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Lesbian
- PRISM Inc.
- 23 hours ago
- 6 min read
What Does it Mean to be a Lesbian?
The term lesbian is commonly used by women who are exclusively attracted to other women. However, in recent years, the definition of lesbian identity has undergone a transformation, reflecting a broader understanding of gender and inclusivity within the LGBTQ+ community.
Traditionally defined as a woman exclusively attracted to other women, the scope of lesbian identity is expanding to be more inclusive of non-binary and gender non-conforming individuals. Some now describe a lesbian as a "non-male who is attracted solely to women." This adjustment aims to recognize and validate the experiences of non-binary and gender-nonconforming (GNC) individuals who identify with the lesbian community.
Lesbian History (Ancient)
Sappho - The Original Lesbian
Perhaps one of the most iconic lesbians in history is Sappho of Lesbos. An ancient Greek poet from the 600s BCE, Sappho's works are passionate, emotional, and filled with vivid descriptions of love and longing. Her poems primarily focused on the relationships between women, depicting their beauty and allure. Sappho's poems were often written in the first person, which has led readers to speculate that some of her works might have been autobiographical.
While scholars may debate the translations of these lyrics and their meaning, Sappho's iconic work inspired the terms "lesbian" and "sapphic" as words to describe love and attraction between women.
Other Parts of the World
Just like with male homosexuality, female homosexuality is documented around the world. from Ancient Egypt, where women were said to cast "love spells" on other women, to early Imperial China, where lesbian couples were given the term "duìshí," which translates to "paired eating."
The Scarcity of Lesbians in History
Unfortunately, female homosexuality has overall been documented far less than male homosexuality. Does this mean lesbians were more scarce than gay men? Maybe. But when you consider the prevalence of systemic misogyny in cultures all over the world, you have to wonder if the real issue is not the lack of women attracted to women, but the lack of desire for historians to write about them. Women were also expected and pressured to adhere to gender roles more strongly than men; while men could easily "get away" with non-traditional relationships, women would not be afforded the same privilege.
In the end, misogyny is likely a significant factor in society's lack of historical lesbian visibility.
Lesbian History (Modern)
Lesbians played a vital role in the 1950s-1970s American LGBTQ+ rights movement. As early as 1955, the first lesbian social and political organization was established in the form of the Daughters of Bilitis. This group helped to bring lesbian issues into mainstream culture, having launched its own monthly magazine and appeared on a national radio broadcast.
In 1969, a "typical New York butch" is said to have kicked off the riot at the Stonewall Inn while resisting a violent arrest and demanding the onlooking crowd "do something." Famous lesbian performer Storme DeLaverie is sometimes credited as the "butch" who started it all.
The 1970s were pivotal for queer rights activism, and lesbians played major roles in these movements. On May 1, 1970, a group of radical lesbian feminists forever changed the feminist movement. During the Second Congress to Unite Women in New York City, organizations like the Gay Liberation Front (GLF) and the National Organization for Women (NOW) gathered to discuss feminist rights. Suddenly, the auditorium's lights were suddenly cut, shocking the crowd, and eerie laughter was heard throughout the audience. When the lights came back on, lesbian activists stormed the stage. Bold text on shirts was displayed saying "Lavender Menace." Armed with signs that read, "We are your worst nightmare, your best fantasy," historical figures like Rita Mae Brown, Karla Jay, and Martha Shelley took to the stage for over two hours to fight for lesbian inclusivity in feminism.
In 1971, NOW officially adopted lesbian rights as part of its agenda.
The AIDS Crisis
When gay men were banned from donating blood during the AIDS crisis, lesbians stepped in to offset the decrease in the amount of blood available for transfusions. They are a vital part of AIDS history and a group of lesbians that helped reduce the effects of the blood ban.
A major way lesbians helped during the AIDS crisis was through volunteer work in hospitals. It was difficult for hospitalized AIDS patients to receive adequate care as doctors and nurses refused to treat them for fear of the virus. The result? A large number of lesbians with medical backgrounds began lending their time in hospitals to help those who were not being properly taken care of.
