What is Romantic Friendship?

What is Romantic Friendship

Romantic Friendship is a very intimate relationship between two individuals that at times might also involve having sexual relationships. In this relationship, physical closeness is usually much more than what is acceptable or common in the western societies. This might involve hugging, holding hands, kissing, and also sharing bed.

Usually, people of different sex are involved in such relation. However, same sex romantic friendship might also take place. This kind of relationship should not be confused with unrequited love. It is known to be the best forms of and the highest level of friendship one can ever find. In most cases, this doesn’t involve sexual relationship. However, when the attraction for each other increases, the couple might mutually decide to enter into a sexual relationship.

Romantic Friendship

This is not a new kind of relationship that has been recently ideated. It has its roots in the history as well. Shakespeare had mentioned about romantic friendship several times in his work. Until 19th Century, romantic friendship was common, and people also involved in same sex relationships. However, after the first half of the nineteenth century, such relationships became rare, and same sex relationships became taboo. This was mainly due to the rising power of males in the society. Intimacy started being received by force.

Many people started writing about such relationship when it was on a decline. Social figures like Wilkins Freeman and Henry James about the condition of this diminishing relationship and the emergence of same sex attraction. Later, there were many works on the same topic.

However, unlike a love affair or a marriage, there are no obligations in this kind of a relationship. The couple enters in it with mutual consent and departs similarly as well. This could be between people of any age and can happen many times in a life time. There are no rules or perfect definition for this kind of relationship. Romantic friendship is when friendship can get as intimate as sexual activities.