Relationship Scripts: How Young Women Develop and Maintain Same-Sex Romantic Relationships

Abstract

Utilizing a qualitative approach applying phenomenological methods, this study examines factors that contribute to how young women develop and form same-sex romantic relationships. Data were gathered using qualitative face-to-face interviews with 8 women ranging in age from 20 to 27 years old who resided in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Three categories emerged as contributing to the development and maintenance of young women's same-sex romantic relationships: impact of defining gender interactions, relationship progression, and learning about relationships. Within the categories, 10 themes and 4 subthemes emerged to help further contribute to the current research on young women's same-sex romantic relationships. The article concludes by discussing the essence of the development and maintenance of same-sex romantic relationships as well as clinical implications, training implications, and future research.

KEYWORDS:

• coming out
• gender
• lesbian
• qualitative
• relationship scripts
• same-sex relationships