The Lesbian Renaissance of the 2020s: A Cultural Revolution

The 2020s decade has marked the beginning of a cultural shift in lesbian history—a period that may be looked back on as a lesbian renaissance. From the rise of Lesbian TikTok to the growing visibility of lesbian voices like Chappell Roan to The Queer Ultimatum’s TV representation of lesbian relationships, and so much more, we’re experiencing a sapphic cultural revolution.

This has been driven by a perfect storm of factors: the younger generation’s openness to sexual identity, the disruptions caused by the pandemic coupled with TikTok, and the amplification of sapphic stories in media.

Note: Of course, let us never forget the lesbian pioneers before us who set us up in motion for this 2020s renaissance, from Audrey Lorde to Liz Freidman’s Xena Warrior Princess and more.

A Sapphic Tidal Wave: The Numbers Speak

“The sapphic tsunami is coming. Brace yourselves.” – Amy Spalding

The Lesbian Renaissance is not just a cultural phenomenon; it’s backed by numbers that reveal a significant shift in how society views and embraces queer identities, particularly among younger generations. According to a Gallup survey, up to 7.6% of the U.S. population now identifies as LGBTQ+. Within this broader community, 22.3% are members of Gen Z, while 9.8% are Millennials. These figures aren’t just statistics—they represent a profound change in romance culture and acceptance.

The Lesbian Renaissance is happening right now, and the data proves that we’re just at the beginning of this cultural revolution. What’s driving this wave? Let’s get into it!

The Pandemic as a Major Catalyst

Beyond the Covid-19 headlines of loss and uncertainty, something transformative happened during this time—especially for queer women. With traditional routines on pause, the pandemic became a rare opportunity for introspection. The enforced isolation and disruption of daily life allowed many to step back and reevaluate who they were, their marriages, and what they wanted from life.

For many of us, lockdowns created the space to explore aspects of our identity that we may have previously suppressed or ignored. The surge of TikTok at this time (see below), coupled with more time spent on social media, meant that resources, communities, and conversations about sexuality were more accessible than ever before.

The viral circulation of these schools of thought during a time of pause became a collective awakening that marked the beginning of a new era for queer women.

The Rise of Lesbian TikTok ★

If there’s one platform that has supercharged the Lesbian Renaissance, it’s TikTok. What started as a space for dance challenges and lip-sync videos has evolved into a powerful engine for queer content. Lesbian TikTok has become a digital haven where sapphic stories, identities, and relationships are celebrated and amplified like never before.

Lesbian TikTok influencers like Avery Cyrus, Nicole Bloomgarden, and Soph Mosca have become household names within the community, drawing in millions of followers with their authentic, entertaining, and often hilarious lesbian content from funny skits and relatable experiences to lifestyle tips and candid discussions about their sexuality.

For many young queer women, scrolling through Lesbian TikTok is like looking into a mirror—seeing their own struggles, joys, and identities reflected back at them in ways that mainstream media has failed to capture for decades.

TikTok is also a powerful tool for education and activism. Accounts like Rainbow History Class break down queer historical events and concepts. Activists like Chrys of The Qweer Agenda use their platforms to raise awareness about social issues affecting the queer community, turning TikTok into a space for both learning and mobilization.

TikTok has also become a platform for viral trends that center sapphic experiences. Promposal videos, sapphic first-date recaps, and heartwarming coming-out stories regularly trend on the platform. These viral moments have normalized lesbian relationships in a way that was unimaginable just a few years ago.

TikTok has also opened the door for lesbian families to share their stories. Creators like Rose and Rosie, Julie Lorentzen, and the family duo Ebony and Denise provide a glimpse into their lives as queer parents. Jessica Kellgren-Fozard adds a layer of vintage charm and disability awareness to her content, making sure that differently-abled folks within the queer community are also seen and heard.

Viral Lesbian Masterdoc Resurgence

A pivotal moment of the Lesbian Renaissance was the resurgence of the Tumblr-created Lesbian Masterdoc, which was rediscovered and went viral on TikTok between 2020 and 2023. The Lesbian Masterdoc is essentially a guide, filled with questions, scenarios, and reflections that challenge the reader’s compulsive heteronormative thinking. For many women who encountered it, the Masterdoc provided clarity and validation that had been missing from their lives. It laid out common experiences and thoughts that resonated deeply with those who had long questioned their sexuality but had never found the language or the confidence to fully explore it.

The Millennial Mid-Life Crisis & Awakening

For many Millennial women, the Masterdoc was a tool to finally question the heteronormative scripts they had followed for most of their lives. These women, often in their 30s, found themselves reevaluating their relationships, desires, and futures. The document encouraged them to confront questions they had avoided for years, leading to a wave of late-in-life coming-outs and the reimagining of what their lives could look like.

