Despite seeming unrelated, the search by adoptees for their biological
families and the revelation of a nonstandard sexual
identity by gays and lesbians to their
families actually involve similar psychological components and elucidate similar
cultural stereotypes about kinship. In both circumstances, individuals risk discovering weaknesses within assumed American definitions of family. This essays discusses the difficulties encountered by adoptees and gays and lesbians in coming to terms with their nontraditional status. It emphasizes the role of gender and cultural assumptions by looking at the views of authors such as Judith Modell and Kath Weston.