Page "Lesbian" Paragraph 63

In Japan, the term rezubian, a Japanese pronunciation of " lesbian ", was used during the 1920s.

Westernization brought more independence for women and allowed some Japanese women to wear pants.

The cognate tomboy is used in the Philippines, and particularly in Manila, to denote women who are more masculine.

Virtuous women in Korea prioritize motherhood, chastity, and virginity ; outside of this scope, very few women are free to express themselves through sexuality, although there is a growing organization for lesbians named Kkirikkiri.

The term pondan is used in Malaysia to refer to gay men, but since there is no historical context to reference lesbians, the term is used for female homosexuals as well.

As in many Asian countries, open homosexuality is discouraged in many social levels, so many Malaysians lead double lives.

A 14th century Indian writing mentioning a lesbian couple who had a child as a result of their lovemaking is an exception to the general silence about female homosexuality.

This invisibility disappeared with the release of a film titled Fire in 1996, prompting some theaters in India to be attacked by extremists.

Terms used to label homosexuals are often rejected by Indian activists for being the result of imperialist influence, but most discourse on homosexuality centers on men.

Women's rights groups in India continue to debate the legitimacy of including lesbian issues in their platforms, as lesbians and material focusing on female homosexuality are frequently suppressed.