ABSTRACT

After decades of invisibility, the unique family experiences of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (collectively denoted sexualminority) individuals arefinally receiving systematic attention.Whereas much early research on this population focused on individual-level dynamics and challenges, such as identity development and mental health, the past several decades have witnessed an explosion of research on their interpersonal experiences. These studies have broadened our knowledge of the sexual-minority life course and have advanced our understanding of the processes throughwhich sexual orientation shapesday-to-day interpersonal functioning. The present chapter reviews the state of contemporary research on the family experiences of sexual-minority individuals, focusing on their romantic relationships and parenting practices. First, however, some clarifications bear mention. Throughout this chapter we refer to

“sexual-minority” (instead of “gay/lesbian/bisexual”) individuals and families. Sexual minority denotes any individual with same-sex attractions or relationships, and we use this term because not all individuals with same-sex attractions and/or relationships identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual: In fact, the majority of such individuals do not (Laumann, Gagnon, Michael, & Michaels, 1994; Mosher, Chandra, & Jones, 2005). Similar findings have emerged from surveys conducted in other countries (Wichstrom & Hegna, 2003) and in studies of adolescents (Garofalo, Wolf, Wissow, Woods, & Goodman, 1999). Despite the diversity of these individuals’ experiences, one thing they undeniably share is that their same-sex attractions and relationships place them outside conventional norms prescribing uniform and universal heterosexuality, potentially exposing them to self-stigmatization, denigration by others, and lack of public acknowledgement of their relationships. This is why they are considered sexual minorities. In this chapter we will review what is known about the specific processes and mechanisms through which an individual’s sexual-minority status shapes his/her family dynamics and functioning, calling attention to the most important areas for future research.