Equal Couples

Anne Rankin Mahoney, Ph.D.  Professor Emerita, Department of Sociology, University of Denver, amahoney@du.edu

I’m a sociologist-writer, interested in gender and family issues from both a professional and personal perspective.

• Professional: I taught courses on families and gender in the Sociology Department at the University of Denver for many years and directed the DU Women’s Studies Program for three years. My PhD in sociology is from Columbia University.

• Personal: My husband Barry and I met at a party in Greenwich Village. He’s a New York native (Queens) and I’m from a small town in Pennsylvania (Meadville). We’ve been committed to having an equal relationship from the beginning. There have been some bumps over the years. After all, equality is a process. Right now we feel we’ve got the right balance, but then it’s a lot easier without kids in the house.  Each life stage brings new issues.

• Our adult daughter and son and their spouses seem to take equality for granted, but it’s still an ongoing process. Sometimes they feel different from acquaintances and feel pressures from outside to conform to more traditional roles. We have two young grand daughters in British Columbia. Not as many cuddles as we would like.

• We love living in Denver — great weather, lots to do. My garden is thriving. In addition to blogging and nonfiction I write poetry and some fiction.  About four years ago I started singing in a chorus, which helps balance all that time at the computer.

• Carmen and I met at a professional conference on families about fifteen years ago and have been writing and brainstorming together about gender equality in relationships ever since. We’ve never lived anywhere near each other.  Modern technology is wonderful!