Object(ive)s of desire: Romantic coupledom versus promiscuity, subjectivity and sexual identity

Abstract

In light of recent debates around same-sex marriage, this article examines the way in which the cultural concept of the coupled relationship is culturally produced. By showing how coupledom is constituted in a dichotomy against casual sex in contemporary discourses of sexuality, it is argued that same-sex marriage claims uphold a narrow view of social-sexual relations. The article goes on to explore how this dichotomy is articulated in a range of texts including online social networking and dating sites before exploring the ways in which these two alternatives are utilized in the performance of gendered and sexual identities.