Drawing on the latest social science research and clinical expertise, Families as They Really Are gets to the heart of what families are, how they work, and why they matter. These original essays by an interdisciplinary community of experts who study and work with families reframes the question about families from "are they breaking down?" to "where are they going, how, and why?" Now encompassing greater diversity in and within family structures, this thoroughly updated Third Edition features expanded coverage of gender, including nonbinary and trans experiences and perspectives; greater representation of families of color and LGBTQ families; and new pieces on the impact of the pandemic on families.