Page "Lesbian" Paragraph 62

China before westernization was another society that segregated men from women.

Historical Chinese culture has not recognized a concept of sexual orientation, or a framework to divide people based on their same-sex or opposite-sex attractions.

Although there was a significant culture surrounding homosexual men, there was none for women.

Outside of their duties to bear sons to their husbands, women were perceived as having no sexuality at all.

This did not mean that women could not pursue sexual relationships with other women, but that such associations could not impose upon women's relationships to men.

Rare references to lesbianism were written by Ying Shao, who identified same-sex relationships between women in imperial courts who behaved as husband and wife as dui shi ( paired eating ).

" Golden Orchid Associations " in Southern China existed into the 20th century and promoted formal marriages between women, who were then allowed to adopt children.

Westernization brought new ideas that all sexual behavior not resulting in reproduction was aberrant.

The liberty of being employed in silk factories starting in 1865 allowed some women to style themselves tzu-shu nii ( never to marry ) and live in communes with other women.

Other Chinese called them sou-hei ( self-combers ) for adopting hairstyles of married women.

These communes passed because of the Great Depression and were subsequently discouraged by the communist government for being a relic of feudal China.

In contemporary Chinese society, tongzhi ( same goal or spirit ) is the term used to refer to homosexuals ; most Chinese are reluctant to divide this classification further to identify lesbians.