have legalised same-sex marriage, still further and continuous work needs to be done. The book will be of interest to students and scholars in the field of human rights, family and marriage law and gender studies.

Speak Now

Author : Kenji Yoshino
Publisher : Crown
ISBN 13 : 0385348800
Total Pages : 386 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (853 download)

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Book Synopsis Speak Now by : Kenji Yoshino

Download or read book Speak Now written by Kenji Yoshino and published by Crown. This book was released on 2015 with total page 386 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Tells the story of a watershed trial that unfolded over twelve tense days in California in 2010. A trial that legalized same-sex marriage in our most populous state. A trial that interrogated the nature of marriage, the political status of gays and lesbians, the ideal circumstances for raising children, and the ability of direct democracy to protect fundamental rights. A trial that stands as the most potent argument for marriage equality this nation has ever seen. In telling the story of Hollingsworth v. Perry, the groundbreaking federal lawsuit against Proposition 8, Kenji Yoshino has also written a paean to the vanishing civil trial--an oasis of rationality in what is often a decidedly uncivil debate"--Dust jacket flap.

When Gay People Get Married

Author : M. V. Lee Badgett
Publisher : NYU Press
ISBN 13 : 0814709303
Total Pages : 301 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (147 download)

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Book Synopsis When Gay People Get Married by : M. V. Lee Badgett

Download or read book When Gay People Get Married written by M. V. Lee Badgett and published by NYU Press. This book was released on 2010-11 with total page 301 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: ."..Badgett offers a rare look at how gay marriage is actually working, by taking readers to a land where it has been legal for same-sex couples to marry since 2001: the Netherlands. Through interviews with married gay couples we learn about the often surprising changes to their relationships, and the reactions of their families and work colleagues. Moreover, Badgett shows how the institution itself has been altered, exploring how the concept of marriage itself has changed in the United States and the Netherlands." "The evidence from around the world shows both that marriage changes gay people more than gay people change marriage and that it is the most liberal countries and states making the first moves to recognize gay couples. In the end, Badgett demonstrates that allowing gay couples to marry does not destroy the institution of marriage and that many gay couples do benefit, in expected as well as surprising ways, from the legal, social, and political rights that the institution offers."--From publisher description.

From Sodomy Laws to Same-Sex Marriage

Author : Sean Brady
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1350023906
Total Pages : 264 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (5 download)

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Book Synopsis From Sodomy Laws to Same-Sex Marriage by : Sean Brady

Download or read book From Sodomy Laws to Same-Sex Marriage written by Sean Brady and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2019-07-25 with total page 264 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Inspired by recent adoptions of same-sex marriage, From Sodomy Laws to Same-Sex Marriage provides international perspectives on the legal and social history of same-sex relationships from the early 19th century to the present. Its emphasis is on areas where the impetus for change has been most noticeable: Europe, the Americas, and Australasia. From Sodom and Gomorrah to Britain's sodomy laws and continental Europe's abhorrence of sexual acts 'against nature', the history of same-sex love traditionally ranged from fire and brimstone maledictions to secrecy and scandal. Until recently, legal positions across the western world reflected the legacies of the British and French empires, as well as Christianity, particularly Catholicism. In recent years, however, there has been a revolution in attitudes towards same-sex relationships. This poses hitherto unanswered questions: what historical complexities lie behind the revolutionary shift from punitive attitudes to legal endorsement of same-sex relationships? Given the cultural variety of historical attitudes to same-sex relationships, why has their legal acceptance been so international? The essays in this volume provide answers to these questions, offering the first international overview of the topic. While other studies have attempted to explain the change in legal and social treatment of same-sex relationships in a national context, or within a shorter time frame, this is the first volume to examine the topic from the French Revolution to the present day, bringing together a diverse array of perspectives over a range of countries. It is an important volume for students and scholars of queer history, the history of sexuality, law and sociology.

