The "not in blood but in bond" types of relationships are the boss of me.
YES. The notion of "chosen family" is one that was very important in the GLBT community, at least when I first came out in the '90's, so it has a lot of power for me (and still does, as we fight to have our families recognized legally, socially etc.) Dawn's arc here also is a very powerful metaphor for "adoption".
I love the fact that the episode "Family" (5.06) opens with Buffy saying aloud to Giles, for the first time, "I want to protect [Dawn]" and ends with Buffy and Dawn protecting Tara as "family", as a sister. (And Tara returns that in Spades in Tough Love - why does NOBODY talk about her sacrifice and torture at Glory's hands? Is it because women are "supposed to suffer in silence"?) In both instances the bond (committment) proceeds the blood.
Mmm, I need to do some Buffyverse sisterhood meta....
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branchandroot
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Date: 2013-06-12 07:11 pm (UTC)YES. The notion of "chosen family" is one that was very important in the GLBT community, at least when I first came out in the '90's, so it has a lot of power for me (and still does, as we fight to have our families recognized legally, socially etc.) Dawn's arc here also is a very powerful metaphor for "adoption".
I love the fact that the episode "Family" (5.06) opens with Buffy saying aloud to Giles, for the first time, "I want to protect [Dawn]" and ends with Buffy and Dawn protecting Tara as "family", as a sister. (And Tara returns that in Spades in Tough Love - why does NOBODY talk about her sacrifice and torture at Glory's hands? Is it because women are "supposed to suffer in silence"?) In both instances the bond (committment) proceeds the blood.
Mmm, I need to do some Buffyverse sisterhood meta....