Queer ecologies of home: heteronormativity, speciesism, and the strange intimacies of crazy cat ladies

Lifesaving in Every Way: The Role of Companion Animals in the Lives of Older Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Adults Age 50 and Over

“…Yet, many of our study participants live alone, do not have children (or ongoing close relationships with them), and do not have partners; thus, many may turn to pets for companionship and affection. Some theoretical discussions of human-animal companionship characterize these bonds as "queering" family relationships, such that pets are substitute children (Haraway, 2003) and challenge expectations of heteronormativity in expressions of love (McKeithen, 2017). Nast (2006) notes, "Pets have in many ways become more salient as love objects in post-industrial contexts where fewer children are available" (p. 900), a characterization that is especially relevant for current cohorts of LGBT older adults.…”

“…Approximately 68% of U.S. households include a pet (American Pet Products International, 2014), and pets are often considered family members (Risley-Curtiss et al, 2006). Although empirical research on human–animal interaction has shown positive health effects of having a pet, the evidence provides inconsistent results (Herzog, 2011); in theoretical works, the human–animal bond has been addressed as an important form of kinship (Haraway, 2003; McKeithen, 2017). Studies of human–animal interactions need to further examine the connection between having a pet and social support, the relationship between having a pet a physical and mental health, and the meanings that older adults subjectively ascribe to the benefits and challenges of having a pet.…”

Comment: Encountering Urban Animals: Towards the Zoöpolis

“…Although the city is usually thought of as a primarily human space, many animals are welcome within its bounds. The most obvious are domestic 'pets', which in modern cities are valued for companionship and often made to fit within visions of the heteronuclear family and neoliberal individualistic and consumerist cultures (McKeithen 2017;Nast 2006). Certain species of wild animals are also embraced, enrolled in the production of biodiversity and valued for their aesthetic benefits or contribution to ecosystem services.…”

Public perception of urban companion animals during the COVID-19 outbreak in China

“…As important urban animals, companion animals have attracted the attention of many scholars. Some of these scholars have examined companion animals that become a part of human families, such as dogs, cats and even reptiles ( McKeithen, 2017 ; Srinivasan, 2013 , 2019 ; Stallins and Kelley, 2013 ).…”