Perceptions of family acceptance into the military community among U.S. LGBT service members: A mixed-methods study

Lay Summary There are approximately 16,000 families of lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) service members in the U.S. military, but very little is known about how accepted they feel in the communities in which they live. This study begins to address this question by considering the perspectives of LGBT service members, which they shared both in response to an online survey and in interviews. Findings suggest that many service members believe their spouses and families are accepted by their chain of command. However, a smaller but important group continued to express concerns about their family being accepted in their military community. Many service members appear concerned that family services available to them through the military are not appropriate for LGBT families. Altogether, this article highlights the need for more research to understand the well-being and needs of this group.

Queering Lactation: Contributions of Queer Theory to Lactation Support for LGBTQIA2S+ Individuals and Families

In this article I explore some contributions of queer theory to the provision of lactation support services. In doing so, I also undertake an intersectional analysis of queering lactation, recognizing that forms of oppression do not impact all individuals equally or in the same ways. While recognizing the history of tensions between queer and feminist politics and activism, I argue that queering lactation holds significant benefits for supporting lactation among LGBT families, as well as opening up possibilities for rethinking gender and possibilities for gender equality more generally.

LG(BT) Families and Counting

Counting and understanding lesbian and gay families has gained attention over the last decade in popular culture, policy and academic research. Contentious debates on family values and same-sex marriage, increasing rates of social tolerance for homosexuality, and a greater general academic attention on issues of sexual orientation have partially spurred this attention in demographic analysis of lesbian and gay families. It is becoming increasingly clear that sexual orientation and gender identity have an effect on demographic processes and life outcomes. Although not perfect, practically speaking, drawing on nationally representative survey data has allowed us to illuminate the presence of same-sex families and their children.These findings have an iterative relationship with social change, public policy, and increasing tolerance for diversity. This article reviews the recent demographic contributions related to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) families. Due to research concentrations, the content of this article mostly addresses what is known about gay and lesbian families, but also offers future directions to fill research voids including a call for greater attention to and visibility for families with bisexual and transgender members.

Love Wins?: Legal Challenges for LGBT Families After Marriage Equality

In June 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court rendered its decision in favor of marriage equality, prompting widespread declarations of victory for LGBT couples. Access to legal marriage has been a game changer for LGBT families. Despite these important shifts, treating marriage equality as the catch-all solution for legal obstacles faced by LGBT families is problematic. Interactions with the law are determined by more than simply the law on the books. Prior experiences with the law and legal and sociopolitical environment shape the degree of trust people place in the law and legal institutions, including the willingness to engage with the legal system. We interviewed 137 parents located across the United States to explore when and how LGBT individuals use the law on behalf of their families. We found that a history of LGBT conflict with the legal system has produced, for many, an enduring distrust of the law within their family lives.