Description
Book SynopsisTrade ReviewWhitlow and Ould make the important point that context and situation often determine what language married lesbians use to describe themselves. * Gay and Lesbian Review *
This fascinating book explores one of the most complicated words around—“wife”—and uses that word to learn how lesbian couples and their friends and family are adapting to marriage. -- M.V. Lee Badgett, University of Massachusetts Amherst, author of 'When Gay People Get Married'
Whitlow and Ould’s cutting edge in-depth linguistic research with lesbians in same-sex marriages captures an important moment in lesbian feminist history. In crisp prose and with lively story-telling, they capture the fear, excitement, and challenges of breaking linguistic barriers in terms of what we lesbians call our spouses. Linguistic risk-taking is shaping a more equal world. -- Patricia Gozemba, co-author of Courting Equality: A History of America's First Same-Sex Marriages
Table of ContentsChapter 1. Same-Sex Marriage as a Reality in the United States Chapter 2. Methods and Background: The Intersection of Language and Identity Chapter 3. Whether at the Chapel, in the Courthouse, or on the Beach: Why Get Married? Chapter 4. Who Calls Whom Wife? Chapter 5. Navigating Family and Community as a Married Couple Chapter 6. Workplace Politics and Policies Chapter 7. Rebellion, Risks, and Renegotiation Chapter 8. Conclusion: The Evolving Identity of a Lesbian Wife
