Q. In what way does queer kinship challenge the traditional kinship system? Substantiate by giving illustrations.

Model Answer:

Queer Kinship: Redefining Family Beyond Traditional Boundaries

Queer kinship refers to non-normative systems of support, intimacy, and care among LGBTQ+ individuals that fundamentally challenge traditional kinship structures based on consanguinity (blood) and affinity (marriage). As Kath Weston argues in ‘Families We Choose’, these relationships question conventional definitions of family.

De-centering Biological and Heteronormative Ties

• Traditional kinship privileges biological descent and heterosexual marriage as primary bonds
• Queer kinship subverts this by prioritizing chosen relationships over biological ones
• Demonstrates kinship as social achievement rather than biological given
• Example: During 1980s AIDS crisis, gay men formed caregiving networks when biological families abandoned them—these chosen families made medical decisions and inherited property

Challenging the Nuclear Family Model

• G.P. Murdock’s functionalist model centers on heterosexual reproductive couples
• Queer kinship decouples family from this heteronormative framework
• Example: Lesbian couples co-parenting with gay friends or polyamorous households sharing child-rearing directly challenge two-parent heterosexual norm

Elevating Friendship to Kinship

• Blurs boundaries between friendship and family ties
• Creates durable bonds based on shared identity and experience
• Example: Ballroom culture’s “House” system where rejected queer youth are adopted by “House Mothers/Fathers” who provide shelter, guidance, and belonging

Conclusion: Queer kinship redefines family as performative practice—”doing” rather than “being”—offering inclusive models beyond biological determinism and heteronormativity.