Gay Unions Shed Light on Gender in Marriage

[varun]

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/10/health/10well.html?em&ex=1213243200&en=b4b9c506678f70a1&ei=5087%0A

For insights into healthy marriages, social scientists are looking in an unexpected place.

A growing body of evidence shows that same-sex couples have a great deal to teach everyone else about marriage and relationships. Most studies show surprisingly few differences between committed gay couples and committed straight couples, but the differences that do emerge have shed light on the kinds of conflicts that can endanger heterosexual relationships.

The findings offer hope that some of the most vexing problems are not necessarily entrenched in deep-rooted biological differences between men and women. And that, in turn, offers hope that the problems can be solved....

[izquierdista]

1. I have to wonder.....

if their study sample was large enough. Vermont is not a very wide cross section. When I see conclusions like this one:

"Controlling and hostile emotional tactics, like belligerence and domineering, were less common among gay couples."

It makes me positive they have never been to an apartment building in West Hollywood.

[moose65]

2. LOL that's funny!

And of course gay couples have many of the same problems as straighties. In my not-so-humble-queer-opinion, I think that many gay relationships succeed because the two people involved are more apt to think of themselves as equals, and the relationship starts on equal footing. Of course, many straight relationships are that way too, but I've seen many many straight relationships where the man completely dominates the woman, and she is completely whipped and unhappy. And of course we have the other extreme, the hen-pecked husband who can't run the washing machine or dishwasher and is at the mercy of the "little woman." Lesbian relationships in particular can be a model of equality and stability. And gay men can do it too... my partner and I have been together for almost 5 years with hardly a blip.

[unpossibles]

3. thanks for the article

I found it pretty interesting, and it made some good points about gender roles.