Synopses & Reviews
Opponents of same-sex marriage in the United States often claim that allowing gays and lesbians to marry will lead to the downfall of the institution of marriage and will harm children. Drawing from 16 years of data and experience with same-sex unions in Scandinavia, Gay Marriage: For Better or for Worse? is the first book to present empirical evidence about the results of same-sex marriage (in the form of registered partnerships) from the Nordic countries. Spedale and Eskridge demonstrate that conservative defense-of-marriage arguments that predict negative effects from gay marriage are invalid, and the Scandinavian experience suggests that the institution of marriage may indeed benefit from the enactment of gay marriage. If we look at the proof from abroad, the authors argue, we must conclude that the sanctioning of gay marriage in the United States would neither undermine marriage as an institution, nor harm the wellbeing of our nation's children.
Review
"A treasure trove of statistics, laws, and sources, useful for any social science student...Anyone hoping to be an educated commentator or student of same-sex marriage in Europe or America should read Gay Marriage. In particular, political science students would find it useful for detailed discussions of how interest groups interact to promote or resist social change in other nations. Students in sociology and gay studies classes would find the cross-cultural discussion quite helpful."--Journal of the History of Sexuality
"For a long time, we've needed a good scholarly account of the effects of same-sex marriage on marriage and society as a whole. Now we have it. This eye-opening book is a must-read for anyone interested in the continuing debate over same-sex marriage."--Andrew Sullivan, author of Virtually Normal
"Whatever your views are now on same-sex marriage, this is the book to read to be informed about why same sex couples want legal recognition and what legal union means to them and to the larger community. Eskridge and Spedale give detailed accounts of the effects of registered partnerships in Scandinavia--and along the way, offer fascinating and engaging pictures of many people's lives. Fundamentally, this book raises the bar and now no responsible discussion can proceed without addressing actual evidence from the countries with long experience giving same-sex relationships legal recognition."--Martha Minow, Jeremiah Smith Jr. Professor, Harvard Law School
"Eskridge and Spedale illuminate with remarkable even-handedness a debate that tends to generate more heat than light. They provide a cogent analysis of conservative arguments that same-sex matrimony threatens conventional marriage, and argue persuasively that enabling same-sex partners to marry may actually strengthen that beleaguered institution."--John Podesta, former White House Chief of Staff, currently President and CEO, Center for American Progress
"Eskridge and Spedale have given us an important and timely contribution to the debates about same-sex marriage. This book convincingly shows why the best policy (and the best politics) would be to support individuals and the families they form, however those families are constituted. It should be required reading for anyone interested in the future of families in America."--Martha Albertson Fineman, Robert W. Woodruff Professor, Emory Law School
Review
andquot;This very interesting, informative, and well-written book presents many fascinating interviews, and provides a window on one of the most contested subjects in the U.S. today. Essential.andquot;
Review
andquot;Queering Marriageand#160;is remarkable for its highly thoughtful insights into the real meaning of same-sex marriage. By telling the compelling stories of same-sex couples who participated in marriage ceremonies that played a powerful role in the movement toward marriage equality, sociologist Katrina Kimport brilliantly adjudicates competing contemporary views regarding the influence of same-sex marriage on both 'traditional marriage' and the gay and lesbian community. This beautifully written book is a must-read for any serious scholar of family, gender, sexuality, and social movements.andquot;
Review
andquot;Queering Marriage is a careful, fair, and compelling analysis of how same-sex couples navigate the multiple and often conflicting meanings of marriage; impressive, tidy, and accessible, it will also appeal to an audience unfamiliar with sociology.andquot;
Review
andquot;A smart, sensitive account of what marriage meant to, and did for, San Franciscoandrsquo;s 'Winter of Love' participants,and#160;Queering Marriageand#160;demonstrates how same-sex marriages subvert heteronormativity even as they shore it up.andquot;
Review
andquot;Queering Marriage contributes to the gay marriage debate by showcasing the power of empirical research to offer answers to assimilation versus social change arguments. An incisive story about the power of heteronormativity to validate or invalidate, legitimate or delegitimize, samesex relationships.andquot;
Review
andquot;Queering Marriage provides a compelling look into experiences of same-sex couples who married during San Franciscoandrsquo;s Winter of Love. Kimport skillfully weaves history, theory, and lived experiences to present a thoughtful analysis that attends to the complexities of same-sex marriage as both a social and political issue. It is a recommended read for anyone interested in the politics of same-sex marriage activism and practice in the United States.andquot;
Review
andquot;Queering Marriage shares stories about the impact of marriage on men and women who, though often cognizant of the transitory legality of their marriages, testified to the ways that it changed their lives. Kimport masterfully analyzes the meanings of marriage to these women and men as a way to gauge its transformative potential.andquot;
Review
andquot;This well-written and thoughtful book provides a unique window into the experiences of same-sex Americans married in this remarkable moment. The joy and love the participants felt at the time is palpable in Kimportandrsquo;s quotes, and she does a masterful job of weaving in descriptors of the respondents and their experiences and opinions into her analysis.andquot;
Synopsis
Opponents of same-sex marriage in the United States often claim that allowing gays and lesbians to marry will lead to the downfall of the institution of marriage and will harm children. Drawing from 16 years of data and experience with same-sex unions in Scandinavia, Gay Marriage: For Better or for Worse? is the first book to present empirical evidence about the results of same-sex marriage (in the form of registered partnerships) from the Nordic countries. Spedale and Eskridge demonstrate that conservative defense-of-marriage arguments that predict negative effects from gay marriage are invalid, and the Scandinavian experience suggests that the institution of marriage may indeed benefit from the enactment of gay marriage. If we look at the proof from abroad, the authors argue, we must conclude that the sanctioning of gay marriage in the United States would neither undermine marriage as an institution, nor harm the wellbeing of our nation's children.
