Expanding the Rainbow: Exploring the Relationships of Bi+, Polyamorous, Kinky, Ace, Intersex, and Trans People

by Brandy L. Simula (Editor), J.E. Sumerau (Editor), Andrea Miller (Editor)

Expanding the Rainbow is the first comprehensive collection of research on the relationships of people who identify as bi+, poly, kinky, asexual, intersex, and/or trans that is written to be accessible to an undergraduate audience. The volume highlights a diverse range of identities, relationship structures, and understandings of bodies, sexualities, and interpersonal relationships. Contributions to the volume include original empirical research, personal narratives and reflections, and theoretical pieces that center the experiences of members of these communities, as well as teaching resources. Collectively, the chapters present a diverse, nuanced, and empirically rich picture of the variety of relationships and identities that individuals are creating in the twenty-first century.

Genres: Gender and Sexuality

378 pages, Paperback

Published July 1, 2019

Reviews

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

(I have a chapter in this book!)

I'm pretty excited about the way it brings together both established and emerging scholars, with an emphasis on voices speaking about their own communities.

This book is designed to be accessible to a wide audience, but it's not quite a 101 text. I was pretty familiar with some of the topics, but also definitely gained some new info and perspectives, particularly about intersex identities and experiences.

I was intrigued by and appreciated the way that various authors defined the same terms differently (like bisexual, asexual, and cisgender), and how some authors directly addressed these divergent conceptualizations. It's tricky, but ultimately what a real introduction to these ideas needs to contend with. A lot of these identities don't have clear, static, universal meanings, and that's something we need to get our heads around, even if it's frustrating for all of us (including community members and researchers/writers).

A couple of others bits that really stood out to me:

From C. J. Chasin's chapter, Asexuality and the Re/Construction of Sexual Orientation - "this framework of compulsory sexual orientation exists because sexual orientation... and its associated outcomes... are socially relevant. However, asexuality troubles this relationship: (non) experiences of sexual attraction may or may not function as a shortcut to determine what is socially relevant for ace folks, and this underscores the importance of considering that possibility for others too" (215).

And a quote from a study participant in alithia zamantakis's chapter, "I Try Not to Push It Too Far" - "I don't feel like a lot of cis people understand it. I feel like if they did understand gender on a personal level, they wouldn't identity as cis" (293).

[Kira · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great and accessible collection of both studies and personal reflections, which discussed a wide variety of topics. The authors did well to remove assumptions that ideal happy relationships must be between cisgender, monogamous, and/or monosexual partners. While that was a main focus of the book, most of the essays also discussed the intersections of these LGBTQ+ identities with issues of race, class, disability, age, gender, etc that also affect people's relationships with family, friends, and partners.