Lavender marriage

High school (ages 12+)
People & Society

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/lavender-marriage

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the primary function?To conceal the socially stigmatized sexual orientation of one or both partners
2. What is the prominent context?Frequently associated with public figures, notably within the Hollywood film industry
3. Why did people choose lavender marriages?People chose lavender marriages to protect their careers and avoid punishment or being shunned for being gay, especially in places like Hollywood where audiences expected couples to be straight.
4. When were lavender marriages most common?Lavender marriages were most common in the early 1900s, especially the 1920s and before World War II, when society was very negative toward homosexuality.

Marriage of Convenience: A union formed for pragmatic reasons, such as social or professional expediency, rather than emotional or romantic connection.
Social Stigma: A mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person, leading to social disapproval.
Sexual Orientation: An enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions to men, women, both, or neither.