During the holiday season, a lot of well-intentioned people encourage us to focus, more than anything, on our families. The message is loud and clear: Cherish the time you have with your loved ones, prioritize seeing family above all else, and be present in the moment. All of that is good and reasonable. But what happens when you can’t—or don't want to—go home? That’s where the concept of “chosen” family can come in, if companionship is something you’re looking for. Anyone can develop a chosen family (or families) for any reason, though it’s something that’s long been held as sacred among queer communities. Even today (and especially in generations past), many openly LGBTQ+ people have been kicked out or otherwise disowned by our families, which can manifest in a number of ways—perhaps it’s temporary, perhaps there’s partial communication with certain people, or it could be a total estrangement. But what does it mean to have a chosen family, and what does it look like in practice? Like so many things about relationships: It depends. Read more