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'''Lesbianism''' is [[sex]]ual activity or attraction between [[women]].
'''Lesbianism''' is [[sex]]ual activity or attraction between [[women]]. Female [[homosexual]]s are often called '''lesbians''' (after the ancient [[Greek]] island of [[Lesbos]]). Homosexuality normally focuses on men more than in women, but the problem is not minor. Women who are attracted to both women and men are called [[bisexual]]s.
The word "lesbian" was first used in the late 16th century. Lesbianism is also called ''sapphism'' or ''female homosexuality''. (Sappho penned love sonnets to women. She lived from 610-580 B.C.)
In 1997, the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention Program included lesbians as a priority population. [http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/conference/ppt/linda_ellis.ppt#291,3, Progress has been made in recognizing lesbians as a target population]
<blockquote>
In the United States, estimates of lifetime same-sex behavior among women are 8%–20%, and 1.4%–4.3% of all women may be sexually active with other women. An estimated 2.3 million women describe themselves as lesbian. In its 1999 report, Lesbian Health: Current Assessment and Directions for the Future, the Institute of Medicine emphasized that more data on sexually transmitted infections (STIs), Pap smear screening, and risk for cervical cancer in lesbians were needed. [http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol10no11/04-0622_08.htm Lesbians and Infectious Diseases]
</blockquote>
==Lesbianism and Health Issues==
==Lesbianism and Health Issues==
In April of 2007, the'' [[American Journal of Public Health]]'' analyzed data from 2002 National Survey of Family Growth and the data suggested that lesbian women were 2.69 times more likely to be overweight and 2.47 times more likely to be obese than all other female sexual orientation groups.
In April of 2007, the'' [[American Journal of Public Health]]'' analyzed data from 2002 National Survey of Family Growth and the data suggested that lesbian women were 2.69 times more likely to be overweight and 2.47 times more likely to be obese than all other female sexual orientation groups.
<ref>[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=ShowDetailView&TermToSearch=17463369&ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum Overweight and Obesity in Sexual-Minority Women: Evidence From Population-Based Data, Ulrike Boehmer, Deborah J. Bowen, Greta R. Bauer, American Journal of Public Health, 2007 Jun;97(6):1134-40. E pub 2007 Apr 26.]</ref> The abstract for this study indicated that "lesbians are at greater risk for morbidity and mortality linked to overweight and obesity." <ref>[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=ShowDetailView&TermToSearch=17463369&ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum Overweight and Obesity in Sexual-Minority Women: Evidence From Population-Based Data, Ulrike Boehmer, Deborah J. Bowen, Greta R. Bauer, American Journal of Public Health, 2007 Jun;97(6):1134-40. E pub 2007 Apr 26.]</ref>
<ref>[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=ShowDetailView&TermToSearch=17463369&ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum Overweight and Obesity in Sexual-Minority Women: Evidence From Population-Based Data, Ulrike Boehmer, Deborah J. Bowen, Greta R. Bauer, American Journal of Public Health, 2007 Jun;97(6):1134-40. E pub 2007 Apr 26.]</ref> The abstract for this study indicated that "lesbians are at greater risk for morbidity and mortality linked to overweight and obesity." <ref>[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=ShowDetailView&TermToSearch=17463369&ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum Overweight and Obesity in Sexual-Minority Women: Evidence From Population-Based Data, Ulrike Boehmer, Deborah J. Bowen, Greta R. Bauer, American Journal of Public Health, 2007 Jun;97(6):1134-40. E pub 2007 Apr 26.]</ref>
==See Also==
==See Also==
*[[Homosexuality]]
*[[Health]]
== External links ==
*[http://www.britannica.com/ebc/article-9384264 Lesbianism] Encyclopædia Britannica.
==References==
==References==
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{{reflist|2}}