THE FAMILIES OF LESBIANS AND GAY MEN - A NEW FRONTIER IN FAMILY RESEARCH

To examine the extent to which the family relations of lesbians and ga y men are integrated into the family literature, we reviewed over 8,00 0 articles published between 1980 and 1993 in nine journals that publi sh family research. Our review shows that research on lesbian and gay families is quire limited and that, where these families have been stu died, they have been problematized and their diversity has been overlo oked. We describe and define lesbian and gay families, illustrating th eir diversity and challenging the neglect of this population in family studies. We direct researchers' attention toward a social ecologies m odel that incorporates the dynamics of family relationships. We discus s theoretical implications of studying lesbian and gay families, and p ropose research directions to improve our knowledge of these families and families in general.