Lesbian Visibility Week

As part of Lesbian Visibility Week, which runs from April 24 to April 30, we published an info series on social media. Now you can read the most important information about lesbian identity here as well.

What does “lesbian?” mean? – Meaning and history of the flags

Lesbian refers to women* who are attracted to other women* or to non-binary persons who identify with femininity. Accordingly, non-binary persons can also identify as lesbian.

You’ve probably seen several versions of the lesbian pride flag, but which one is the official one? The answer is: there is no official one, but it is interesting to have a look at the different flag designs and their backgrounds.

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Origin of the term and the history behind it

Compared to the history of gay men, lesbian history is relatively little documented. The word “lesbian” has its origins in ancient Greece: Lesbos is a Greek island where the poet Sappho was born. In her poems, she had expressed her love and sexual attraction to other women, which is why Sappho’s works are considered the oldest documentation of lesbian history.

At the beginning of the 20th century, male homosexuality in particular was reported on; female homosexuality received little attention at first. Initially, female homosexuality was pathologized by Sigmund Freud and referred to as “inversion,” which basically meant that lesbian women had “masculine characteristics.” In addition, Freud advocated the idea of a “third sex” in the context of lesbian identity. However, his interpretation of lesbian identity was rejected by most psychoanalysts.

During the 20th century, some lesbian fiction came onto the market. For example, the book “The Song of Bilitis” had a great impact on lesbian culture. In the 1950s and 1960s, lesbian works were often published under “coded titles, such as “Odd Girl Out” or “The Evil Friendship” by Vin Packer. In addition, many British school stories offered a place for lesbian fiction. Since the 80s, lesbian characters got more and more visibility, be it in music, comics, etc. Lesbian eroticism was especially represented in photography or literary works.

Lesbians and feminism

Throughout history, many lesbian individuals have been involved in feminist activism. In the 1970s and 1980s, with the rise of modern feminism and the radical feminist movement, lesbian separatism became popular, and groups of lesbian women joined together to live in communal communities. However, some individuals noticed that stereotypes and the hierarchies that reinforced them developed in these groups, which eventually led them to leave.

There is a body of research on lesbian sexuality that has led to the debunking of negative sexual stereotypes in lesbian relationships. One example of this is “lesbian bed death,” an invented term to describe the supposedly inevitable waning of sexual passion in long-term lesbian relationships. However, this idea has been rejected by many lesbian individuals because sexual passion wanes in almost all long-term relationships, regardless of the gender of the individuals involved.

Lesbians and trans* people

The relationship between lesbianism and lesbian-identified transgender women has often proven difficult in the past. While many lesbian communities welcomed lesbian trans* women with open arms, there were always those who did not accept trans* women. This often involved the discussion of how to define a woman or the term “lesbian.” Non-inclusive people often argued that trans* women were so-called “constructed women” and did not recognize their identity as either lesbian or trans*.

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Even for lesbians, the world is a safe place these days… right?

No, unfortunately that is not the case. In Germany, too, lesbians experience lesbophobia on a daily basis. Under certain circumstances, lesbians do not dare to be open about their identity.

Lesbophobia means discrimination against lesbians. In the worst case, this can take the form of physical or psychological violence; other forms of lesbophobia include anger, rejection, exclusion, discrimination in finding a place to live or a job, prejudice, etc.

In addition, lesbophobia often has to do with sexism. Everything that is associated with femininity is devalued, but in many cases also everything that does not correspond to the classic role model of a woman. It is precisely then that lesbians are increasingly exposed to sexist remarks and prejudices.

Discrimination also takes place with the help of language. In the English language, especially in the 1950s, the word “dyke” was used pejoratively for lesbians. Even the actually neutral self-designation “lesbian” has got a negative connotation nowadays.

Many lesbian persons nevertheless use these pejoratively connoted words as a political self-designation, as a resistance against lesbophobia and as an attempt to “reclaim” the words.

About internalized lesbophobia

Many lesbians have problems accepting and being open about themselves or their identity. Internalized lesbophobia manifests itself, for example, in forcing oneself to be attracted to masculinity, being afraid of others’ reactions to one’s identity, feeling that one is merely faking being a lesbian, or feeling assaulted when attracted to and flirting with another person. If this sounds like you, don’t worry: you’re not alone.

Now what are things that should not be said to lesbian people?

“Well, who’s the man in the relationship?”

“You don’t look like a lesbian at all/You’re too pretty to be a lesbian.”

“How do you actually have sex?”

“If you’re going to use a strap, why not just date men now?”

“Does that mean you just hate men?”

“It’s just a phase.”

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Lesbian Activists

Barbara Gittings

Barbara Gittings, an American activist, organized the first lesbian and human rights organization, Daughter of Bilitis. She collaborated with Frank Kameny in the first pickets opposing the U.S. government’s ban on the employment of homosexuals. She was also part of the movement that led the American Psychiatric Association to no longer classify homosexuality as a mental disorder.

Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera

Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera is a human rights activist from Uganda and founder of the LGBT+ organization “FARUG (Freedom & Roam Uganda)”. Despite the tremendous violence against queer people in her country, Nabagesera continues to fight for the rights of queer people in Uganda (for example, a list of queer people was published in a Ugandan newspaper titled “Hang them” – Nabagesera’s name was included). She has received international recognition for her work.

Jean Chong

Jean Chong is the co-founder of Sayoni, a queer feminist organization in Singapore that advocates for the rights of queer people. She is also one of the leaders of the ASEAN Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Gender Expression Caucus. Sayoni was founded because there were too few queer people in leadership positions in Singapore; there has also been a lack of a more gender-diverse perspective when it comes to organizations. This makes Chong one of the people on the front lines fighting for the rights of queer people in Singapore.

Beverly Palesa Ditsie

In 1995, South African lesbian activist Beverly Palesa Ditsie spoke at the 4th UN World Conference on Women in Beijing about the importance of queer rights in the context of human rights. Not only was she the first openly lesbian woman to address the United Nations, but it was also the first time the United Nations was openly addressed on queer issues.

Audre Lorde

Audre Lorde was an American writer, feminist and human rights activist. She is particularly known for her poetry with its striking emotional expression and processing of social inequalities Lorde faced. She also co-founded the “Kitchen Table: Women of Color Press,” the first U.S. publishing house for BIPOC women, as well as the “Women’s Coalition of St Croix “, an organization that helps victims of sexual abuse.