Lesbianism is constantly viewed as a non-legitimate sexuality. This can be explained do the the stigma around women’s sexuality in general. Women are viewed as the less sexually inclined sex. Men are thought of as more aggressive when it comes to seeking out sexual partners while women are resigned to the role of being submissive and allowing a man to pick them, instead of going out and choosing a partner herself. That is why lesbianism has so many misconceptions attached to it- The idea of not one, but two women being sexually active and attracted to each other, with no male presence, is thought of to be impossible through the homophobic lense. If a woman were to engage in sexual relations with another woman, it can only be possible because they are doing it for male approval, for a heterosexual male to watch and enjoy it as if it were a performance.

Lesbianism is unfortunately most commonly associated with pornography. As we all know, porn is not exactly known for its realistic depictions of sex and the human body. Virtually all pornographic films are directed by men for men, including lesbian films. In fact, many of the actresses in lesbian porn are very rarely actual lesbians, but heterosexual or bisexual women. Porn being the main correlation with lesbians often leads to misconstrued ideas about lesbian sexuality. Many popular tropes found in lesbian porn include a curiously innocent straight girl being seduced and manipulated by a lesbian, or teen girls making out for a male friend’s enjoyment. This feeds into the idea that lesbianism is a performance- a tool to titillate heterosexual men, and something for straight women to ‘experiment’ with before they inevitably return to a real relationship with a male. Lesbianism is exclusively viewed through two lenses in popular media- extreme sexualized fashion where it’s basically a fetish, or extreme desexualization, something unwanted and ‘ugly’ women turn to when they have no male options.

In the lesbian community there have been many discussions of the phenomenon called “Lesbian Invisibility”. This refers to the fact that many people acknowledge gay men’s existence but don’t recognize female sexuality as legitimate. Many popular trains of thought with regards to discrimination against lesbian include the idea that lesbians simply do not exist. Many homophobic men think that lesbians are women who cannot “get a man” so they resort to women instead. It is also believed that all lesbians are overweight and unattractive, and are bitter that they cannot get a husband. This is connected to the misogynistic belief that women inherently need men to complete them and are naturally unhappy without one. There is also the prevalent idea that lesbians only exist for men’s fantasies. The idea of women having sexual relations is considered a fetish and a category on many porn sites, and is one of the most popular genres of pornography in the United States.

Men are statistically more likely to be victims of physical assault and murder, while women are more likely to be victims of rape and sexual slavery. While gay men are often victims of violent attacks because they are more visibly noticeable than gay women, gay women who are out of the closet can be victims of corrective rape, something often practiced in extremely religious parts of Africa and the Middle East. Forced marriages are also often used against lesbians, as a way to ‘teach them’ to learn how to love men. Arranged marriages are a rare occurrence in the United states, but are still allowed under law. Many immigrant families that are of Muslim faith follow this practice, and in the south there have been cases where rape victims have been forced to marry their rapists because the victim was impregnated. Corrective rape is a hate crime specifically against lesbians. While it can happen to gay men it is much more common with gay women.

It’s no secret that gay men and lesbians experience homophobia differently. Gender roles, double standards, and sexism all impact how homophobic people treat homosexuals. It is often noted that gay men are more often victims of physical assault and murder as compared to lesbians. This can be explained that gay men stand out much more as compared to gay women. For example, two women holding hands and acting affectionate with each other can easily be interpreted as a close friendship, as female friends have no problem hugging and playfully kissing each other on the cheek if they are exceptionally close. However, the sight of two male friends engaging in such close physical contact is viewed as rather taboo. If a man were to hold hands or get ‘too close’ to a male friend it could be viewed as acting effeminate, and ultimately not meeting gender expectations. When a male doesn’t meet those expectations, he is presumed to be homosexual, as homosexuals often do not follow strict gender roles.

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton