Arts & Culture
Kinship Systems Beyond the Nuclear Family, Including Chosen Families
Quick fact
In many societies, like the Mosuo of China, children are raised not by a father but by the mother's brother, and fathers are not considered relatives at all—while in modern Western contexts, many LGBTQ+ individuals form 'chosen families' that are as stable and meaningful as blood ties.
Why this is interesting
We often think family means mom, dad, and kids—but millions of people around the world (and in your own community) define family very differently. What happens when biology and law don't match who you truly call family?