Books
Unholy matrimony
A funny and insightful investigation into why — gay or straight — we get wed
Words Uli Lenart
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BOOK OF THE MONTH
FIRST COMES LOVE
TomRasmussen/Bloomsbury
Matrimony. Wedlock. The promise of being together, for ever. It’s one of the most historic and universal of all institutions. The glue that binds people and societies together – but also one that implicitly excludes others. For time immemorial (and still enduring today in many parts of the world), it has been a club for heterosexuals-only. In First Comes Love, non-binary writer and performer Tom Rasmussen casts their discerning queer gaze over this ancient and curious union. Exploring different types of weddings, visits to wedding planners and a ghastly trade show, they interrogate the often-conflicted relationship queer and straight people have with an institution that can epitomise normality and convention. Blending memoir, history, politics and shrewd personal observation with conversations with friends and academics, Tom raises important questions about safety, conformity, exclusion and belonging. They look at monogamy, polyamory, fidelity, religion and divorce – and have an unexpectedly tender encounter with a woman who married a ghost. Bitingly funny, infectiously inquisitive and ferociously sharp. Adored! Out now