Relationship satisfaction and outness: the impact of the closet on connection

Abstract

As common as the experience of outness may be in same-gender relationships, little is known about the influence of outness on same-gender romantic relationship satisfaction. Although some researchers have found increased levels of outness to positively correlate with relationship satisfaction, others have found no relationship between outness and relationship satisfaction. Through a photovoice methodology, nine participants in same-gender couples explored the impact of outness in various social arenas on relationship satisfaction. Researchers then utilized Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to find themes of relationship satisfaction being related to outness about the relationship and legal legitimacy through marriage. Conversely, relationship dissatisfaction was related to not displaying one’s relationship across all contexts, and satisfaction was found to be impacted by partners having fear around outness, being out to support systems, and having differing levels of outness.