From the Political to the Personal: LGBT People and Their Relationships in the Era of Marriage Equality - An Introduction

This chapter serves as an introduction to the edited volume, which aims to showcase empirical research from across the social sciences on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people\u27s marital relationships. After a brief historical overview of the campaigns for marriage equality in both the US and Canada, the chapter argues that same-sex marriages must be understood on their own terms. Drawing on empirical research, I illustrate that same-sex marriages are distinct from both different-sex marriages and non-marital relationships involving same-sex couples. Finally, the chapter concludes with an overview of the primary chapters that follow