Same-sex Marriage in the United States

Author : Jason Pierceson
Publisher : Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN 13 : 1442212055
Total Pages : 267 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (422 download)

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Book Synopsis Same-sex Marriage in the United States by : Jason Pierceson

Download or read book Same-sex Marriage in the United States written by Jason Pierceson and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2014 with total page 267 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Same-sex marriage has become one of the defining social issues in contemporary U.S. politics. State court decisions finding in favor of same-sex relationship equality claims have been central to the issue's ascent from nowhere to near the top of the national political agenda. Same Sex Marriage in the United States tells the story of the legal and cultural shift, its backlash, and how it has evolved over the past 15 years. This book aids in a classroom examination of the legal, political, and social developments surrounding the issue of same-sex marriage in the United States. While books about same-sex marriage have proliferated in recent years, few, if any, have provided a clear and comprehensive account of the litigation for same-sex marriage, and its successes and failures, as this book does. Updated through 2013, this edition details the watershed rulings in favor of same-sex marriage: the Supreme Court's June 26th repeal of DOMA, and of Proposition 8 in California, as well as the many states (New Jersey, Illinois, New Mexico, Hawaii, and Nevada among others) where activists and public leaders have made recent strides to ensure that gay couples have an equal right to marry.

Same-Sex Marriage in the Americas

Author : Jason Pierceson
Publisher : Lexington Books
ISBN 13 : 0739146572
Total Pages : 256 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (391 download)

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Book Synopsis Same-Sex Marriage in the Americas by : Jason Pierceson

Download or read book Same-Sex Marriage in the Americas written by Jason Pierceson and published by Lexington Books. This book was released on 2010-04-13 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book examines the proliferation of policy making concerning the recognition and protection of same-sex relationships in the countries of North and South America, adding to the knowledge of developments in the United States and Canada, but, mostly notable, exploring more recent developments in Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean. While much work has been done on developments in Europe and upper North America, this book attempts to broaden the understanding of relationship equality policy proliferation around the world and to add new insights regarding the policies of sexuality in different national contexts. The book discusses the several factors that have constrained and facilitated policymaking in this area including legal systems, public opinion, political culture, and, more particularly, the role of religion as a key obstacle in the recognition of rights for same-sex couples. The chapters also explore the role of institutional mechanisms, political parties, NGOs, IGOs, and international norms as significant factors for policy adoption This book explores policy innovation for same-sex couples throughout the Americas and includes same-sex marriage legislation, civil unions, and other new developments for same-sex couples throughout the Americas at both national and sub-national levels. This scholarship is innovative because though much has been written regarding developments in North America, there is very little work dealing with recent developments in the rest of the Americas.

Same-Sex Marriage in the United States

Author : Jason Pierceson
Publisher : Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN 13 : 1442236655
Total Pages : 281 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (422 download)

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Book Synopsis Same-Sex Marriage in the United States by : Jason Pierceson

Download or read book Same-Sex Marriage in the United States written by Jason Pierceson and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2014-04-01 with total page 281 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Same-sex marriage has become one of the defining social issues in contemporary U.S. politics. State court decisions finding in favor of same-sex relationship equality claims have been central to the issue’s ascent from nowhere to near the top of the national political agenda. Same Sex Marriage in the United States tells the story of the legal and cultural shift, its backlash, and how it has evolved over the past 15 years. This book aids in a classroom examination of the legal, political, and social developments surrounding the issue of same-sex marriage in the United States. While books about same-sex marriage have proliferated in recent years, few, if any, have provided a clear and comprehensive account of the litigation for same-sex marriage, and its successes and failures, as this book does. Updated through 2013, this edition details the watershed rulings in favor of same-sex marriage: the Supreme Court's June 26th repeal of DOMA, and of Proposition 8 in California, as well as the many states (New Jersey, Illinois, New Mexico, Hawaii, and Nevada among others) where activists and public leaders have made recent strides to ensure that gay couples have an equal right to marry.

Beyond Straight and Gay Marriage

Author : Nancy D. Polikoff
Publisher : Beacon Press
ISBN 13 : 9780807044322
Total Pages : 284 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (443 download)

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Book Synopsis Beyond Straight and Gay Marriage by : Nancy D. Polikoff

