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WLW stands for “women loving women.” It is a broad term for women who are attracted to women, and it does not by itself name one specific sexual identity. You will often see it in films, forums, and documentary listings about women’s relationships and LGBTQ+ life, so it helps to know exactly what it covers and where it stops.
The short answer
WLW is an abbreviation of “women loving women.” Some glossaries gloss it as “women who like women,” but the core meaning is the same: attraction between women. The LGBT National Help Center glossary and the PFLAG National glossary both describe it this way, and the UC Davis LGBTQIA Resource Center glossary gives the same “women who like women” phrasing.
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What the term includes
Because WLW describes attraction rather than identity, it is an umbrella. According to PFLAG’s glossary, it can include lesbians, bisexual women, pansexual women, and other women who are attracted to women. The University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee LGBTQ+ Resource Center lists WLW among terms that follow a “gender-loving-gender” pattern, as shown in its glossary of terms.
What it does not do is tell you who a particular woman is. Saying someone is WLW does not mean she identifies as lesbian, and it does not say anything about her relationship history, sexual behavior, or gender history.
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WLW compared with related terms
Several terms sit close to WLW, and they answer different questions. The table below compares them by what each one describes, whether it names a specific identity, and whether it is a label people choose for themselves.
| Term | What it describes | Names a specific identity? | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| WLW (“women loving women”) | Attraction or love between women | No; it is an umbrella | Community and general usage |
| WSW (“women who have sex with women”) | Sexual behavior | No; it may include people who do not identify as LGBTQ+ | Public-health contexts, according to the LGBT National Help Center glossary |
| Lesbian | A woman who is emotionally, romantically, or sexually attracted to other women, as HRC defines it in its glossary of terms | Yes | Chosen identity label |
| Sapphic | Women’s attraction to women, used broadly | No | Used by UC Davis as a more inclusive alternative in some contexts |
WLW and WSW are not the same
WSW is the one most often confused with WLW. It describes what people do, not how they feel or who they are. Public-health researchers and services use it because it captures sexual behavior regardless of identity. WLW is about attraction and love, so the two terms can point to very different groups of people.
Rank #2
WLW and lesbian
Lesbian is a more specific identity label. A woman who calls herself lesbian is WLW in the broad sense, but a bisexual or pansexual woman who is attracted to women may also fit WLW without using the word lesbian. The label each person chooses matters more than the category a glossary assigns.
Sapphic
Sapphic is also used for women attracted to women, and the UC Davis glossary notes it is often offered as a more inclusive option. Its usage varies from person to person, so it is safest to treat it as a term some people choose rather than a synonym to apply to others.
Rank #3
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How to use the term respectfully
GLAAD’s guidance on terminology is to ask people which words they use for themselves before assigning a label, as set out in its reference on terms. When you are writing about a specific person, use the term she uses. When you are describing a group in general, WLW is a reasonable umbrella, provided you do not present it as a rule that every individual must accept.
Where you will see WLW
You will meet the term in community discussions, online profiles, LGBTQ+ resource pages, and in some documentary and film descriptions about women’s relationships. Because it is a general term rather than a formal classification, its meaning can shift slightly from one community to the next. Reading the surrounding text usually makes clear whether the speaker means women attracted to women in general, or a narrower identity.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Common questions people ask
- Does WLW mean lesbian? Not exclusively. Lesbian is one identity that fits within WLW, but so can bisexual and pansexual women.
- Can bisexual women use WLW? Yes, as an umbrella. Whether a particular bisexual woman chooses that term for herself is her decision.
- Is WLW the same as WSW? No. WLW describes attraction and love; WSW describes sexual behavior.
In short, WLW means “women loving women,” a broad, attraction-based umbrella that does not dictate identity. Use it as a general description, and when you need to refer to a particular person, follow the words she uses for herself.
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