Synopsis
Opponents of same-sex marriage in the United States claim that allowing gays and lesbians to marry would undermine the institution of marriage, weaken family structures, and cause harm to children. Drawing from 17 years of data and experience with same-sex marriage in Scandinavia (in the form of registered partnerships),
Gay Marriage: For Better or for Worse? is the first book to present empirical evidence about the effects of same-sex marriage on society. Spedale and Eskridge find that the evidence refutes conservative defense-of-marriage arguments and, in fact, demonstrates that the institution of marriage may indeed benefit from the legalization of gay marriage. If we look at the proof from abroad, the authors show, we must conclude that the sanctioning of gay marriage in the United States would neither undermine marriage as an institution, nor harm the wellbeing of our nation's children.
"A very interesting book that people should read."
--Bill O'Reilly, Host, The O'Reilly Factor
"Whatever your views are now on same-sex marriage, this is the book to read to be informed about why same sex couples want legal recognition and what legal union means to them and to the larger community. Spedale and Eskridge give detailed accounts of the effects of registered partnerships in Scandinavia--and along the way, offer fascinating and engaging pictures of many people's lives."
--Martha Minow,
Jeremiah Smith Jr. Professor, Harvard Law School
"Spedale and Eskridge illuminate with remarkable even-handedness a debate that tends to generate more heat than light. They provide a cogent analysis of conservative arguments that same-sex matrimony threatens conventional marriage, and argue persuasively that enabling same-sex partners to marry may actually strengthen that beleaguered institution."
--John Podesta,
President and CEO, Center for American Progress
"An important and timely contribution. It should be required reading for anyone interested in the future of families in America."
--Martha Albertson Fineman,
Robert W. Woodruff Professor, Emory Law School
Synopsis
In-depth interviews with participants in non-traditional families are used to argue that same-sex marriage cannot be understood as simply entrenching or contesting heterosexual privilege. Instead, Katrina Kimport contends that these new legally sanctioned relationships can both reinforce as well as disrupt the association of marriage and heterosexuality. She provides a nuanced, accessible, and theoretically grounded framework for understanding the powerful effect of heterosexual expectations on both sexual and social categories.
About the Author
Darren R. Spedale is an investment banker in New York City. He spent two years on a Fulbright Fellowship in Denmark researching Scandinavian same-sex partnerships. He received his J.D. and M.B.A. degrees from Stanford University, and continues his work on same-sex marriage through his pro bono activities.
William N. Eskridge, Jr. is the John A. Garver Professor of Jurisprudence at the Yale Law School. He is the author of numerous articles and books, including
The Case for Same-Sex Marriage, Dynamic Statutory Interpretation, and
Gaylaw: Challenging the Apartheid of the Closet.
Table of Contents
Introduction: Toward a Brave New World
1. The Evolving Same-Sex Marriage Debate in the United States
2. The Same-Sex Marriage Debate in Scandinavia and the Rest of Europe
3. A New Look For Legal Unions: Sixteen Years of Scandinavian Partnerships and the Changing Conception of Family
4. The Benefits of Same-Sex Marriage: Lessons From Scandinavia
5. Modern Scandinavian Families and the Defense-of-Marriage Argument
6. Drawing Lines: Scandinavian Lessons for the American Marriage Debate
Epilogue: I Now Pronounce You...: An Emerging Menu of Relationship Options
Appendix
Bibliography
Index