Research Catalog

Queer stepfamilies the path to social and legal recognition

Title: Queer stepfamilies [electronic resource] : the path to social and legal recognition / Katie L. Acosta.
Author: Acosta, Katie L., 1980-
Publication: New York : New York University Press, [2021]

Available Online

Details

Description

1 online resource (x, 257 pages) : illustrations (black and white)

Summary

"Lesbian, bisexual, and queer families formed after the dissolution of a marriage face a range of obstacles. In Queer Stepfamilies, Katie L. Acosta offers a wealth of insight into their complex experiences as they negotiate parenting among multiple parents and family-building in a world not designed to meet their needs. Drawing on in-depth interviews, Acosta follows the journeys of more than forty families as they navigate a legal and social landscape that fails to recognize their existence. Acosta contextualizes the legal realities of LGBTQ stepparent families and considers the actions these parents take to protect their families in the absence of comprehensive policies or laws geared to meet their needs. Queer Stepfamilies reveals the obstacles these families face in family courts during divorce proceedings and custody cases, and highlights their distrust of courts when it comes to acting in their children's best interests, especially in the event of an origin parent's death. As LGBTQ families continue to make social and legal strides in acceptance and recognition, this important book shows how queer stepparents find ways to make their unconventional families work, despite the many social and legal obstacles they encounter. Acosta provides a fresh perspective, broadening our understanding about families in the twenty-first century"--

Uniform Title

Queer stepfamilies (Online)

Alternative Title

Queer stepfamilies (Online)

Subject

Bibliography (note)

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Access (note)

Access restricted to authorized users.

Contents

Plural parenting : the good the bad and the ugly -- Stepparents' familial roles : finding their way to meaningful contributions -- Seeking recognition in stepparent families -- Expanding families -- Stepping into the courts : sometimes it's just ugly -- "It really is better if we all just stay alive".

LCCN