Download or read book Beyond Straight and Gay Marriage written by Nancy D. Polikoff and published by Beacon Press. This book was released on 2008 with total page 284 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Part of the Queer Ideas series, edited by Michael Bronski QUEER IDEAS-a new series of LGBT hardcovers that address important intellectual questions facing the movement. The debate over marriage equality for same-sex couples rages across the country. Beyond (Straight and Gay) Marriage boldly moves the discussion forward by focusing on the larger, more fundamental issue of marriage and the law. The root problem, asserts law professor and LGBT rights activist Nancy Polikoff, is that marriage is a bright dividing line between those relationships that legally matter and those that don't. A woman married to a man for nine months is entitled to Social Security survivor's benefits when he dies; a woman living for nineteen years with a man or woman to whom she is not married receives nothing. Polikoff reframes the debate by arguing that all family relationships and households need the economic stability and emotional peace of mind that now extend only to married couples. Unmarried couples of any sexual orientation, single-parent households, extended family units, and myriad other familial configurations need recognition and protection to meet the concerns they all share: building and sustaining economic and emotional interdependence, and nurturing the next generation. Couples should have the choice to marry based on the spiritual, cultural, or religious meaning of marriage in their lives, asserts Polikoff. While marriage equality for same-sex couples is a civil rights victory, she contends that no one should have to marry in order to reap specific and unique legal results. A persuasive argument that married couples should not receive special rights denied to other families, Polikoff shows how the law can value all families, and why it must. "A much-needed intervention in the contemporary debate about marriage and family. Polikoff's argument is provocative, illuminating, and original." -John D'Emilio, author of Lost Prophet: The Life and Times of Bayard Rustin "Polikoff mobilizes an impressive array of legal history and contemporary court cases to show how marriage, whether same-sex or heterosexual, has ceased to be the only place where people incur long-term obligations. She argues vigorously that our society needs to find new ways of determining when legally-enforceable responsibilities and entitlements have accrued in interpersonal relationships." -Stephanie Coontz, author, Marriage, A History: How Love Conquered Marriage "This book really matters. It is brilliant and thoughtful, not simply about a set of laws, but as a manifesto to transform the way we understand, recognize and respect the reality of our diverse and complex family compositions. Polikoff grounds her arguments in the 35 year history of social change activism in this country to construct a passionate and nuanced argument for expanding our same sex marriage activism to include all of the ways people love, form families and build community." -Amber Hollibaugh, Senior Strategist, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, and author of My Dangerous Desires: A Queer Girl Dreaming her Way Home "Passionate but completely grounded in reality, Polikoff challenges LGBT rights advocates to see beyond gay equality arguments and question the fundamental fairness of limiting family recognition based on marriage, gay or straight. It is a powerful call for social justice." -Nan D. Hunter, founder of the American Civil Liberties Union Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Project and Professor of Law, Brooklyn Law School "A provocative and perspicuous intervention in one of the most devilish recent debates in U.S. law and politicshellip;In a principled yet pragmatic analysis, Polikoff mounts a compelling case against the continued grip of 'conjugalism'on our family law and policy. Beyond (Straight and Gay) Marriage challenges us

Scripture, Ethics, and the Possibility of Same-Sex Relationships

Author : Karen R. Keen
Publisher : Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1467451339
Total Pages : 161 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (674 download)

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Book Synopsis Scripture, Ethics, and the Possibility of Same-Sex Relationships by : Karen R. Keen

Download or read book Scripture, Ethics, and the Possibility of Same-Sex Relationships written by Karen R. Keen and published by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. This book was released on 2018-10-11 with total page 161 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: WHEN IT COMES TO SAME-SEX RELATIONSHIPS, this book by Karen Keen contains the most thoughtful, balanced, biblically grounded discussion you’re likely to encounter anywhere. With pastoral sensitivity and respect for biblical authority, Keen breaks through current stalemates in the debate surrounding faith and sexual identity. The fresh, evenhanded reevaluation of Scripture, Christian tradition, theology, and science in Keen’s Scripture, Ethics, and the Possibility of Same-Sex Relationships will appeal to both traditionalist and progressive church leaders and parishioners, students of ethics and biblical studies, and gay and lesbian people who often feel painfully torn between faith and sexuality.

Queer

Author : Arvind Narrain
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 160 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (91 download)

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Book Synopsis Queer by : Arvind Narrain

Download or read book Queer written by Arvind Narrain and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page 160 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Queer Despised Sexuality, Law and Social Change is an inaugural monograph based on the belief that the struggle for a better world for queer people has to be based not just on questioning the larger frameworks of legal injustice, state intolerance and societal indifference, but also questioning and challenging ignorance, misconceptions and hatred in our families, our schools and colleges and our places of work. This work will nourish vigorous Indian pursuit of human rights to be and to remain different.

