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Negotiating Minority Stress across Time and Space in Lesbian Partnerships: A Qualitative Systematic Review (2015-2025)
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1  Department of Communication, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia
Academic Editor: Pan Wang

Abstract:

Minority stress remains a significant challenge in lesbian relationships because it affects both individual wellbeing and relationship stability. Although previous studies have documented the harmful effects of stigma, discrimination, and concealment, limited attention has been given to how these stressors are negotiated across everyday temporal and spatial contexts. This study addresses that gap by examining how chronotopes of minority stress shape relationship stability in lesbian partnerships. In this study, chronotopes refer to recurring temporal and spatial contexts in which stress is experienced and managed. A qualitative systematic review was conducted following PRISMA 2020. This study analyzed 38 Scopus-indexed journal articles published from 2015 to 2025, with article screening and organization supported by Watase Uake. The analysis identified four recurrent chronotopes: domestic, occupational, public or institutional, and digital. Relationship stability was more likely when partners used coordinated coping strategies, including aligning daily routines, managing disclosure, and accessing supportive communities and institutional protections. In contrast, instability was more likely when couples faced conflicting temporal demands, uneven visibility, and repeated exposure to hostile environments. These results indicate that resilience in lesbian relationships is shaped not only by exposure to minority stress but also by how couples negotiate time, space, and visibility under heteronormative and structurally unequal conditions.

Keywords: lesbian relationships; minority stress; chronotope; temporality; resilience

 
 
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