Same-sex relationship

A romantic or sexual relationship between people of the same sex. Its forms and social recognition vary across individuals, cultures, and historical periods.

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Sexual orientation: A pattern of romantic, emotional, or sexual attraction to people of particular sexes or genders. Attraction can shape partners’ identities, but it does not by itself describe a relationship.
Same-sex marriage: A legally recognized marriage between two people of the same sex. Marriage is one form of same-sex relationship with formal legal status.
Different-sex relationship: A romantic or sexual relationship between people of different sexes. It provides a direct comparison in discussions of social norms and legal treatment.
Boston marriage: A historical term for a long-term, often financially independent relationship between two women, especially in the United States. The term illustrates how women’s partnerships could be recognized socially without clear public labels.
Coming out: The process of disclosing a sexual orientation or gender identity to others. Disclosure can affect how partners navigate family, work, and public life.
Obergefell v. Hodges: The 2015 United States Supreme Court decision recognizing a constitutional right to same-sex marriage. The ruling required every U.S. state to license and recognize same-sex marriages.
Gender identity: A person’s internal understanding of their own gender. Partners’ genders and sexes are distinct dimensions, not interchangeable labels.
Marriage of Lili Elbe and Gerda Wegener: The 1904 marriage of Danish artists Lili Elbe and Gerda Wegener, whose lives later involved changing understandings of gender and sexuality. Their history shows why sex, gender identity, and relationship labels require careful distinction.
Chosen family: A network of close relationships that functions as family without relying solely on biological or legal ties. Chosen family has offered support where relatives or institutions rejected same-sex couples.
Marriage equality: Equal legal access to civil marriage regardless of the spouses’ sex or gender. Campaigns for marriage equality sought equal recognition for same-sex couples.