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The close relationships that develop between straight women and gay men may be stemmed from underlying factors according to a study published in Evolution Psychology's February online edition. The study was conducted by researchers from Texas Christian University and concluded that the relationship between heterosexual woman and homosexual men may have a stronger bond and better communication because the innate need to compete for mates does not exist between the two parties. The study was headed by Eric Russell, a visiting psychology researcher at the University of Texas located in Austin. 

In the study, Russell created a fake Facebook profile of a man named Jordan. Russell presented this profile to 88 heterosexual women and 58 homosexual men and only changed Jordan's gender and sexual orientation. The heterosexual women were presented with either a profile of a heterosexual female Jordan or a homosexual male Jordan. The heterosexual women were asked if they would trust Jordan with romance-related advice within a party setting, and based from the results, heterosexual women trusted Jordan when they were under the impression that Jordan was a gay man. The results hinted to the concept that if Jordan was a straight woman, she would inevitably be marked as a possible competitor by the other woman, and thus, her advice could be perceived as dishonest. The homosexual male participants of the study produced similar results with the majority of them stating that they would take romantic advice from a heterosexual woman as opposed to fellow homosexual men. 

"Friendships between straight women and gay men are free of hidden mating agendas," Russell theorized. "They may be able to develop a deeper level of honesty because their relationship isn't complicated by sexual attraction or mating competition."

Russell's study gives insight as to why these relationships between heterosexual women and homosexual men may be stronger. His study is also one of the first studies to provide empirical evidence regarding this relationship.