Companion animals and ecoexpansive kinship in the lives of <scp>LGBTQ</scp> + people

Abstract Objective The goal was to apply an ecoexpansive kinship model to assess how LGBTQ+ individuals navigate the interplay of multiple social‐ecological levels in their conceptualization of family, including companion animals. Background Families of choice are prominent among LGBTQ+ people in response to marginalization. Companion animals are increasingly incorporated into multilevel family dynamics, demonstrating growing family diversity. The ecoexpansive kinship model proposes a multilevel ecological model of family that explicitly integrates companion animals. Method In‐depth interviews with 45 LGBTQ+ people were conducted and analyzed using an iterative deductive qualitative approach to evaluate the applicability of the ecoexpansive kinship model. Results As individuals, LGBTQ+ people understand their chosen companion animals as integral aspects of their identity and sense of self. Companion animals served as key actors in their family dynamics across structure, functions, interactions, and life stages. At the community level, participants' companion animals facilitated the formation of wider social bonds that promoted societal integration. Structurally, LGBTQ+ people identified societal stigmas and constraints they faced having companion animal family members. Conclusions These analyses demonstrate the applicability of the ecoexpansive kinship model through the multifaceted role that companion animals play in LGBTQ+ people's lives as chosen family. Implications By documenting the integral role that companion animals play in queer people's familial lives, these findings can inform vital LGBTQ+‐based resources across individual and family well‐being.