The Rainbow After the Storm

Author : Michael J. Rosenfeld
Publisher : Oxford University Press
ISBN 13 : 0197600433
Total Pages : 337 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (976 download)

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Book Synopsis The Rainbow After the Storm by : Michael J. Rosenfeld

Download or read book The Rainbow After the Storm written by Michael J. Rosenfeld and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2021-11-26 with total page 337 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The Rainbow after the Storm tells the story of the rapid liberalization of attitudes toward gay rights that made same-sex marriage the law of the U.S. sooner than almost anyone thought was possible. The book explains how and why public opinion toward gay rights liberalized so much, while most other public attitudes have remained relatively stable. The book explores the roles of a variety of actors in this drama. Social science research helped to shift elite opinion in ways that reduced the persecution of gays and lesbians. Gays and lesbians by the hundreds of thousands responded to a less repressive environment by coming out of the closet. Straight people started to know the gay and lesbian people in their lives, and their view of gay rights shifted accordingly. Same-sex couples embarked on years-long legal struggles to try to force states to recognize their marriages. In courtrooms across the U.S. social scientists behind a new consensus about the normalcy of gay couples and the health of their children won victories over fringe scholars promoting discredited antigay views. In a few short years marriage equality, which had once seemed totally unrealistic, became realistic. And then almost as soon as it was realistic, marriage equality became a reality"--Back cover.

The Legal Recognition of Same-Sex Relationships

Author : Brian Tobin
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1509952543
Total Pages : 221 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (99 download)

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Book Synopsis The Legal Recognition of Same-Sex Relationships by : Brian Tobin

Download or read book The Legal Recognition of Same-Sex Relationships written by Brian Tobin and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2023-02-23 with total page 221 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book analyses the key issues affecting same-sex families in Ireland and beyond today: marriage; formalised and non-formalised same-sex relationships outside of marriage; parental rights for same-sex couples with donor-conceived or surrogate-born children; and the protections afforded to same-sex families under European human rights law. It critically examines the Irish and Australian citizen-led approaches to achieving marriage equality, which made Ireland and Australia the first and second countries in the world, respectively, to extend the institution of marriage to same-sex couples on foot of a popular vote. It analyses the pragmatic and symbolic effects of civil partnership, which was the premier means of formalising same-sex unions in Ireland. Ireland's hurried 'divorce' from civil partnership in the aftermath of marriage equality is examined in light of evidence from the U.K. indicating that this mode of relationship recognition remains popular with both same-sex and opposite-sex couples in that jurisdiction. The book goes on to consider the legal position of same-sex couples who are parenting children born via assisted reproductive techniques (ARTs) like donor-assisted human reproduction (DAHR) and surrogacy. Finally, it looks at the impact (or lack thereof) of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) as regards the protection of same-sex relationships, marriage and parental rights for same-sex couples. It does this to determine what is required of Ireland and other states party to the ECHR to comply with European human rights obligations when it comes to legally recognising couples, and parents, of the same sex.

From Civil Partnership to Same-Sex Marriage

Author : Nicola Barker
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 1317632044
Total Pages : 252 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (176 download)

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Book Synopsis From Civil Partnership to Same-Sex Marriage by : Nicola Barker

Download or read book From Civil Partnership to Same-Sex Marriage written by Nicola Barker and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2015-04-17 with total page 252 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Civil Partnership Act 2004 and the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 are important legal, social and historical landmarks, rich in symbolic, material and cultural meanings. While fiercely opposed by many, within mainstream narratives they are often represented as a victory in a legal reform process that commenced with the decriminalisation of homosexuality. Yet, at the same time, for others they represent a problematic and ambivalent political engagement with the institution of marriage. Consequently, understood or labelled as ‘revolutionary’, ‘progressive’ and ‘conservative’, these legal reforms provide a space for thinking about issues that arguably affect everyone, regardless of sexual orientation or relationship status. This edited collection brings together scholars and commentators from a range of backgrounds, generations and disciplines to reflect on the first ten years of civil partnerships and the introduction of same-sex marriage. Rather than rehearsing the arguments ‘for’ and ‘against’ relationship recognition, the essays ask original questions, draw on a variety of methods and collectively provide a detailed and reflective ‘snap shot’ of a critical moment, a ‘history of the present’ as well as providing a foundation for innovative ways of thinking about and engaging with the possibilities and experiences arising from the new reality of relationship recognition for gays and lesbians.

