lesbianism

lesbianism
/lez"bee euh niz'euhm/, n.
homosexual relations between women.
[1865-70; LESBIAN + -ISM]

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also called sapphism or female homosexuality,

the quality or state of intense emotional and usually erotic attraction of a woman to another woman.

First used in the late 16th century, the word "lesbian" referred to the Greek island of Lesbos. The connotation of female homosexuality was added in the late 19th century, when an association was made with the poetry of Lesbian poet Sappho (с 610–с 580 BC). At the turn of the 21st century, issues of concern to lesbians in Europe and North America included legal recognition for same-sex unions, child-rearing rights, women's health-care, taxes, inheritance, and the sharing of medical benefits with a partner.

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also called sapphism or female homosexuality 

      the quality or state of intense emotional and usually erotic attraction of a woman to another woman.

      As it was first used in the late 16th century, the word lesbian was the capitalized adjectival term referring to the Greek island of Lesbos. Its connotation of “female homosexuality” was added in the late 19th century, when an association was made with the tender and often passionate poetry written by Lesbian poet Sappho (c. 610–c. 580 BC) to and about other women in her female coterie. The history of lesbianism to the present has been largely reconstructed by late 20th-century European and American theorists; perceptions from other cultures are not readily available.

      Just as heterosexual orientation produces a great variety of behaviours, so, too, lesbianism presents no unified face. Some lesbians hide or deny their orientation, marrying in order to be accepted by their families and communities. Others—often in the relative anonymity of an urban setting—prefer to live openly as lesbians, sometimes bearing and rearing children.

      Broadly speaking, in Europe and North America, many of the issues faced by lesbians at the turn of the 21st century were not radically different from those that concerned either heterosexual women or many gay men. Like heterosexual women, lesbians are affected by such issues as equal pay or the historical exclusion of women from medical research studies, the latter of which has led to a lack of understanding about the effect of lesbian sexuality on women's health. Like many gay men, many lesbians in long-term relationships regret the lack of legal recognition for same-sex unions. Other issues of concern to lesbians include child rearing (ranging from the inability to adopt a partner's offspring to laws barring same-sex adoption), the sharing of medical health benefits with a partner, the right to make health decisions for a partner, taxes, inheritance, and so on.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • lesbianism — LESBIANÍSM s.n. Homosexualitate feminină; safism, tribadism. [pr.: bi a ] – Lesbian + suf. ism. Trimis de LauraGellner, 13.09.2007. Sursa: DEX 98  LESBIANÍSM s. (med.) safism, tribadism. Trimis de siveco, 05.08.2004. Sursa: Sinonime  lesbianísm …   Dicționar Român

  • Lesbianism — Les bi*an*ism, n. (Med.) Homosexual relations between women. [Webster 1913 Suppl.] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • lesbianism — 1870, from LESBIAN (Cf. lesbian) + ISM (Cf. ism) …   Etymology dictionary

  • lesbianism — [[t]le̱zbiənɪzəm[/t]] N UNCOUNT Lesbianism refers to homosexual relationships between women or the preference that a woman shows for sexual relationships with women. ...today s increased public awareness of lesbianism …   English dictionary

  • lesbianism — lesbian ► NOUN ▪ a homosexual woman. ► ADJECTIVE ▪ referring to lesbians or lesbianism. DERIVATIVES lesbianism noun. ORIGIN from Lesbos, Greek island and home of Sappho (early 7th century BC), who expressed affection for women in her poetry …   English terms dictionary

  • Lesbianism — Female homosexuality. Also called sapphism (after the lesbian poet Sappho). * * * Homosexuality between women. SYN: sapphism. [G. lesbios, relating to the island of Lesbos] * * * les·bi·an·ism lez bē ə .niz əm n female homosexuality * * * n.… …   Medical dictionary

  • Lesbianism in erotica — For discussion of women s views on gay pornography, see Gay pornography: Audience. Le Sommeil (Sleep) by Gustave Courbet (1866). Depiction of lesbianism has been a relatively common theme in erotic art and pornography throughout history. Studies… …   Wikipedia

  • lesbianism — noun Date: 1870 female homosexuality …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • lesbianism — noun female homosexuality Syn: homosexuality …   Wiktionary

  • lesbianism — Synonyms and related words: active algolagnia, algolagnia, algolagny, amphierotism, autoeroticism, bisexuality, coprophilia, exhibitionism, fetishism, heterosexuality, homoeroticism, homosexualism, homosexuality, incest, incestuousness, masochism …   Moby Thesaurus

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