What term describes the phenomenon where women may form emotional bonds with other women while still identifying as heterosexual?

The term "Lesbian Continuum" refers to the concept introduced by Adrienne Rich, which suggests that the expressive relationships women can form with other women may not necessarily indicate a sexual orientation but rather an emotional intimacy and connection. This continuum recognizes that women can experience deep, romantic, or affectionate feelings towards each other while still identifying as heterosexual. It emphasizes the fluidity of emotional connections and challenges the binary understanding of sexual orientation.

This understanding fosters the idea that women's relationships with one another can encompass a range of feelings and attachments that do not strictly conform to traditional definitions of heterosexuality or homosexuality. It helps to highlight the spectrum of female friendships and the significance of these bonds in shaping women's experiences, identities, and social environments.

The other options center on different concepts, such as the societal expectation of heterosexuality, which does not capture the nuances of emotional relationships between women. Gender identity focuses on one's personal sense of their gender, and social constructionism deals with how social phenomena are created and understood through societal norms, neither of which specifically addresses the emotional bonds between women in the context outlined in the question.