This rentry is here to help you gain an understanding of what mspec & male-aligned lesbians are. I request you keep an open mind while reading this, and I request you try to understand.

Before I get into the different parts of the rentry, I want to clarify a few things. This rentry is in no way a form of hate speech. While yes, you may feel invalidated by this in the case that you identify as a male-aligned and/or multispectrum lesbian, this rentry is here to educate. It's understandable to be upset, because no one likes being told that their way of identifying is harmful. I also want to clarify that no experience alone is harmful in any way. Your experiences of sexuality and gender are all incredibly valid, the issue lies with how you choose to label yourself.


My own experience

To start this straight off the bat, I want you to beware I used to identify as a male-aligned lesbian. This is not something I'm just saying, for two whole years, I used to believe I was a bigender lesbian. I identified as 50% male, 50% female. I would surround myself in spaces with others who were either male-aligned, or mspec and identified as lesbians. I refused to listen to anyone trying to educate. I recognize the harm I've done in this, and it's important you do as well.

The definition of a lesbian & the lesbian label throughout history

The definition of a lesbian has been changed throughout history multiple times. Today, most lesbians will agree that the label means "NMLNM", also known as "non-men loving non-men". This alone means that anyone loving a man (whether that would be sexual or romantic attraction) cannot be a lesbian.
While yes, the lesbian label used to mean what sapphic means today ("WLW", or "women loving women". It did not have to be attraction to other women only, a woman could love a man and still be a lesbian. Please beware non-binary people were also included in this). It's important you acknowledge the lesbian label has changed. Why so? Because the bisexual label was only in around the 1980's starting to get acknowledged. This label meant "someone who was attracted to both their own, and another gender". Unfortunately, people were not quick to accept this label, and would refer to bisexuals as "half gay, half straight", which led to an outburst of biphobia.
In around 1990, the bisexual manifesto was born. This period of history marks the time the bisexual voice and identity was starting to get recognized as its own, individual sexuality. Many bisexual women had then started separating themselves from the (at the time) broader term of lesbian, and started identifying with the bisexual label.
It's plain wrong and incorrect to say there was no biphobia involved in this. Many lesbians felt threatened by the idea of bisexual women existing, due to rampant biphobia. Many "lesbians" who were not even attracted to women fought for the idea of political feminism, which was the idea that any woman, regardless of sexuality, could identify with the lesbian label as long as they hated men. They fought for the idea that being a lesbian was a choice, and that bisexual women were choosing not to be lesbians -which is not only biphobic, but also lesphobic.
By the mid 2000's, the bisexual and lesbian labels had become two distinct identities. It's important to acknowledge that the time lesbian meant the same as sapphic does today was a while ago, as well as the fact that definitions change --whether you want them to or not. It's also important to acknowledge that despite the history both labels have, they are now two, distinct sexual orientations.
Today, the bisexual and lesbian labels contradict each other. This means that you cannot identify as both labels at the same time, even if the labels meant something else 30 years ago.

Mspec lesbians

I have already touched on this specific subject, but I have more to say.
"What about bisexuals who are homoromantic, or lesbians who are biromantic?" You are already contradicting your own point. Both of those will ultimately make you bi, as someone who is bi would be attracted to two or more genders --no matter if it's romantic or sexual attraction. I can say the same with any other mspec identity.
I request you do your own research to find a perfectly fitting label, but here are some other to use;

  • (Insert mspec orientation) leaning towards women
  • Just sapphic, or sapphic (mspec orientation)
  • WLW

Male-aligned lesbians

This should be pretty self-explanatory due to what I've previously written, but I'll explain a little more either way.
Transmasc lesbians are valid --to a certain extent. Your gender cannot be male-aligned in any way. This includes, but is not limited to;

  • Demi-boys
  • Trans men
  • Bigender or other multigender people (Who identify as partially men)
    "But what if someone is bigender, partially female and partially male?"
    Trixic is a label for anyone who is non-binary and is attracted to women and/or female-aligned people.
    This label is not necessarily exclusive to loving women/female-aligned people only, but it can be.
    "Wouldn't that make people who identify as agender or demi-girls trixic rather than lesbian?"
    Well, any non-binary person who does not identify as male-aligned in any way can still use the lesbian label. Remember, the current definition is non-men loving non-men.
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Pub: 19 Aug 2023 15:00 UTC
Edit: 19 Aug 2023 15:42 UTC
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