“I don't want to be around you. I don't care if you're my uncle”: An examination of Christian feminists’ discursive reconstructions of <i>family</i> in the age of Trumpism

This study utilized relational dialectics theory to examine the discursive (re)constructions of family for Christian feminists who have renegotiated their conservative evangelical religious identities in the age of Trumpism. Participants’ talk manifested discursive struggles between two competing discourses about family: the discourse of obliged relationship endurance (DORE) and the discourse of deliberate relationship cultivation (DDRC). The DORE views family as permanently bound by biological or legal ties, requiring unconditional, enduring commitment. In contrast, the DDRC emphasizes the voluntary nature of family relationships, individual needs, and open communication. This study sheds light on how (formerly conservative Christian) feminists make sense of new family dynamics, offering insights into evolving definitions of family and the complexities of navigating family relationships amid sociopolitical divisions.