24-6 The Invisible Love: A Preliminary Study of the Development of Relationships for Lesbian Couples in Taiwan
Ten lesbian couples who have been together for more than a year were interviewed in the present study. The data explored three stages they went through while building their intimate relationships: awareness, initial contact, and relationship maintenance. The results highlighted the dynamic process of the development of lesbian couple relationship, and the uniqueness of such relationship (including its lack of clarity, its purity and enmeshment, and its flexibility regarding gender roles). The study also discusses the similarities and differences between lesbian couple relationships and heterosexual couple relationships.
1. Similarities: The three stages of lesbian couple relationship development is similar to that of the social exchange investment model that heterosexual couples go through. Even when facing differences in their life cycles, they still try hard to learn to accept each other and to build their own communication pattern.
2. Differences:Due to the exclusion of non-heterosexual couple relationship from societal norms, lesbians have to face uncertainty and struggle in attempting to express their interests in the other persons at the awareness stage. This half hidden couple relationship created more insecurity for both partners. At the same time, due to high expectations, the tension in the relationship was elevated. This, while it makes the relationship appear purer, creates more enmeshment. Finally and in order to resist the reaction from unfriendly environments, they also tend to pursue a relationship with more equality and role flexibility.
Keywords
commitment, lesbian couples, relationship development, relationship maintenance, same-sex couple relationship.
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