ABSTRACT
Family rituals often bring unacknowledged ideologies to the surface; thus, weddings – the events and the planning of them – are opportune activities in which to examine support for same-sex marriage. This chapter focuses on perceptions of support for same-sex couples as they transitioned into marriage. Informed by the social ecological model and the life course perspective, I describe two qualitative studies that examined support for same-sex marriage, focusing specifically on engagement announcements, wedding planning, and wedding events. The first study examined Canadians’ experiences of support from (a) family and friends, (b) communities, and (c) wedding industry businesses and organizations. The second study looked at same-sex marriage support from the perspectives of family members of recently married same-sex couples, involving participants from Canada and the US. Those who supported individuals in same-sex marriages were typically very happy for them, and any concerns were specific to the couple. Additionally, most felt they had always been supportive of same-sex marriage and identified key life experiences influencing their views, such as having open-minded parents, higher levels of education, and personal and/or professional interactions with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals in which they got to know the individuals on more than just a surface level.
