Lesbian

A lesbian is a homosexual woman or girl. The word comes from the island of Lesbos, home to the ancient poet Sappho. Historically, information about women and their relationships has been limited. One of the earliest known writers to describe these relationships was Sappho, who lived around the 600s–500s BC.

Lesbian relationships have been seen in many different ways across cultures and times. In some places and periods, they were accepted, while in others, they faced challenges or unfair treatment. The idea of calling someone a “lesbian” as a special kind of person began in Europe in the late 1800s.

Today, the number of lesbians is thought to be about 1–3% of all people, or 2–6% of women. Many lesbian groups work to help change laws so that lesbians are treated fairly. They also aim to improve how families, schools, and communities accept and support lesbian relationships.

Etymology

The word lesbian comes from the Greek island of Lesbos, where the ancient poet Sappho lived. Some of Sappho’s poems talk about her love for other women.

Long ago, before the 1800s, the word lesbian was used to describe things from the island of Lesbos, like a special type of wine. Over time, the word began to describe love and relationships between women. By the early 1900s, doctors and writers started using the word lesbian to talk about women who loved other women.

Sexuality and identity

Further information: Biology and sexual orientation

Some women find out they are attracted to other women and may feel unsure at first. This can be a big change, especially if they grew up hearing negative things about women who are attracted to other women. Over time, many women who are attracted to other women develop a strong sense of pride and belonging, similar to feeling part of a special group.

Some women always know they are attracted to other women, while others may feel their feelings change over time. Some women who call themselves part of this group have never been with a man, while others have had relationships with men before realizing their true feelings. Studies show that women who are attracted to other women often feel very connected to their identity and their relationships.

In history

Main article: History of lesbianism

Because women have not often been writers or subjects in history, there is not much recorded about love between women. Since the 1970s, people have worked hard to collect and save this history.

Long ago in ancient Greece, a poet named Sappho from the island of Lesbos wrote beautiful poems about her love for other women. In ancient Rome, stories included myths like Iphis and Ianthe. Some Indigenous groups in the Americas had special roles for women who lived in ways that were different from most women.

During the 1920s, a book called The Well of Loneliness was published and asked for more understanding toward women who loved other women. In many parts of the world, including some places in the Middle East today, laws make love between women illegal. In Africa and Latin America, groups work to support women who love women and to end unfair treatment.

Demographics

Further information: Demographics of sexual orientation

Early studies in the 1950s and 1970s helped people understand more about relationships between women. These studies showed that many women felt attraction toward other women.

More recent surveys from different countries show that between 1% and 4% of women identify as having attraction to other women or describe their relationships as being with women. These numbers have changed over time as more people feel comfortable talking about their feelings openly.

Some key findings include:

• A 2023 international survey found that, on average, 3% of participants self-identified as having attraction to people of the same gender.
• Lesbians in the U.S. form about 2.6% of the population, according to a 2000 survey. Between 2000 and 2005, the number claiming to be in same-gender relationships increased by 30%.
• A survey by the UK Office for National Statistics in 2010 found that 1.5% of Britons identified as having attraction to people of the same gender; other surveys had shown the number between 0.3% and 3%.
• Polls in Australia recorded a range of self-identified women with attraction to other women from 1.3% to 2.2% of the total population. A 2024 report stated the percentage of reported non-heterosexual orientations in women was 3.7%.
• A 2016 survey in France found 4% of women identifying as having attraction to people of the same gender.
• In a 2012 survey in Israel, 15.2% of women self-reported attraction to women, 8.7% reported having had a same-gender encounter, and 4.8% identified as having attraction to women.
• In a 2013 survey in the Philippines, 1.8% of women identified as having attraction to women.
• A 2021 survey in Sri Lanka found that 0.5% of the population (some 1% of women) identified as having attraction to women.

Health

Lesbian and bisexual women may have some different health experiences compared to other women. For example, they are more likely to have asthma, back pain, and certain infections, but they are less likely to have heart attacks or diabetes. This may be partly because they are less likely to become pregnant, which can affect some health risks.

Lesbians may face challenges such as discrimination and lower incomes, which can affect their overall health. They may also worry about how doctors treat their sexuality and might skip important health checks as a result. Lifestyle factors like obesity and smoking can also play a role in their health.

Media representation

Further information: Media portrayal of lesbians

Most media stories about women who love women have been made by men. Women started creating their own books, movies, and TV shows about these relationships much later — in the 1970s for books, the 1980s for movies, and the 2000s for television. Early stories often showed these relationships in simple, stereotypical ways.

Literature

Ancient writers like Sappho wrote about women who loved women. Stories from ancient times sometimes showed these relationships, but for many years after that, such stories almost disappeared. As time passed, women slowly began writing their own stories about love between women. By the 1900s, many famous writers included these themes in their work.

Film

Main article: List of feature films with lesbian characters

Movies started showing women who loved women very early, but often in limited or stereotypical ways. Rules in the 1930s prevented many honest stories from being told. Over time, films began to treat these relationships more seriously and with more depth.

Theatre

The first play to show a romantic moment between two women was performed in 1907. Later, more plays began to include characters who loved other women, bringing new visibility to these stories on stage.

Television

Main article: List of lesbian characters in television

Television was slower to show these relationships. Early shows often ended with characters changing to fit traditional ideas. Over time, more shows began to include characters who loved women openly, helping to change how society sees these relationships.

Chic and popular culture

Lesbian visibility has grown since the early 1980s, thanks to well-known public figures who talked openly about their lives. Martina Navratilova became a major figure in this discussion. She talked about her relationships with women and shared her personal life with the world.

Other famous people, like musicians k.d. lang and Melissa Etheridge, also shared their own stories. In 1993, a photo of model Cindy Crawford with another woman became very famous and showed changing views on relationships between women. In the early 1990s, many magazines wrote about women who had relationships with other women. Later, in 2009, more celebrities spoke about their relationships, helping to increase understanding and acceptance.

Legal rights

Some countries have laws that make relationships between women illegal, and these laws can lead to punishments like prison or fines. However, many places are working to change these laws and support equal rights for everyone.

In the past, courts sometimes did not allow mothers in same-sex relationships to have custody of their children, even though children usually lived with their biological mother. Studies have shown that children raised by mothers in same-sex relationships grow up just as happy and healthy as children raised by mothers in different types of relationships. Many women in same-sex relationships also want to adopt children or become foster parents, and they are working to make sure everyone has fair access to these opportunities.

As of 2025, same-sex marriage is legal in thirty-nine countries, and many more countries are discussing ways to support equal rights for all couples.

Further information: Same-sex parenting