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Lesbian vs Outness - What's the difference?

lesbian | outness |

As nouns the difference between lesbian and outness

is that lesbian is a native or inhabitant of lesbos while outness is (philosophy) the collective of things that are distinct from the observer or outness can be the extent to which someone, particularly a lesbian, is open about her sexuality.

As an adjective lesbian

is of or pertaining to the island of lesbos.

lesbian

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • (of a woman) Homosexual; preferring female romantic or sexual partners.
    • She is lesbian .
  • (of a romantic or sexual act or relationship) Between two women; homosexual.
    • She's involved in a lesbian relationship.
    Lesbian marriage is still illegal in some nations.
  • * 2011 , Michael Bruce, ?Robert M. Stewart, College Sex - Philosophy for Everyone (ISBN 1444341448), page 32:
  • (especially of an institution or group) Intended for lesbians.
    • We're going to a lesbian bar tonight.
  • * 2000 , Bonnie Zimmerman, Encyclopedia of lesbian and gay histories and cultures , volume 1, page 135:
    • Some lesbians also felt comfortable in the entertainment clubs in the black section of the city; these clubs were not lesbian but were lesbian friendly.
  • * 2008 , Carl Abbott, How cities won the West: four centuries of urban change , page 283:
    • Openly gay poets such as Allen Ginsberg were prominent among the beats, and many North Beach bars were gay and lesbian as well as bohemian.

    Synonyms

    * , gay (preferred by some lesbians), homosexual (not specific to female homosexuality) * , gay (preferred by some lesbians), homosexual (not specific to female homosexuality)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A homosexual female, a woman who is sexually or romantically attracted to other women.

    • Synonyms

    * sapphist * (offensive) Amy-John, beaver eater, beanflicker, boondagger, bulldiker, bulldyker, carpet muncher, clam smacker, crack snacker, cunt-lapper, donut bumper, dyke, lesbianist, lezzer, lezzie, lezzo, rug muncher, scissor sister, todger dodger, vagitarian, clitorist * See also

    Hypernyms

    * LGBT * gay * homosexual * queer

    Derived terms

    * hasbian * wasbian

    See also

    *

    Anagrams

    * * ----

    outness

    English

    Etymology 1

    Possibly coined by for his 1709 Essay v=onepage&q=outness&f=false'>Towards a New Theory of Vision

    Noun

    (-)
  • (philosophy) The collective of things that are distinct from the observer.
  • * {{quote-book, 1709, title= Towards a New Theory of Vision], author=[[w:George Berkeley, George Berkeley],
    • , passage=From what we have shewn it is a manifest Consequence, that the Ideas of Space, Outness, and things placed at a distance are not strictly speaking, the Object of Sight.}}
  • (philosophy) The property of being distinct.
  • * {{quote-book, 2008, title=Hamilton, author=John Veitch
    • , passage=Distance means degree of outness of one thing from another; but it presupposes outness as a fact and a conception.}}

    Synonyms

    * (property) otherness, externality, (rare) outwardness

    Etymology 2

    Popularised by Lynne Pearlman in her 1989 thesis Theorizing Lesbian Oppression and the Politics of Outness in the Case of Waterman v. National Life Assurance

    Noun

    (-)
  • The extent to which someone, particularly a lesbian, is open about her sexuality.
  • * {{quote-book, 2008, title=Contemporary Perspectives on Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Identities, author=Debra A. Hope
    • , passage=Couples who are discrepant on outness may have conflict around such issues as where to live (e.g. in an obvious gay neighbourhood), whether to bring a partner to work-related social events, and how to introduce their partner to family members.}}