This awakening was deeply tied to the broader cultural forces at play. As lesbian visibility increased and more spaces—both online and offline—became available for queer women to connect, Millennials felt more empowered to question and embrace their identities. The Masterdoc was the spark, but the fire it ignited was stoked by the growing Lesbian Renaissance that surrounded them.

A TikTok user went viral recently, for calling this the “Millennial mid-life crisis” where women are leaving their husbands or decade-long relationships with men to embrace their lesbianism.

Television & Movies: Amplifying Lesbian Stories

Netflix’s Queer Ultimatum in 2023 blew up, even in straight circles. The reality dating show explored the dynamics of lesbian dating and relationships. It broke new ground by showcasing the challenges, joys, and complexities that lesbian couples face as they navigate life together.

Across the pond, the U.K.’s I Kissed a Girl (2024) marked another milestone as the country’s first lesbian dating show. This series offered viewers a glimpse into a wide range of Gen-Z sapphic dating experiences, resonating with audiences who had long craved representation that felt both entertaining and relatable.

Beyond reality TV, scripted series like Under the Bridge (2024) have also made waves. This true crime show follows two queer women with a complicated past as they investigate the death of a teenage girl in Victoria, Canada.

Meanwhile, the movie industry has also embraced the Lesbian Renaissance, offering audiences a range of sapphic narratives that challenge conventional storytelling. Ammonite (2020), for instance, delved into 19th-century queer relationships, while The Half of It (2020) explored the intricacies of teenage love and the nuances of coming out in a small town. Bottoms (2023), also stands out for its fresh take on the high school comedy, centering queer female characters in a way that’s both funny and unapologetically authentic.

In 2024, Kristen Stewart and Katy O’Brian starred in Love Lies Bleeding, a crime thriller set in the 80s bodybuilding scene. This film stood out for its portrayal of a lesbian relationship that wasn’t defined by its queerness but by the external challenges surrounding it.

These examples highlight just a fraction of the incredible progress made in sapphic television and film during the 2020s. This decade is shaping up to be a pivotal moment in lesbian representation as more stories about queer women find their way into the mainstream.

Sapphic Music On the Rise

At the forefront of the sapphic music revolution is Chappell Roan, an artist who has taken the music world by storm. From dominating Lollapalooza to bringing crowds to tears at her concerts, Chappell’s rise to stardom has been nothing short of meteoric. Her queer songs like Pink Pony Club (2023) and Good Luck, Babe! (2024) are not just anthems—they’re rallying cries for a new generation of queer listeners who finally see themselves reflected in mainstream music.

Billie Eilish, a massive artist, has been subtly hinting at her queerness for years. In her 2021 music video Lost Cause, fans caught glimpses of sapphic undertones that have only grown stronger with time. By 2024, Billie had embraced her queer identity more openly, with her album Hit Me Hard and Soft featuring lyrics like “I could eat that girl for lunch, yeah, she dances on my tongue,” making it clear that her music is now unapologetically sapphic. She is also featured on Charli xcx’s Guess remix, singing “Charli likes boys, but she knows I’d hit it.”

Joining Billie and Chappell in this revolution is Young Miko, a queer Puerto Rican artist who is shaking up the traditionally patriarchal reggaeton scene. Her 2024 album att. is a bold declaration of her queer identity, with lyrics that defy expectations and challenge norms in a genre that has long been dominated by male voices— a cultural shift that signals a broader acceptance of diverse voices within reggaeton.

Kehlani, an Afro-Asian-Indigenous artist, has also been a powerful force in this movement. Her 2022 album Blue Water Road further cemented her place as a leading voice in the queer music scene. Beyond her music, Kehlani’s activism and openness about her sexuality have made her a role model for many, blending artistry with advocacy in a way that few others do.

And how could we forget boygenius? The indie girl band’s charged lyrics and raw, vulnerable performances have made them icons within the queer community. Exploring themes of identity, love, and heartbreak. Along that same branch is girl in red’s 2021 album If I Could Make It Go Quiet solidified her place in the hearts of the WLW community.

This lesbian music revolution isn’t just about artists coming out and embracing their identities—it’s about creating music that resonates on a deeper level with listeners who have long felt underrepresented.

Celebrities and Public Figures: Leading by Example

The 2020s have seen an increasing number of celebrities and public figures coming out and embracing their identities. These trailblazers are not just icons of entertainment or politics; they are role models who are helping to normalize lesbian and queer identities on a global scale.

Kehlani, who initially identified as bisexual, made headlines when she revealed her lesbian identity in a now-deleted TikTok video. Her openness about her journey has inspired many, particularly those who have struggled with their own sexual identities. Similarly, singer Peach PRC came out in a TikTok video set to her own music, ensuring her fans knew exactly what her songs were about, which resonated deeply with her audience.

