ABSTRACT
Debates over legalizing same-sex marriage have continued to rage within U.S. culture at large, as well as within the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) communities. In this chapter, we present research from a variety of academic traditions related to same-sex marriage. We begin by providing a historical and contemporary overview of the battle over legalizing same-sex marriage, outlining the important legal and demographic contexts that frame debates on same-sex marriage. Following this overview, we examine the implications for promoting, or denying, same-sex marriage at the individual and societal levels. To do so, we demarcate two opposing positions on legal same-sex marriage-the perspective that advocates for same-sex marriage, and the contrasting one that critiques the ght for same-sex marriage. In the nal sections of this chapter, we outline empirical research on same-sex couples’ perceptions of the same-sex marriage movement and provide a case vignette for therapists of same-sex couples.
