lesbian
Sapphic in orientation
A lesbian is a woman sexually attracted to other women.
The term comes from the Greek island Lesbos, home of the ancient poet Sappho, whose verses celebrated love between women.
Lesbian functions as both noun and adjective: a lesbian couple, She came out as a lesbian in college.
The word is neutral and standard, preferred by most women it describes.
Women attracted to women
- queerUnusual or non-normative
- gayAttracted to same sex
- homosexualAttracted to same gender
- wlwLesbian umbrella term
same-sex · orientation · self-acceptance · coming out · closeted · out · authenticity · self-discovery
Masculine in manner
- femmeFeminine-presenting queer person
- dykeEmbankment preventing floods
- The L WordShowtime drama about lesbians
- Lilith FairWomen-only music festival
queer cinema · zine · Stonewall · drag king · subculture · camp · gayborhood · pulp fiction
Advocacy for sex equality
- liberationRelease from constraint
- equalitySame status for all
- rightsJustified claims to freedoms
- advocacyPleading for a cause
protest · march · resistance · visibility · representation · legal recognition · marriage equality · discrimination
Bond among women
- solidarityUnity among allies
- collectiveJointly organized group
- support groupGathering for mutual encouragement
- networkInterconnected system
alliance · coalition · circle · chosen family · safe space · activism · organizing · fellowship
Female romantic partner
- wifeFemale marriage partner
- partnerOne who shares activity
- spouseMarried partner
- coupleTwo linked together
romance · intimacy · commitment · partnership · companionship · devotion · marriage · domestic partnership
sapphic
Women attracted to women
- queerUnusual or non-normative
- gayAttracted to same sex
- homosexualAttracted to same gender
wlw · same-sex · orientation · self-acceptance · coming out · closeted · out · authenticity · self-discovery · questioning
butch
Masculine in manner
- femmeFeminine-presenting queer person
- dykeEmbankment preventing floods
- The L WordShowtime drama about lesbians
Lilith Fair · queer cinema · zine · Stonewall · drag king · subculture · camp · gayborhood · pulp fiction · Gertrude Stein
feminism
Advocacy for sex equality
- liberationRelease from constraint
- equalitySame status for all
- rightsJustified claims to freedoms
advocacy · protest · march · resistance · visibility · representation · legal recognition · marriage equality · discrimination · allyship
sisterhood
Bond among women
- solidarityUnity among allies
- collectiveJointly organized group
- support groupGathering for mutual encouragement
network · alliance · coalition · circle · chosen family · safe space · activism · organizing · fellowship · association
girlfriend
Female romantic partner
couple · romance · intimacy · commitment · partnership · companionship · devotion · marriage · domestic partnership · long-term
- LGBTQgay, bisexual, transgender, queer, nonbinary
- LGBTQ+gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, nonbinary
- sexualitysexual orientation, sexual behavior, erotica, sexual identity, bisexual
- lesbian culturesapphic, wlw, dyke, femme, butch
- Queer Culturegay, drag culture, bisexual, transgender, ballroom scene
- sexual identitiesgay, bisexual, transgender, queer, asexual
lesbianstraight
Not curved or crooked
heterosexual · straight woman · bisexual · hetero · pansexual
- lesbian rightsEquality for women-attracted women
- lesbian barPub for queer women
- lesbian romanceRomantic relationship between women
- lesbian cultureShared practices among women-attracted women
- lesbian relationshipsRomantic connections between women
- lesbian couplesWomen romantically paired together