chosen family

English

Noun

chosen family (plural chosen families)

1. (LGBT) A group of people who are not biologically related but who have formed a supportive group that fills the role normally expected to be supplied by the family one is born into.
   • 2022 December 23, Taylor Henderson, “Matt Rogers Reveals Potential Ideas for Fire Island 2 Sequel”, in Out Magazine‎^[1]:

     ...but when a sudden change of events jeopardizes their summer in gay paradise, their bonds as a chosen family are pushed to the limit.

   • 2020, Marty Fink, Forget Burial:

     De La Cruz's writing offers caregiving models that blend biological and chosen family, a narrative strategy central to the contemporary trans fiction of Casey Plett.

   • 1994, Michael W. McCann, Rights at Work: Pay Equity Reform and the Politics of Legal Mobilization:

     But while partners are an integral part of the enduring chosen family for lesbians and gay men in the United States, for hijras and kotis, their pantis or husbands are categorically not family