One activist who helped pave the road to a more unified LGBTQ+ community was activist Maxine Wolfe. Wolfe hosted “Dyke Dinners” to create spaces for lesbians to voice their frustrations with the various ways HIV-positive women—most of whom were women of color—were being excluded from AIDS activism. Their voices caused a stir and were the start of lesbians creating real legislative change.
Lesbians in the 1990s were caretakers, activists, protesters, lawyers, artists and historians. They had range!
Lesbian Issues
Homophobia/Lesbophobia
Homophobia refers to prejudice, discrimination, or hatred towards people who experience same-gender attraction. It encompasses various forms of bigotry, ranging from verbal harassment and social exclusion to physical violence and legal discrimination.
Lesbophobia is a kind of homophobia that specifically targets lesbians. Unlike homophobia, lesbophobia frequently comes from both outside and inside the LGBTQ+ community. Oftentimes, lesbophobia within the community stems from misogyny (prejudice against women).
Heteronormativity
This is the belief that heterosexuality, or the attraction to the opposite sex on the gender binary, is the normal or default sexual orientation. It assumes that sexual and marital relations are most fitting between people of the opposite sex.
Heterosexism
This is a system of attitudes, bias, and discrimination in favor of opposite-sex sexuality and relationships. It includes the presumption that other people are heterosexual or that opposite-sex attractions and relationships are the only norm and, therefore, superior.
While all members of the LGBTQ+ community face homophobia, gays and lesbians deal with heteronormativity and heterosexism to a different extent. Other members of the LGBTQ+ community can face these problems, but they are most prevalent with gays and lesbians.
Lesbian Symbols
Lesbian Flag
The labrys lesbian flag was created in 1999 by Sean Campbell. It included a labrys, which was a common symbol of empowerment adopted by the lesbian feminist community in the 1970s, on top of the inverted black triangle used during the Holocaust over a violet background. The Lipstick Lesbian flag was introduced on the blog “This Lesbian Life” in 2010. This was later adapted to a variation without the lipstick mark in the top left-hand corner.
However, many lesbians oppose the Lipstick Lesbian flag and its derivative due to butch-phobic, biphobic, transphobic, and racist comments on the blog of the original designer, Natalie McGray.
This led to a new lesbian pride flag, designed by Emily Gwen in 2018, which uses different colors to represent a wider range of individuals within the lesbian community. PRISM uses a simplified version of this updated pride flag on its PRISM Pride collection with five colors rather than seven.
References
A short guide to lesbian identity. Rainbow & Co. (2021, July 2). https://rainbowandco.uk/blogs/what-were-saying/a-short-guide-to-lesbian-identity
Boehringer, S. (2021, September 7). Female Homosexuality in Ancient Greece and Rome (1st ed.). Routledge.
Brekke, K. (2017, April 4). How lesbians' role in the AIDS crisis brought gay men and women together. HuffPost. Retrieved December 8, 2022, from https://www.huffpost.com/entry/aids-crisis-lesbians_n_5616867ae4b0e66ad4c6a7c4
Oxford University. (n.d.). Heteronormative Meaning. Lexico Dictionaries. https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/heteronormative.
Oxford University. (n.d.). Heterosexism Meaning. Lexico Dictionaries. https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/heterosexism.
Siclait, A. (2021, June 15). What The Lesbian Pride Flag Means And Where It Comes From. Women's Health. https://www.womenshealthmag.com/life/a36523338/lesbian-pride-flag-meaning/.
Sylvester, E. (2023, April 25). The complexities of lesbian visibility. The Trevor Project. https://www.thetrevorproject.org/blog/the-complexities-of-lesbian-visibility/
The act up historical archive: The tactics of early act up (interviews of Maxine Wolfe). (n.d.). Retrieved December 8, 2022, from https://actupny.org/documents/earlytactics.html
Understanding gay & lesbian identities. The Trevor Project. (2022, October 26). https://www.thetrevorproject.org/resources/article/understanding-gay-lesbian-identities
