Lesbians and Gender Roles

Lesbian is a term that refers to a woman identified person who is sexually, romantically, and/or emotionally attracted to another woman identified person. The term is applicable for individuals with any sex identity—meaning, whether a person is biologically male, female, other, and beyond. For example, a biologically male person who identifies as a woman (e.g., a transgender woman) may identify as a lesbian if she is primarily attracted to other lesbian, bisexual, or queer women.

Gender role describes a set of socially and culturally constructed beliefs, behaviors, expectations, and attributions (e.g., the way a person thinks, speaks, dresses, and interacts with others in a public or private domain) that are generally based on an individual’s actual or perceived gender. Gender roles are learned and developed during ...