ABSTRACT
Chapter 2 contains three essays on what we mean when we use the word “relationship,” continuing a discussion from Chapter 1 about definitions and characteristics of close relationships. Kimberly Dark challenges us to define family beyond a nuclear conception of mom, dad, and child, and to instead focus on the meaning of family relationships. Meg Barker asks in a blog whether pop-culture representations of couple-hood, such as Valentine’s Day, limit our understanding of relationships. In TwentyOne-Year-Old Virgin, Malorie Palma explains the connection between religious values and upbringing and the pressure to be sexually active in romantic relationships. What becomes obvious when examining pop-culture and academic research on relationships is our copious use of metaphors to explain and understand our connections.
