Same sex couples
Many sociologists now agree that a family no longer needs to be a group of people bound together by bloodline or legal ties. The increase in the common type of "alternative families," such as single-parent families, stepfamilies, same-sex couple families and other "non-traditional" household groupings has drastically changed our viewpoint of what constitutes an American family.
While it is true that all couples and families face difficulties in living their day-to-day lives, "alternative families" must deal with additional societal pressures. Many gay and lesbian couples have confronted issues that a "traditional" couple (male/female couple) might expect to face as well as issues that these couples contend with, issues that are unique to the nature of their relationship. For example, gay and lesbian individuals must decide whether or not they will come out at work and risk potential alienation and harassment. This can sometimes have a silencing effect, squelching the impulse to share the joys and pains of one's relationship with co-workers. This is an obstacle that most heterosexual workers don't even consider. That gay and lesbian couples are still denied access to marriage creates additional problems. If one member of the couple is not a United States citizen (an international student, for example), he or she might eventually be forced to return to his or her native country. In a heterosexual couple, marriage confers U.S. citizenship on any member of the union who wasn't originally a U.S. citizen. Gay and lesbian couples are denied that right, and the many benefits that come from being married.
Like most couples, it's difficult for Jeff and Mark to find time to just relax and catch up on their day. As a graduate student, Jeff spends many evenings at work.
While there are detrimental societal pressures unique to gay and lesbian relationships, there are also positive results of some of these constrictions. Many gay and lesbian couples...
