Old vs Young Lesbians - A Simple Guide to a Big Change
If you’ve ever heard conversations about lesbians and felt a little lost, you’re not alone. The world of lesbian identity has changed a lot over the years. What it meant to be a lesbian in 1985 is different from what it means to someone who is 18 today. This isn't about one way being right and the other being wrong. It's about understanding two different worlds. Let's break down the key differences between older and younger generations of lesbians in a way that’s easy to follow.
The Numbers Don't Lie - A Generational Divide
First, let’s look at some simple facts. Surveys show that way more young people are identifying as lesbian, gay, or bisexual than older people ever did. For example, a global survey found that about 17% of Gen Z adults identify as part of the LGBT+ community. That’s a huge jump compared to only 6% of Gen X and 5% of Baby Boomers. In the U.S., the trend is the same, with nearly 30% of Gen Z women identifying as LGBTQ+2. But here’s a really important difference. It’s not just about how many people, but which labels they choose.
Labels: "Lesbian" vs "Queer" and "Bisexual"
This is one of the biggest changes. For older generations, the labels were more straightforward. If you were a woman who loved women, you called yourself a lesbian. In fact, surveys show that older LGBTQ+ people are most likely to identify as gay or lesbian. For younger generations, it’s much more fluid. Many women who are only attracted to other women might still choose labels like "queer" or even "bisexual." Why? Because they feel it leaves more room for their identity to be about who they are attracted to, and not a rigid rule. This shift is so big that some research shows the term "lesbian" itself is declining in popularity among younger people, with more women choosing broader terms like "bisexual" or "queer" instead.
Here's a quick look at the numbers:
- Gen Z: A huge portion of LGBTQ+ women identify as bisexual (20.7%) compared to lesbian (5.4%).
- Older Generations: LGBTQ+ individuals are more likely, or equally as likely, to say they are gay or lesbian than bisexual.
Why Did This Happen? The "Why" Behind the Shift
So, what caused this huge change? It's a mix of things.
- More Acceptance, Less Pressure: Older generations often had to "come out" in a much less accepting world. For many, claiming the "lesbian" label was a brave, political act. It was a clear identity in a hostile world. Younger people are growing up in a more accepting environment where they don't feel forced into a single box.
- Understanding is Broader: Today, there’s a much better understanding that sexuality can be a spectrum. Concepts like pansexuality and omnisexuality are part of the conversation. The idea that you can be attracted to a person, regardless of their gender, is much more common.
- Community is Different: Older lesbians often found community in bars, women's festivals, and political groups. These were physical, built from scratch spaces. Younger lesbians often find their community online, through social media, streaming shows, and friend groups that are more mixed and less defined by a single identity.
What About Attraction? Is It Different?
This is a common question. The short answer: not really. Women loving women is the constant thread that connects all generations.
What’s different is how they talk about it. An older lesbian might say, "I am a lesbian, and I only date women." A younger person might say, "I'm queer, and I date people I'm attracted to. Which, so far, has only been women." The outcome is the same, but the path and the language feel different.
It's All Part of the Same Story
At the end of the day, the conversation between "old" and "young" lesbians isn't a fight. It's a family conversation.
Older generations fought hard and paved the way so that younger people could have the freedom to explore identity in a way they never could. The shift from "lesbian" to "queer" and other labels isn't a rejection of the past, it's the result of it. It’s proof that the fight for freedom and acceptance worked, creating a world where a person can define themselves on their own terms.
