Lesbians that don't call themselves lesbians

submitted by carrotcake from self.Lesbians

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[–]SailorMoon2020 4 insightful - 2 fun4 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 2 fun -  (20 children)

I prefer homosexual female/woman because lesbian never meant 'women exclusively attracted to women'. It was a word that was and still is defined as 'women who love/prefers women'. Upon reading numerous history books on lesbianism, I have yet to come across an era where the word was meant as what we ourselves are. Even Sappho was bisexual who preferred women.

[–]spirette 19 insightful - 1 fun19 insightful - 0 fun20 insightful - 1 fun -  (19 children)

what? Lesbian absolutely means woman exclusively attracted to women. Don't confuse what men write and say with what the word actually means. Of course, men refuse to believe that women aren't attracted to them, that women could be solely attracted to women. Who cares what men think? They always try to control language.

And no Sappho wasn't bisexual. Being married to a man was the norm. (Oscar Wilde was also married. Nobody claims Oscar Wilde was bisexual) Another lie cooked up by men. All her poems are only about loving women. let's not do this thing where we erase Sappho's sexuality, just like men and bihets have tried to do.

I don't like the term "homosexual" because it was invented to pathologize same-sex attraction. I'll keep using "lesbian" thank you very much.

[–]MyLongestJourney 8 insightful - 1 fun8 insightful - 0 fun9 insightful - 1 fun -  (5 children)

And no Sappho wasn't bisexual. Being married to a man was the norm. (Oscar Wilde was also married. Nobody claims Oscar Wilde was bisexual) Another lie cooked up by men. All her poems are only about loving women. let's not do this thing where we erase Sappho's sexuality, just like men and bihets have tried to do.

We do not know if Sappho was homosexual,bisexual or even completely straight with a penchant for romantic friendships.Very few of her poems survive and she might have wrote passionate poems about men as well. What we do know is that she was well regarded and immensely popular many centuries after her death.Sadly most of her work is lost.

[–]sootsprite 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (4 children)

Very few of her poems survive and she might have wrote passionate poems about men as well

Imagine applying this logic to straight historical figures. "Yes all of the writings from him only indicate sexual attraction to women, BUT he MAY still have written sexy poems about other men that have never been discovered, so let's assume he's bisexual!!!"

[–]MyLongestJourney 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

Imagine applying this logic to straight historical figures. "Yes all of the writings from him only indicate sexual attraction to women, BUT he MAY still have written sexy poems about other men that have never been discovered, so let's assume he's bisexual!!!"

You can apply this "logic" if you do not have sufficient evidence.Like in Sappho's case.

[–]sootsprite 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

If there are only romantic poems about women and none about men, there is nothing wrong with assuming attraction to women and none to men until something shows up that indicates otherwise. If it was the other way around she wouldn't be assumed to be bisexual.

[–]MyLongestJourney 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Again we only have maybe a couple of her poems whole and fragments from few others.You can interpret it as you like,but I am more reserved.

[–]SailorMoon2020 3 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 2 fun -  (11 children)

1.) First of all, the word lesbian actually comes from the Greek Islands of Lesbos where she is born, as a slang term to describe female on female sexual and romantic relations. In fact, it wasnt even until the late 19 century where the word has the meaning it has now. I seriously doubt they(lesbian of lesbos) had any say in how their word is used in modern terms(especially since it's a heated debate of topic for the island to this day).

2.) Yes, her poems were about women but a woman who engages in consentful sex with young male lovers is bisexual in my book.

3.) You don't like the word homosexual but you're willing to use a word that was taken without consent from the natives for your own identity purposes? Como sea, if it helps you sleep at night.

[–]MyLongestJourney 11 insightful - 1 fun11 insightful - 0 fun12 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

First of all, the word lesbian actually comes from the Greek Islands of Lesbos where she is born, as a slang term to describe female on female sexual and romantic relations. In fact, it wasnt even until the late 19 century where the word has the meaning it has now. I seriously doubt they(lesbian of lesbos) had any say in how their word is used in modern terms(especially since it's a heated debate of topic for the island to this day).

I am Greek.And you are correct.Inhabitants of the isle of Lesbos can not use the term lesbian anymore as an adjective of origin (and often avoid calling their island Lesbos they call it Mytilene,the name of their capital city instead),because it was hijacked by foreigners to denote a sexuality.They had no say on that and they are very angry about it.

I use the term homosexual woman for myself,both for clarity and to give my compatriots a break.

but a woman who engages in consentful sex with young male lovers is bisexual in my book.

Source?

[–]TalerTest 6 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 0 fun7 insightful - 1 fun -  (9 children)

a woman who engages in consentful sex with young male lovers

Where did you read this?

[–]SailorMoon2020 3 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 2 fun -  (8 children)

Absolutely! Sapphictries: The Global History of Love Between Women by Leila J. Rupp. An extraordinary book and I highly recommend it!

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