Lesbians postpone coming out because of negative stereotypes: UK survey
Just Like Us, a UK LGBTQ rights charity group, reported that two thirds of lesbians– or 68 percent– postpone their coming out because of negative stereotypes.
In a survey conducted as part of Lesbian Visibility Week on 643 lesbians in the UK, many of them feared they will be perceived as “man-hating,” “over-sexuallized,” or “anti-trans.”
Negative stereotypes by the number
Three in ten (or 30 percent) also said they delayed telling their friends and families because stereotypes perceive them to be as “cringey or awkward.”
What’s more, almost the same proportion of lesbians or 25 percent said they postponed their coming out because of homophobic societal misconceptions that being a lesbian is “wrong.”
A quarter reported that there was cultural perception that being a lesbian was “taboo” (23 percent) even as others felt that being a lesbian was “embarrassing” (23 percent)
Amy Ashenden, Director of Communications and Media of Just Like Us, said that it’s “heartbreaking” that lesbians are “delaying living their lives to the fullest” because of these “tired lesbophobic stereotypes.”
“It is especially sad to see that lesbians are delaying coming out because they fear being seen as butch, masculine and unattractive,” Ashenden, who is also a lesbian, said.
How negative stereotypes affect the community
“Societally, there is a lot of work to be done around embracing women of all gender expressions and bringing positive messaging around being a butch lesbian to the forefront,” Ashenden added.
She noted that these perceptions “unfairly stereotype an entire community” as “these stereotypes are rooted in misogynistic ideas of what a woman should be.”
As such, she said, “we can see the damaging effects of these stereotypes, particularly on young lesbians, in the research.”
Meanwhile, Dominic Arnall, chief executive of Just Like Us, said it is “deeply saddening” to see the “next generation of young lesbians are still suffering from these harmful and damaging stereotypes about lesbians.”
“All young people deserve to know that being LGBT+ is something to be celebrated and through our work with schools, we want to smash these stereotypes and show that being a lesbian is a wonderful, positive thing,” Arnall said.
How being perceived affects young lesbians
Meanwhile, 36 percent of young lesbians aged 18 to 24 said over-sexualization was the biggest barrier to them coming out. This is more than any other age group.
Being seen as “masculine or butch” and “unattractive” were also factors, as cited by 31 percent and 22 percent respectively of lesbians in that same age group.
A third or 30 percent of young lesbians said being a lesbian is seen as being “wrong,” while a quarter said lesbianism is “taboo” (24 percent) and “embarrassing” (24 percent).
One in 20 or four percent said being a lesbian is seen as “anti-trans,” but this rises to seven percent among lesbians aged 25 to 34.
Young lesbians are also most likely to face tension at home (61 percent) and be lonely (87 percent). They also said their mental health has worsened during the pandemic (78 percent) than any other LGBTQ identity.