Undoing Normativities and Creating Family: A Queer Stepfamily’s Experience

Abstract

Although the stepfamily literature is well developed, most examines heterosexual stepfamilies and fails to note the presence of those headed by same-gender couples. This especially is true of male couples assumed unlikely to have children. Our case study uses a queer lens to examine a stepfamily headed by gay men. Family, couple, and focal child interviews were coded using thematic analysis. Findings indicate family members rejected normative family labels (e.g., stepfamily) and wanted to be thought of only as a family. These stepfamily members also performed family in ways that defied heteronormativity; however, they described struggling to do so within legal contexts that favored biological mothers, especially those in heterosexual families.