One Step Forward, Two Steps Back? : Relationship Recognition in Canadian Law Post-Same-Sex Marriage
Keywords:
Family, Queer Theory, Relationship RecognitionAbstract
Abstract
This paper argues that same-sex marriage has been legalized through a problematic process of drawing parallels between gay and straight couples, ultimately creating new tensions between the conjugal and non-conjugal. As a result, the Canadian state’s continued reliance on conjugality as the primary non-blood relationship has implications for how we understand family. Using a sexual citizenship framework, this paper aims to conceptualize a direction for the Canadian state with respect to relationship recognition and to establish a space for discussing alternative categories of adult personal relationships.
Résumé
Cet article fait valoir que le mariage entre personnes de même sexe a été légalisé par le biais d’un processus problématique qui consiste à établir des parallèles entre les couples homosexuels et hétérosexuels, ce qui finit par causer de nouvelles tensions entre le conjugal et le non-conjugal. Par conséquent, le fait que l’État canadien continue de considérer la conjugalité comme principale relation sans lien de sang a des répercussions sur notre compréhension du concept de la famille. Cet article utilise un cadre de citoyenneté sexuelle pour conceptualiser une orientation pour l’État canadien en ce qui a trait à la reconnaissance des relations et pour créer un contexte de discussion d’autres catégories de relations personnelles entre adultes.
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Decisions Cited
Civil Marriage Act (2005) S.C.
Egan v. Canada (1995) 2 S.C.R. 513.
Halpern v Canada (2003) 225 D.L.R. (4th) 529 (Ont. C.A.).
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Modernization of Benefits and Obligations Act (2000) S.C.
Mossop v. Canada (Attorney General) (1993) 1 S.C.R. 554.
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