The idea of "chosen family" is based on the recognition that biological families may not be accessible or supportive to individuals who identify as LGBTQ+. This can lead to the formation of alternative social networks through which members provide each other with emotional, financial, and practical support. These groups often adopt similarities to traditional families, such as living together, celebrating holidays, and sharing finances.
They differ from traditional families in their fluid composition and lack of formalized ties. They are formed out of desire rather than obligation, and can include people outside of one's community or even country of origin.
In moral philosophy, this concept challenges liberal individualism's emphasis on autonomy and personal responsibility. Instead, it prioritizes collective wellbeing and interdependence. Queer communities recognize that some familial structures cannot be formed organically due to marginalization, discrimination, or lack of social acceptance. Therefore, chosen families become important sites for resistance against oppression, providing safety and solidarity. This subverts the notion that individuals should make choices solely based on self-interest and promotes a more communal approach to decision-making.
Politically, queer chosen families have been used to advocate for rights such as adoption, marriage equality, and parenthood.
Lesbian couples fought for the right to adopt children, arguing that denying them access to biological kinship undermined their ability to create stable families. The case was eventually won, demonstrating how legal institutions must recognize nontraditional family forms.
Queer parents challenge heteronormative expectations about gender roles within families by sharing caregiving responsibilities equally.
Some argue that chosen families perpetuate class divisions and exclude those who do not have the resources to build them. These issues reveal the limits of this model and suggest alternative approaches that promote economic justice and social welfare. Nevertheless, the concept has proven useful in highlighting the importance of collective care and resisting dominant norms of traditional family structures.
How does the queer concept of chosen family subvert liberal individualism in moral and political philosophy?
Chosen families are defined as groups formed by people who share similar interests, values, and goals outside of their biological or legal families. They are created through conscious choice rather than by blood ties. The concept of chosen families subverts liberal individualism in moral and political philosophy because it rejects the idea that individuals should be expected to conform to traditional roles within the nuclear family structure. Instead, chosen families provide an alternative model for social organization based on mutual support, acceptance, and understanding.