Cohabitation, Marriage and the Law

Author : Anne Barlow
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1847310109
Total Pages : 170 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (473 download)

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Book Synopsis Cohabitation, Marriage and the Law by : Anne Barlow

Download or read book Cohabitation, Marriage and the Law written by Anne Barlow and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2005-06-23 with total page 170 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Unmarried heterosexual cohabitation is rapidly increasing in Britain and over a quarter of children are now born to unmarried cohabiting parents. This is not just an important change in the way we live in modern Britain; it is also a political and theoretical marker. Some commentators see cohabitation as evidence of selfish individualism and the breakdown of the family, while others see it as just a less institutionalised way in which people express commitment and build their families. Politically, 'stable' families are seen as crucial - but does stability simply mean marriage? At present the law in Britain retains important distinctions in the way it treats cohabiting and married families and this can have deleterious effects on the welfare of children and partners on cohabitation breakdown or death of a partner. Should the law be changed to reflect this changing social reality? Or should it - can it - be used to direct these changes? Using findings from their recent Nuffield Foundation funded study, which combines nationally representative data with in-depth qualitative work, the authors examine public attitudes about cohabitation and marriage, provide an analysis of who cohabits and who marries, and investigate the extent and nature of the 'common law marriage myth' (the false belief that cohabitants have similar legal rights to married couples). They then explore why people cohabit rather than marry, what the nature of their commitment is to one another and chart public attitudes to legal change. In the light of this evidence, the book then evaluates different options for legal reform.

Same-sex Marriage Debate

Author : Justin Healey
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9781922084019
Total Pages : 60 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (84 download)

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Book Synopsis Same-sex Marriage Debate by : Justin Healey

Download or read book Same-sex Marriage Debate written by Justin Healey and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 60 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Same-sex marriages are currently not permitted under Australian federal law. Although same-sex couples in a de facto relationship have had most of the legal rights of married couples since July 2009, there is however no national registered partnership or civil union scheme.

Legal Recognition of Same-Sex Partnerships

Author : Robert Wintemute
Publisher : Hart Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1841131385
Total Pages : 807 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (411 download)

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Book Synopsis Legal Recognition of Same-Sex Partnerships by : Robert Wintemute

Download or read book Legal Recognition of Same-Sex Partnerships written by Robert Wintemute and published by Hart Publishing. This book was released on 2001-10-13 with total page 807 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this book an international team of scholars examines both theoretical issues and the wide variety of legal developments in various countires.

Wedlocked

Author : Katherine Franke
Publisher : NYU Press
ISBN 13 : 1479815748
Total Pages : 287 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (798 download)

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Book Synopsis Wedlocked by : Katherine Franke

Download or read book Wedlocked written by Katherine Franke and published by NYU Press. This book was released on 2015-11-06 with total page 287 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Compares today’s same-sex marriage movement to the experiences of black people in the mid-nineteenth century. The staggering string of victories by the gay rights movement’s campaign for marriage equality raises questions not only about how gay people have been able to successfully deploy marriage to elevate their social and legal reputation, but also what kind of freedom and equality the ability to marry can mobilize. Wedlocked turns to history to compare today’s same-sex marriage movement to the experiences of newly emancipated black people in the mid-nineteenth century, when they were able to legally marry for the first time. Maintaining that the transition to greater freedom was both wondrous and perilous for newly emancipated people, Katherine Franke relates stories of former slaves’ involvements with marriage and draws lessons that serve as cautionary tales for today’s marriage rights movements. While “be careful what you wish for” is a prominent theme, they also teach us how the rights-bearing subject is inevitably shaped by the very rights they bear, often in ways that reinforce racialized gender norms and stereotypes. Franke further illuminates how the racialization of same-sex marriage has redounded to the benefit of the gay rights movement while contributing to the ongoing subordination of people of color and the diminishing reproductive rights of women. Like same-sex couples today, freed African-American men and women experienced a shift in status from outlaws to in-laws, from living outside the law to finding their private lives organized by law and state licensure. Their experiences teach us the potential and the perils of being subject to legal regulation: rights—and specifically the right to marriage—can both burden and set you free.