In the mid 1880s a term emerged among the Victorians which was used to describe to women who live together. The term Boston marriage was used well into the 20^th century to identify these domestic arrangements. It was a term that did not necessarily denote an intimate romantic relationship and could be used to describe this living arrangement be it between good friends or suspected lovers.

The term was heavily associated with feminism and those first wave feminist active at that time who were called “New Women’. Social custom of the late Victorian age expected women who were married to spend themselves in domesticity. This social custom extended very much into the work force and women would be expected to resign most professional positions upon marriage. Many professional women chose to forego marriage in order to have a career.

The Boston marriage became a socially acceptable form of domestic arrangement between women. During the time after the First World War when many men had fallen in the slaughter the Boston marriage became more common and accepted. This type of relationship between women was integral to the strengthening feminist movement of that time and was celebrated in plays and literature.

Katherine Lee Bates, composer of America the Beautiful and professor of literature at a college for women was in such a relationship. Her partner was Katherine Coman, another professor at Wellsley College. The relationship between these to women seems to have been romantic and lasted until the death of Coman in 1915 after which Bates produced a book of poetry dedicated to her lost partner and focusing on the relationship of the two women.