Changes in social and sexual mores in the latter part of the 20th century have become apparent in the diverse families who live openly in communities throughout the United States. Among these diverse family systems is the nuclear family that is headed by a lesbian couple. The findings of predominantly qualitative research studies on the social support and functioning of this increasingly visible family form have identified the needs of these nontraditional nuclear families. This article presents an overview of the empirical findings about nuclear families that are headed by lesbian couples. Moreover, it discusses the implications of the findings for empowering interventions with, and social work advocacy for, lesbian mothers, co-mothers,and their children.
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