Sibling Relationships

This entry addresses the ties between LGBTQ adults and their siblings—their sisters and brothers. For most of us, our ties with siblings are likely to be the longest of our family relationships. This is as true for LGBTQ individuals as it is for straight ones, yet it is rare for research to deal with the sibling ties of LGBTQ adults. Although shrinking fertility rates mean more families with only one child, most women continue to have two or more children, so the vast majority of adults will continue to have at least one sibling. Indeed, if the economy were to improve, more people would act on the continued preference both to have children and to have more than one of them. Siblings are significant ties ...