The Rise of Same Sex Households Flashcards
What % of the population are openly gay?
7%
What are the 2 reasons for a rise in same sex households?
- legal and political changes
- attitudes and declining stigma
How have legal and political changes led to a rise in same sex households?
In 1967, the Sexual Offences Act decriminalised homosexuality in England and Wales. Law changed in Scotland in 1980 and 1982 in Northern Ireland. In 1994 the age of consent was lowered to 18 and down to 16 in 2000.
In the same year the ban on gay people serving in the army was lifted.
In 2002, the Adoption and Children Act allowed homosexual people to adopt children.
Civil Partnerships were allowed in 2004
Full marriage rights were given in 2013
According to the National Police Chiefs Council what has happened to the LGBT community?
LGBTQ hate crimes have steadily increased in the last 5 years
How has decline stigma and changing attitudes led to a rise in same sex households?
The British Social Attitudes Survey found that in 1983 17% of people found same sex households acceptable. In 2016 this reached 64%.
In 1980s the AIDS epidemic and the passing of Section 28 criticised the gay community
The stigmatised status of being gay fell away in the 1990s
Why is the LGBT community not accepted in all communities?
Religious institutions use conversion therapy to “cure” people of their homosexuality
What the two sociological explanations for the experiences of same sex households?
- chosen families
- less stable in their relationship
According to Weeks (1999), what are chosen families for the gay community?
Same sex couples try to recreate the structure of the traditional structure and stability of nuclear families. In the past couples would have to hide their practices, but not they are able to express their gayness and pursue a more traditional life.
Also, in the 80s, gay men were seen as promiscuous however as attitudes have changed they have “fallen in line” with the heterosexual community
According to Allen and Crow (2001) find about same sex couples being less stable than heterosexual ones?
In their view, heterosexual relationships are more simple because men and women clearly know their roles. Not the same for gay couples. They have to negotiate for what each partner will do. Could leave the relationship in conflict and disagreement
Also, same sex couples may try to suit heterosexual norms following changes in the law…
Evaluation of the point that same sex couples are less stable than heterosexual ones?
Research by Dunne (1999) found that lesbian coupes are more stable as they have no gender scripts to go by.
