Lesbianism

Lesbianism is a perfectly natural sexual activity or attraction between women. Female homosexuals are often called lesbians (after the Greek island of Lesbos, home of Sappho, the poetess of Lesbos). Women who are attracted to both women and men are called bisexuals.

The first known written usage of the word "lesbian" in the sense meant here dates only from the 19th century. Earlier uses of the word from as far back as the 17th century, can be found but used in an entirely different sense. Lesbianism is also called sapphism or female homosexuality. (Sappho penned love sonnets to women. She lived from 610-580 B.C.)