Early 1900's List Of Ways To Spot A Lesbian - 6/22/12

15 Turn-of-the-Century "Ways to Tell" if a Girl Would Become Gay or if a Woman Was a Lesbian -- According to the Medical Journals of the Day

(via Lesbian Lists: a look at lesbian culture, history, and personalities by Dell Richards, 1990)

1. Smokes cigarettes in public. (1890)

CONFIRMED LESBIAN JULIE GOLDMAN SMOKING CIGARETTES AT POOLSIDE

2. Has a capacity for athletics and an incapacity for needlework and other domestic occupations. (1890)

NATASHA KAI, CONFIRMED LESBIAN WITH ATHLETIC CAPACITIES, SCREAMS "I HATE NEEDLEPOINT" ON A SOCCER FIELD

3. "Tomboy Habits" (1895)

AUTOSTRADDLE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF RIESE'S GIRLFRIEND (A CONFIRMED HOMOSEXUAL) PARTICIPATING IN CARPENTRY, A CERTIFIED TOMBOY HABIT

4. Dresses in Boys' Clothing (1895)

KIM STOLZ, CONFIRMED LESBIAN, WEARING BOYS' CLOTHING ON A REALITY TELEVISION PROGRAM. AFTER THE PROGRAM, SHE CONTINUED TO WEAR BOYS' CLOTHING IN OTHER CONTEXTS WHILE ROMANCING WOMEN OF THE SAME SEX.

5. Abandons Dolls and Girlfriends for Marbles and Masculine Games (1895)

ALTHOUGH THESE WOMEN MAY NOT BE HAVE BEEN LESBIANS BEFORE THIS PHOTOGRAPH WAS CAPTURED, THIS RIVETING GAME OF MARBLES WILL SURELY TRANSFORM THEM INTO LESBIANS

6. Prefers the Laboratory to the Nursery (1900)

FICTIONAL CONFIRMED LESBIAN LEXY IS A DOCTOR ON THE TELEVISION PROGRAM "LIP SERVICE," WHICH REQUIRES THE LABORATORY. FURTHERMORE, SHE DOES NOT HAVE CHILDREN OR A NURSERY.