A radical reinterpretation of what it means to be a couple in the 1990s. Cline explores how we define coupledom, why and how it has become the norm in our society, and who it benefits. The book describes how the lives of the two sexes can be enhanced or destroyed by intimate partnerships. It shows how social and cultural life revolves around coupledom, and explodes the myths surrounding partnership as the ideal way of life. By questioning the current context for coupledom, it throws a fresh light on couples' goals and motives, and redefines and enlarges our existing definitions of heterosexual, lesbian and gay relationships. Based on scores of interviews with couples both in Britain and the States, COUPLES: INTIMATE SCENES is a fascinating, extensive and insightful survey of a social construct that, despite being a defining element of our society, remains largely unchallenged.