Boston marriage

plural Boston marriages

1. historicalA long-term monogamous relationship between two unmarried women, especially in New England between the 18th and early 20th centuries.

   Often, in marked contrast to Boston marriages in previous times, these lesbians keep their asexuality hidden from the community.

   2002, Marilyn Yalom, Laura L. Carstensen, Inside the American Couple: New Thinking, New Challenges, University of California Press, page 81

   3 more examples

   Two women, as well known as Susan Channing and Edna D. Cheney, have made separate appeals for this new departure of female habit. A Boston marriage is described to be a sympathetic union of two women who have not been able to make good and agreeable matches with members of the opposite sex.

   [1894 May 3, “Vanity Fair”, in The Argonaut, page 9

   […] several times I was within an inch of coming down here and asking you out for a ride in my red convertible, but the Weird Sisters (indicating Meg and Louisa) told me not to disturb you. But I'm big enough to understand; I wasn't born yesterday. I understand this sort of menage, you know; it's called a Boston Marriage.

   [1952, John Horne Burns, Cry of the Children

   Thus, unlike in contemporary relationships, participants in a Boston marriage may or may not have considered genital activity to be an important element in their relationship.

   2006, Laura Castañeda, Shannon B. Campbell, News and Sexuality: Media Portraits of Diversity, SAGE, page 217