What is "homosociality"

n. socialization (social interaction, social relationships) with members of the same sex, as distinguished from sexual interaction with or attraction to members of the same sex (homosexuality) and social interaction with members of the opposite sex (heterosociality).

In sociology, homosociality means same-sex relationships that are not of a romantic or sexual nature, such as friendship, mentorship, or others. The opposite of homosocial is heterosocial, preferring non-sexual relations with the opposite sex. In group relations involving more than two individuals, the relation can be either homosocial (involving same-sex social relations), bisocial involving social relation with both sexes or heterosocial involving only opposite sex.

Homosocial was popularized by Eve Sedgwick in her discussion of male homosocial desire. Jean Lipman-Blumen had earlier (1976) defined homosociality as a preference for members of one's own sex – a social rather than a sexual preference.