An Overview of Same-Sex Couples in Relation Ships: A Research Area Still at Sea

Abstract

Heterosexuals are not the only ones who are socialized to value romantic love, sexual relationships, marriage, and "living happily ever after" with a partner. Not only is the research on same-sex couples sparse compared to the enormous literature on heterosexual married couples, but there are some intriguing methodological issues that will also be the focus of this chapter. Who, for example, is lesbian, gay, bisexual, or heterosexual? In the absence of legal marriage, what constitutes a "couple"? What are the criteria that researchers have used to define same-sex couples in their studies, and what kinds of heterosexual couples have been used for comparison purposes? What about lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals (LGBs) who were previously married to heterosexuals, or those who are still in heterosexual marriages? And how has all this changed over time? Same-sex couples researchers have investigated many of the same issues that interest heterosexual couples researchers, including demographic factors, relationship satisfaction, division of labor, the role of children, conflict, and relationship terminations. This literature will be reviewed, with the exception of the role of children in the lives of same-sex couples. This chapter will also review the status of same-sex marriage and other forms of legalized same-sex relationships. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved). (chapter)