Feminist Theory and the Question of Lesbian and Gay Marriage
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2004
Abstract
In this article, I explore the question of lesbian and gay marriage through the lens of feminist theory, first delineating briefly the feminist critique of marriage as articulated historically and contemporarily. I then argue why it is necessary for gays and lesbians to press for the right to marry: the second-class citizenship created by the state’s differential treatment of gays and lesbians, I contend, is no position from which to launch a viable challenge to the status quo. I intend here to enrich the theoretical debate with practical considerations of the meaning of inequality, and to enhance the social movement for lesbian and gay rights with ideological insights from the feminist struggle. I write as a feminist, a lesbian, and a thinker deeply concerned with the meanings of liberation on multiple fronts.
Department
Gender and Women's Studies
Print ISSN
0959-3535
Publication Title
Feminism & Psychology
Recommended Citation
Bevacqua, M. (2004). Feminist Theory and the Question of Lesbian and Gay Marriage. Feminism & Psychology, 14(1), 36-40. doi. https://doi.org/10.1177/0959353504040300
DOI
10.1177/0959353504040300
Link to Publisher Version (DOI)
Publisher's Copyright and Source
Copyright © 2004 SAGE. Article published by SAGE in Feminism & Psychology, volume 14, issue number 1, 2004, pages 36-40. Available online: https://doi.org/10.1177/0959353504040300.
