Are Lesbians Faking It? (The Shockingly Recent History of Gay Women)

Are lesbians "real" in the way society claims? Or is much of what we call lesbianism a modern cultural phenomenon driven by social dynamics, politics, jealousy, and intra-female competition rather than innate same-sex attraction? In this provocative episode, Simone & Malcolm Collins unpack shocking stats (e.g., 36% of lesbians in their 40s, 50% in their 50s, and 75% of those 60+ were previously married to men), question historical "lesbians" like Sappho (whose poetry may reflect jealousy or performance rather than lust), and explore why female sexuality seems far more fluid and dominance/resource-oriented than male sexuality. We cover: Skyrocketing lesbian/bisexual identification among young women (Gen Z at 5.4% lesbian) High rates in sports, academia, military, and urban monocultures "Lesbian bed death" and low sexual frequency in lesbian couples vs. gay men Why historical records show clear gay male attraction but mostly spinster/companion "lesbian" pairings Political lesbianism, the "U-Haul" stereotype, and why women may pair with women for compatibility rather than raw sexual attraction This is NOT denial of individual experiences—some women are genuinely same-sex attracted—but a challenge to the "born this way" narrative when data and history suggest something more complex (and often male-projected) is at play. Timestamps below. Like, subscribe, and drop your thoughts in the comments—what do YOU make of the stats? Based Camp with Simone & Malcolm Collins explores human nature, sexuality, fertility, culture, and the future. Check out our books (including Pragmatist's Guide to Sexuality) and pronatalist work. #Lesbian #Sexuality #History #Pronatalism #BasedCamp 12 Timestamps (Major Themes) 0:00 – Intro: Why this topic is bothering Simone + shocking stat on ex-heterosexual marriages among lesbians 2:45 – Census data deep dive: 36% (40s), 50% (50s), 75% (60+) of lesbians previously married to men 5:20 – Lesbian vs. gay marriage rates: Why ~53% of same-sex marriages are lesbian in the US 8:10 – Bisexuality explosion among women (2x rate of men) + rising identification in younger generations 11:30 – Challenging "born this way": Fluidity, trends, and why women dominate LGBTQ+ stats via bi/lesbian labels 15:00 – Historical lesbians? Sappho examined: Poetry as jealousy/performance, not lust + ancient context 21:45 – Male historians misreading female intra-sex competition as sexual desire (modern Katy Perry analogy) 27:00 – Other "historical lesbians": Ann Lister, Ladies of Llangollen, Jane Addams, Radclyffe Hall – spinsters or companions? 32:15 – Contrast with explicit gay male history: Harems, poetry, emperors, Oscar Wilde – clear ravenous attraction 38:40 – Lesbian bed death: Stats on low sexual frequency (1% long-term couples 3+/week) vs. gay men & heteros 44:20 – High lesbian rates in sports (WNBA 30-38%), academia, military – testosterone, monoculture, or dominance resistance? 50:05 – Takeaway: Female sexuality = power/dominance/resources gender; political lesbianism & modern fluidity