Navigating intimacy and queer entrepreneurship: Relational work in Taiwanese lesbian couples’ business endeavors

Abstract

This study addresses the significant gap in the entrepreneurship literature concerning the experiences of sexual minority groups, particularly Taiwanese lesbian entrepreneurs. The prevailing focus on heterosexual men has overshadowed the distinct motivations and dynamics in queer entrepreneurship. Drawing on Zelizer’s concept of relational work and incorporating feminist perspectives, this investigation explores how Taiwanese lesbian couples engage in entrepreneurial pursuits in unique local gender culture. Taiwan’s gender cultural context, mainly shaped by Confucianism and Taoism, contributes to the relative acceptance of lesbian relationships and marriages, reducing social criticism. By skillfully utilizing the cultural repertoire of filial piety, lesbian entrepreneurs strengthen their bonds with parents, facilitating both their business endeavors and intimate relationships. In addition, lesbian entrepreneurship is often overlooked and subsumed under gay entrepreneurship, leading to the assumption of ‘gay ordinariness’. The study highlights a significant difference between Taiwanese lesbian entrepreneurs and gay counterparts; the former perform intimate relational work and prioritize emotional ties in entrepreneurial pursuits, while the latter emphasize rational economic outlook. The findings underscore that entrepreneurial motivations are multifaceted, encompassing liberation, empowerment, family bonding, and self-identity construction. Taiwanese lesbian entrepreneurs exemplify the importance of intimate relational work, challenging the dominant masculine economic orientation in entrepreneurship. This research contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of queer entrepreneurship and calls for greater recognition of diverse motivations and dynamics in entrepreneurial pursuits.