‘You Have the Right to Be Respected in Death, Just as in Life’: LGBTQ+ Funeral Providers in the UK – Pursuing Social Justice or the “Pink Pound”?

Sue Westwood

doi:10.1177/00302228251354822

‘You Have the Right to Be Respected in Death, Just as in Life’: LGBTQ+ Funeral Providers in the UK – Pursuing Social Justice or the “Pink Pound”?

Sue Westwood

York Law School

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

The funeral market is changing, adapting to increasing personalisation and diversification of ceremonies. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer (LGBTQ+) people in the UK have increasing expectations of equitable service delivery, including in relation to funerals. However, they experience inequalities in palliative and end-of-life care, and anticipate associated barriers to equitable funeral provision. Concerns relate to funeral providers’ actual/potential heteronormative and cisnormative assumptions; sexuality and or gender identity invalidation; same-sex relationship non-recognition, and discounting of ‘families of choice’. These concerns are heightened regarding family of origin, who are not LGBTQ+ accepting. This article analyses UK websites marketing LGBTQ+ funeral services. Using queer and feminist approaches to death equity, and Nancy Fraser’s model of social justice, it argues that these funeral services constitute both pursuit of the ‘pink pound’ and resistance to heteronormative and cisnormative funeral traditions. The article proposes research agenda to explore these issues in greater depth.

Original language	English
Journal	Omega - Journal of Death and Dying
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/00302228251354822
Publication status	Published - 2 Jul 2025

Bibliographical note

This is an author-produced version of the published paper. Uploaded in accordance with the University’s Research Publications and Open Access policy.

Access to Document

10.1177/00302228251354822

Westwood OMEGA accepted version
This is an author-produced version of the published paper. Uploaded in accordance with the University’s Research Publications and Open Access policy.
Accepted author manuscript, 511 KBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "{\textquoteleft}You Have the Right to Be Respected in Death, Just as in Life{\textquoteright}: LGBTQ+ Funeral Providers in the UK – Pursuing Social Justice or the “Pink Pound”?",

abstract = "The funeral market is changing, adapting to increasing personalisation and diversification of ceremonies. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer (LGBTQ+) people in the UK have increasing expectations of equitable service delivery, including in relation to funerals. However, they experience inequalities in palliative and end-of-life care, and anticipate associated barriers to equitable funeral provision. Concerns relate to funeral providers{\textquoteright} actual/potential heteronormative and cisnormative assumptions; sexuality and or gender identity invalidation; same-sex relationship non-recognition, and discounting of {\textquoteleft}families of choice{\textquoteright}. These concerns are heightened regarding family of origin, who are not LGBTQ+ accepting. This article analyses UK websites marketing LGBTQ+ funeral services. Using queer and feminist approaches to death equity, and Nancy Fraser{\textquoteright}s model of social justice, it argues that these funeral services constitute both pursuit of the {\textquoteleft}pink pound{\textquoteright} and resistance to heteronormative and cisnormative funeral traditions. The article proposes research agenda to explore these issues in greater depth.",

author = "Sue Westwood",

note = "This is an author-produced version of the published paper. Uploaded in accordance with the University{\textquoteright}s Research Publications and Open Access policy.",

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