Billie Eilish, long speculated to be queer, confirmed her attraction to women in a Variety interview, further cementing her place as a queer icon for Gen Z. Her candidness about her sexuality has helped break down barriers and encouraged young fans to embrace their own identities without fear.

In 2024, the year of the lesbian, Julia Fox added her name to the list of celebrities embracing their queerness, coming out as a lesbian on TikTok. Reneé Rapp, previously identifying as bisexual, also confirmed her lesbian identity in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, signaling a broader trend of public figures feeling empowered to share their truths with the world.

In 2023, Survivor winner Parvati Shallow came out as queer and also hard-launched that she was dating Mae Martin of Feel Good.

It’s not just about coming out—it’s about representation and showing the world that queer love exists in all forms. For example, Niecy Nash and Jessica Betts made history as the first same-sex couple to appear on the cover of Essence magazine, celebrating Black queer love in a way that had never been done before. This groundbreaking moment highlighted the importance of visibility for queer women of color.

In politics, more openly lesbian politicians are stepping into the spotlight. The LGBTQ Victory Institute’s Out for America report revealed that there were 1,043 known LGBTQ elected officials in 2022, a substantial increase from 2017’s 448. Among them are former Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot, Massachusetts’ Maura Healey—the first lesbian governor—and Oregon’s Tina Kotek, who also became the first openly lesbian Speaker of the House. These leaders are breaking barriers and redefining what it means to be a public servant while proudly representing the LGBTQ+ community.

The Growth of Lesbian Spaces and Events

The number of lesbian bars in the U.S. dwindled from nearly 200 in the 1980s to fewer than 20 by the time the pandemic hit. However, that trend is now reversing. Across the country and around the world, we’re witnessing a significant resurgence of lesbian and queer bars. According to NBC News, there are now at least 35 venues (almost double) in the U.S. catering to queer women, with more than a dozen of them opening their doors since 2020.

In cities like New York, the growth of lesbian venues is particularly notable. The historic trinity of lesbian bars—Henrietta Hudson, Cubbyhole, and Ginger’s—has been joined by newer spots like The Bush and the pop-up Dave’s Lesbian Bar. Now making NYC the city with the most lesbian bars in the world!

Beyond bars, there’s been a boom in sapphic/queer clubs, meetups, and events that cater to a diverse range of interests, from arts and culture to fitness and activism. These gatherings are not just about socializing—they’re about building community, creating networks, and ensuring that queer women have spaces where they can thrive.

In Los Angeles, The Ruby Fruit—a restaurant and wine bar catering to the sapphically inclined—has quickly become a beloved spot. San Francisco has added Mother to its roster of queer venues, while Femme Bar in Massachusetts and The Secret in Oklahoma City are further expanding the options for queer women seeking dedicated spaces.

The growth of lesbian spaces isn’t limited to the U.S. In London, the opening of La Camionera, a new lesbian bar, and the return of the London Dyke March after more than a decade have breathed new life into the city’s queer scene. These developments signal a broader trend of reclaiming and revitalizing spaces for queer women around the world.

Sports: Celebrating Queer Athletes

One of the most iconic figures in this movement has been Megan Rapinoe, the openly gay soccer player who has become a symbol of queer pride. Leading the U.S. Women’s National Team to victory in the FIFA World Cup, Rapinoe’s influence extends far beyond the soccer field. Her activism for LGBTQ+ rights, gender equality, and social justice has made her a powerful role model, showing that queer athletes can excel at the highest levels while advocating for meaningful change.

The 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing saw a record number of LGBTQ+ athletes, including many queer women, competing on the world stage. Their visibility in such a global arena has been instrumental in normalizing queer identities in sports, where heteronormativity has historically dominated.

With 193 openly LGBTQ+ athletes competing, the 2024 Paris Olympics have been a landmark event for the queer community. A highlight for lesbians came when the U.S. women’s rugby sevens team, featuring six openly lesbian players, secured their first Olympic medal in a thrilling last-second victory. The opening ceremony also made history with a powerful queer performance by French DJ and LGBTQ+ activist Barbara Butch, setting the tone for an inclusive and memorable Games.

Beyond the Olympics, queer women are making their mark across various sports. From the WNBA, with athletes like Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark leading record-breaking viewership.

As we move forward, this renaissance is not just about visibility—it’s about creating lasting change. It’s about ensuring that the progress made in the 2020s continues to inspire and uplift future generations. The sapphic tidal wave is here, and it’s only growing stronger, leaving an indelible mark on the cultural landscape.

Queer Culture