Unscripted and Improvised: Public and Private Celebrations of Same-Sex Relationships

This article explores how 22 British same-sex couples define and make meaning of the notion of relationship celebrations. Drawing on interview data from a wider study of same-sex relational practices, we explore the participants’ varied experiences of celebrating their relationship. Some had created public or private rituals (one-off and recurrent) that were both intensely personally meaningful and had a strong political dimension. Many highlighted the lack of a script for such celebrations; for some this was problematic, for others this enabled them the freedom and creativity to “spin it” for themselves. Much ambivalence was expressed about public relationship celebrations, particularly the social display element of such events, and for some both familial recognition and legal rights were vital in confirming the legitimacy of their relationships.