What Is Lesbian-Majority Space?

 

"Lesbians Anonymous" by id-iom is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0.

Lesbian-Majority Space

In lesbian-majority space, there's mostly lesbians. 

How Do Lesbian-Majority Spaces Form?

Sometimes lesbian-majority spaces are started on purpose, like women's lands that were made by and for lesbians. Or lesbian bars.  

Other times, lesbian-majority spaces form by accident. Like the women's festivals, which started in Michigan in the 1970s. They were historically intended for all women, but ended up being mainly thousands of lesbians and a smattering of straight and bisexual women.   

Gathering As A Tactic To Find More Lesbians

One way lesbians have historically made our own spaces is by making a habit of gathering in the same place (bar, cafe, you name it) at the same time every week. The idea is to draw in other lesbians who might say strike up a conversation to meet more lesbians and establish a regular meeting spot to socialize. 

What Are Lesbian-Majority Spaces Like?

When lesbians are no longer outnumbered, we tend to do more things that many of us are actually interested in, as opposed to conforming to what's normally "done." 

This isn't to say that if someone likes activities that are popular in the dominant culture, they're somehow not "lesbian" or "lesbian enough."

Rather, it's worth considering whether you've ever actually experienced a lesbian-majority space, and what may or may not shift if you were in one. 

It's not uncommon to find yourself: 

• feeling comfortable enough to engage in hobbies you haven't picked up in years
• making the kind of art you really like, instead of the art you're "supposed" to make
• talking about interests that normally feel too cringey or weird to discuss 

Meeting Other Lesbians Who Get It

As lesbians, we've been through a lot of the same stuff. Most of us had to come out. Many of us have been discriminated against in one way or another. All, or nearly all of us, have had feelings that straight people just don't seem to understand. 

One of the best things about lesbian-majority space, hands down, has been realizing that there are so many other women who just get it.  They've been there. Sometimes they still are. There can be a sense of feeling seen by other lesbians who really, really get it. 

Are There Downsides To Lesbian-Majority Space?

If you're a lesbian, you may find yourself still in the same friend group as an ex (or two). 

Dyke drama is real. 

Avoiding conflict can lead to passive-aggression, which can result in unspoken resentment building up, and then some kind of weird unexplainable, unarticulated tension. 

There's a taboo around talking about lesbians abusing other lesbians. 

Being allergic to cats is not ideal as you will be around cats a lot.

Find Lesbian-Majority Space Near You

To find women's land near you, visit the women's land map. Reach out directly to the women's land in your area, or in an area you'll be travelling to, for more info about how you can visit. Expect to undergo a vetting process that can be as quick as a phone call or as extensive as an in-person meetup.  

If you are a lesbian in the United States, or a woman of any sexual orientation who wants to learn more about women's lands near you, email findwomensland at gmail dot com to get information about women's lands in your local area.