Lesbian Academic Couples is a collection of writings by scholars who examinein theory and in narrativeissues faced by partners working in the academic field, including the politics of spousal hiring, discrimination in hiring practices, collaboration between partners, long-distance relationships, team teaching, and job sharing. This unique book presents firsthand accounts from senior faculty with lengthy credentials in LGBT scholarship who have been able to land academic positions not compromised by outing, from established academics who have been outed to negative effect, from junior scholars with a queer specialty, and from faculty whose work is constantly shifting and unpredictable.

Learn how lesbian couples deal with political, social, and legal issues related to their relationships—and their professions Lesbian Academic Couples is a collection of writings by scholars who examine—in theory and in narrative—issues faced by partners working in the academic field, including the politics of spousal hiring, discrimination in hiring practices, collaboration between partners, long-distance relationships, team teaching, and job sharing. This unique book presents firsthand accounts from senior faculty with lengthy credentials in LGBT scholarship who have been able to land academic positions not compromised by outing, from established academics who have been outed to negative effect, from junior scholars with a queer specialty, and from faculty whose work is constantly shifting and unpredictable. The format of Lesbian Academic Couples is unique. Authors well known to the lesbian communities in the United States, Canada, and Australia, present essays that “converse” with one another, offering opposing positions that represent a diversity of approaches on vital issues. The book offers candid accounts of the experiences of lesbian couples fortunate enough to work in supportive academic environments and from those discouraged from being out on campus or from doing academic work in the area of LGBT studies. This groundbreaking book is especially timely given current lawsuits and legislation involving civil unions and domestic partner benefits, enforcement of domestic violence statutes, and the rights of unmarried older couples. Lesbian Academic Couples includes the stories of couples who: achieved scholarly success and a reaffirmed relationship were separated when they couldn’t find viable academic positions in the same geographical area abandoned the security of tenured positions for the sake of their relationship were professionally marginalized because of their same-sex, mixed-race relationship wrote under the pen name “Michael Field” in the nineteenth century In addition, Lesbian Academic Couples examines the critical issues of: state sanctioning through marriage spousal hiring package plans sexual orientation nondiscrimination policies Lesbian Academic Couples have existed, as long as there have been female academics. This powerful book gives voice to their successes and struggles.

LGBTQ Divorce and Relationship Dissolution: Psychological and Legal Perspectives and Implications for Practice brings together social science and legal perspectives to examine the timely topic of relationship dissolution and divorce among sexual and gender minorities.

How do the careers and lives of academic couples differ from those of other academics? What advantages and disadvantages do they face, and what problems and opportunities do their increasing numbers present to academic institutions? Sixteen experts address these and many other questions in Academic Couples, offering new research and much vital information.

SOCIOLOGY/ANTHROPOLOGY/ARCHAEOLOGY

Learn how lesbian couples deal with political, social, and legal issues related to their relationships--and their professions Lesbian Academic Couples is a collection of writings by scholars who examine--in theory and in narrative--issues faced by partners working in the academic field, including the politics of spousal hiring, discrimination in hiring practices, collaboration between partners, long-distance relationships, team teaching, and job sharing. This unique book presents firsthand accounts from senior faculty with lengthy credentials in LGBT scholarship who have been able to land academic positions not compromised by outing, from established academics who have been outed to negative effect, from junior scholars with a queer specialty, and from faculty whose work is constantly shifting and unpredictable. The format of Lesbian Academic Couples is unique. Authors well known to the lesbian communities in the United States, Canada, and Australia, present essays that "converse" with one another, offering opposing positions that represent a diversity of approaches on vital issues. The book offers candid accounts of the experiences of lesbian couples fortunate enough to work in supportive academic environments and from those discouraged from being out on campus or from doing academic work in the area of LGBT studies. This groundbreaking book is especially timely given current lawsuits and legislation involving civil unions and domestic partner benefits, enforcement of domestic violence statutes, and the rights of unmarried older couples. Lesbian Academic Couples includes the stories of couples who: achieved scholarly success and a reaffirmed relationship were separated when they couldn't find viable academic positions in the same geographical area abandoned the security of tenured positions for the sake of their relationship were professionally marginalized because of their same-sex, mixed-race relationship wrote under the pen name "Michael Field" in the nineteenth century In addition, Lesbian Academic Couples examines the critical issues of: state sanctioning through marriage spousal hiring package plans sexual orientation nondiscrimination policies Lesbian Academic Couples have existed, as long as there have been female academics. This powerful book gives voice to their successes and struggles.

A comprehensive guide to marriage—perks, consequences, and everything in between—aimed at the LGBTQ+ community, from a leading gay rights lawyer. Not long ago, same-sex couples had to jump through endless hoops to make their relationships even close to legal. Happily, those days are over. But here’s the rub: many gay and lesbian couples, accustomed to living off-grid, are so thrilled to have the benefits of marriage that they jump into it without fully considering the consequences. In Before I Do, leading gay rights attorney Elizabeth F. Schwartz spells out the range of practical considerations any couple should address before tying the knot. She explains the rights married couples have—and those they do not. With cameos from some of the most prominent LGBTQ+ professionals, Schwartz explores all of the implications of marriage from name changes and getting a license to taxes, insurance, Social Security, and much more. Chapters on estate planning, pre- and post-nuptial agreements, and organizing finances make Before I Do a crucial handbook for anyone considering marriage—because, as Schwartz explains, just because you can get married does not mean you should. “During my thirty years of covering the gay beat for the Miami Herald, never did I imagine the need for a marriage guide for LGBT couples. Yet today nothing is more urgent. Before I Do guides all couples, gay and otherwise, about the responsibilities of marriage. Ignore it at your peril.” —Steve Rothaus, The Miami Herald

On Intimate Terms looks at the internal logic of lesbian relationships, arguing that they are not patterned after heterosexual ones but rely on the interplay of psychosexual differences between women. The book suggests that everyone seeks psychic complementarity with an Other in intimate relationships as a way of supporting personal growth and development. A complementary partner is one who is different in some individually meaningful way, not necessarily in terms of gender. Drawing upon interviews with individuals and lesbian couples, literature on lesbian psychology, and contemporary psychoanalytic theory, Beverly Burch observes a special attraction between primary lesbians - women who have been attracted to other women from an early age - and lesbians who formerly were heterosexual. This difference may be a source of tension for lovers, but it also attracts and bonds them in conscious and unconscious ways. The intimacy between lesbian partners permits interpersonal exchanges that foster the continuing development of each, according to Burch. This development can occur in three areas, with the significance of each varying from couple to couple. It can be a source of both conscious and unconscious psychosexual exchanges, a way in which each partner can experience "the road not taken" through her relationship with the other. The partners' different histories can reflect different ways of negotiating difference itself, a pivotal theme in the development of adult women. And gender role identities related to different developmental experiences can be played with, expanding the experience of being female in a way that can challenge gender categories.

How can being closeted or out affect the personal and professional life of a lesbian in academia? This volume, a collection of over thirty personal narratives, explores what it's like to be a lesbian working in a college or university setting. Along with the stories are in-depth analyses of the narratives by other academics. Issues such as race, class and age and how these factors distinguish each individual's place in the academy are examined. The contributors have written from a wide range of experiences--different degrees of outness, various academic disciplines, many geographic locations, and several types of academic settings.