The Legacy of the Age Gap as a Decisive Difference in Lesbian Relationships

Anna Maria Sorainen; Joanna Mizielinska

The Legacy of the Age Gap as a Decisive Difference in Lesbian Relationships

Anna Maria Sorainen
, Joanna Mizielinska

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › Scientific › peer-review

Abstract

Our analytical gaze is on the nuances in power relations to derive info on whether the lesbian age gap is a constant referent in the relationships. Where is it silenced within the relationships, and what are the instances when it suddenly becomes crucial?
The common belief that it is usually the older partner who helps the younger one out economically, or/and perceives the younger as an equivalent of the child in a lesbian relationship is challenged. Focusing on materialised, concrete response on age-related expectations such as care division or will-writing practices, we suggest that the lesbian age gap provides a vital tool for queering assumptions of the choreographies of intergenerational desire.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Queer(y)ing Kinship in the Baltic Region and Beyond
Editors	Ulrika Dahl, Joanna Mizielińska, Raili Uibo, Antu Sorainen
Number of pages	33
Place of Publication	Huddinge
Publisher	Södertörns Högskola
Publication date	19 Feb 2023
Pages	255-287
ISBN (Print)	978-91-89504-20-2
ISBN (Electronic)	978-91-89504-21-9
Publication status	Published - 19 Feb 2023
MoE publication type	A3 Book chapter

Publication series

Name	Södertörn academic studies
Publisher	Södertörns Högskola
Number	92
ISSN (Print)	1650-433X

Bibliographical note

Dr. Antu Sorainen, PhD, is Docent in Gender Studies, working as Principal Investigator at the University of Helsinki.
She was the Director of the research team “CoreKin – Contrasting and Re-Imagining Margins of Kinship” (Academy of Finland, 2016-2020). Her current research project focuses o Protolesbian Personal Histories and Nationalist Sentiment in the 1920-30s Finland (The Cultural Foundation of Finland, 2019-2024).
She has conducted empirical studies in queer sexualities, especially in the legal field. She is the co-author of a book on the conceptual history of “Sittlichkeit”, and is publishing on queer kinship and inheritance practices.
Sorainen was an Academy Fellow at the Academy of Finland and the PI of the research project titled “Wills and Inheritance Practices in Sexually Marginalised Groups” (2014-2019).
• Orcid.org/0000-0002-3956-8352

Fields of Science

999 Others
Queer Kinship
Gender Studies
Queer studies
Sexuality
Kinship
Lesbians
Desire
Age Gap
5141 Sociology

Access to Document

Protolesbian Life History and Nationalist Sentiment in the 1920-30s Finland, a SKR grant research project
Sorainen, A. (Project manager)
SATY ry
01/09/2019 → 31/07/2024
Project: Research project
CoreKin: Contrasting and Re-imagining Margins of Kinship
Sorainen, A. (Project manager), Härkönen, H. (Participant), Moring, A. (Participant), Zhabenko, A. (Participant), Avdeeva, A. (Participant) & Heinonen, A. (Project manager)
NOS-HS
01/09/2016 → 31/08/2020
Project: Research project
Queer(y)ing Kinship in the Baltic Area
Sorainen, A. (Participant), Dahl, U. (Project manager) & Mizielinska, J. (Participant)
01/01/2015 → 31/12/2017
Project: Research project

Cite this

Sorainen, A. M., & Mizielinska, J. (2023). The Legacy of the Age Gap as a Decisive Difference in Lesbian Relationships. In U. Dahl, J. Mizielińska, R. Uibo, & A. Sorainen (Eds.), Queer(y)ing Kinship in the Baltic Region and Beyond (pp. 255-287). (Södertörn academic studies; No. 92). Södertörns Högskola. https://bibl.sh.se/skriftserier/hogskolans_skriftserier/Queerying_Kinship_in_the_Baltic_Region_and_Beyond/diva2_1737329.aspx

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abstract = "Our analytical gaze is on the nuances in power relations to derive info on whether the lesbian age gap is a constant referent in the relationships. Where is it silenced within the relationships, and what are the instances when it suddenly becomes crucial? The common belief that it is usually the older partner who helps the younger one out economically, or/and perceives the younger as an equivalent of the child in a lesbian relationship is challenged. Focusing on materialised, concrete response on age-related expectations such as care division or will-writing practices, we suggest that the lesbian age gap provides a vital tool for queering assumptions of the choreographies of intergenerational desire. ",

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note = "Dr. Antu Sorainen, PhD, is Docent in Gender Studies, working as Principal Investigator at the University of Helsinki. She was the Director of the research team “CoreKin – Contrasting and Re-Imagining Margins of Kinship” (Academy of Finland, 2016-2020). Her current research project focuses o Protolesbian Personal Histories and Nationalist Sentiment in the 1920-30s Finland (The Cultural Foundation of Finland, 2019-2024). She has conducted empirical studies in queer sexualities, especially in the legal field. She is the co-author of a book on the conceptual history of “Sittlichkeit”, and is publishing on queer kinship and inheritance practices. Sorainen was an Academy Fellow at the Academy of Finland and the PI of the research project titled “Wills and Inheritance Practices in Sexually Marginalised Groups” (2014-2019). • Orcid.org/0000-0002-3956-8352 ",

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Sorainen, AM & Mizielinska, J 2023, The Legacy of the Age Gap as a Decisive Difference in Lesbian Relationships. in U Dahl, J Mizielińska, R Uibo & A Sorainen (eds), Queer(y)ing Kinship in the Baltic Region and Beyond. Södertörn academic studies, no. 92, Södertörns Högskola, Huddinge, pp. 255-287. <https://bibl.sh.se/skriftserier/hogskolans_skriftserier/Queerying_Kinship_in_the_Baltic_Region_and_Beyond/diva2_1737329.aspx>

The Legacy of the Age Gap as a Decisive Difference in Lesbian Relationships. / Sorainen, Anna Maria; Mizielinska, Joanna.
Queer(y)ing Kinship in the Baltic Region and Beyond. ed. / Ulrika Dahl; Joanna Mizielińska; Raili Uibo; Antu Sorainen. Huddinge: Södertörns Högskola, 2023. p. 255-287 (Södertörn academic studies; No. 92).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › Scientific › peer-review

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AU - Sorainen, Anna Maria

AU - Mizielinska, Joanna

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AB - Our analytical gaze is on the nuances in power relations to derive info on whether the lesbian age gap is a constant referent in the relationships. Where is it silenced within the relationships, and what are the instances when it suddenly becomes crucial? The common belief that it is usually the older partner who helps the younger one out economically, or/and perceives the younger as an equivalent of the child in a lesbian relationship is challenged. Focusing on materialised, concrete response on age-related expectations such as care division or will-writing practices, we suggest that the lesbian age gap provides a vital tool for queering assumptions of the choreographies of intergenerational desire.

KW - 999 Others

KW - Queer Kinship

KW - Gender Studies

KW - Queer studies

KW - Sexuality

KW - Kinship

KW - Lesbians

KW - Desire

KW - Age Gap

KW - 5141 Sociology

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BT - Queer(y)ing Kinship in the Baltic Region and Beyond

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A2 - Sorainen, Antu

PB - Södertörns Högskola

CY - Huddinge

ER -

The Legacy of the Age Gap as a Decisive Difference in Lesbian Relationships

Abstract

Publication series

Bibliographical note

Fields of Science

Access to Document

Projects

Protolesbian Life History and Nationalist Sentiment in the 1920-30s Finland, a SKR grant research project

CoreKin: Contrasting and Re-imagining Margins of Kinship

Queer(y)ing Kinship in the Baltic Area

Cite this