This study aims, firstly, to examine whether gender plays a decisive role in starting romantic intimacy during the emerging adulthood period; secondly, to compare emerging adults who are assigned different gender roles, in terms of starting romantic intimacy; and thirdly, to analyze the level at which self-esteem and gender roles predict the ability to start romantic intimacy. This study examines the relationship between, gender, gender roles, self-esteem and initiating romantic intimacy at emerging adulthood. A total of 256 individuals (148 female and 108 male) completed the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Bem Gender Roles Inventory (BGRI) and Markers of Starting Romantic Intimacy Scale. In this study, t-test was used to determine whether gender plays a significant role in initiating a romantic intimate relationship, and also variance analysis method was used to determine whether gender roles plays a significant role in initiating a romantic intimate relationship. Besides basic regression analysis was employed to uncover the interaction between initiating a romantic intimate relationship and gender, self-esteem, and gender roles. It was found out that there was gender difference on starting romantic intimacy. Regression analysis shows that self-esteem, gender, and also gender roles were the most important factors for starting romantic intimacy. The findings of the study suggest that there is a statistically significant relationship between starting romantic intimacy, gender, gender roles, and also self-esteem. The results of the research were found parallel with the literature, and also they are discussed with respect to emerging adulthood, gender, self-esteem and cultural factors.