In this Book
- Lawfully Wedded Husband: How My Gay Marriage Will Save the American Family
- Book
- 2013
- Published by: University of Wisconsin Press
- Series: Living Out: Gay and Lesbian Autobiog
summary
When Joel Derfner's boyfriend proposed to him, there was nowhere in America the two could legally marry. That changed quickly, however, and before long the two were on what they expected to be a rollicking journey to married bliss. What they didn't realize was that, along the way, they would confront not just the dilemmas every couple faces on the way to the altar—what kind of ceremony would they have? what would they wear? did they have to invite Great Aunt Sophie?—but also questions about what a relationship can and can't do, the definition of marriage, and, ultimately, what makes a family.
Add to the mix a reality show whose director forces them to keep signing and notarizing applications for a wedding license until the cameraman gets a shot she likes; a family marriage history that includes adulterers, arms smugglers, and poisoners; and discussions of civil rights, Sophocles, racism, grammar, and homemade Ouija boards—coupled with Derfner's gift for getting in his own way—and what results is a story not just of gay marriage and the American family but of what it means to be human.
Table of Contents
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- Introduction
- pp. 3-4
- 1. Saying Yes
- pp. 5-25
- 3. Deciding on Living Arrangements
- pp. 42-67
- 4. Dealing with the Legal Business
- pp. 68-91
- 6. Planning the Ceremony
- pp. 125-141
- 7. Taking Stock of the Relationship
- pp. 142-169
- 8. Taking Care of Last-Minute Details
- pp. 170-205
- 9. Getting Married
- pp. 206-213
- 10. Living Happily Ever After
- pp. 214-225
- Acknowledgments
- p. 235
- Further Reading
- pp. 246-248
Additional Information
ISBN
9780299294939
Related ISBN(s)
9780299294908
MARC Record
OCLC
860993348
Pages
247
Launched on MUSE
2013-10-21
Language
English
Open Access
No
Copyright
2013