Polisexual/Poliromantic Lesbians

Polisexual/Poliromantic (aka Polysexual/Polyromantic) Lesbians are a type of Mspec Lesbian who claim to be both poli and lesbian at the same time. There are many different arguments that they use to justify this idea, such as abusing the SAM (Split Attraction Model), attempting to rewrite history, and invalidating the existence of static labels and definitions.

Many argue that they are Poliromantic Lesexual, or Lesromantic Polisexual; this is invalid, due to the fact that lesbianism is an identity that cannot be placed on the SAM. What they mean to call themselves is Poliromantic Homosexual, or Homoromantic Polisexual. These identities are real and valid, but can not be classified under lesbianism. These identities are still poli. Polisexuality is attraction to various, but not all genders; often but not always including attraction to men. Being attracted to various genders, even if using the SAM, is by definition, part of Polisexuality. Lesbianism is defined as women and some nonbinary genders who are exclusively attracted to other women and some nonbinary genders. This is why Homoromantic Asexuals and Aromantic Homosexuals can identify as lesbians still; the attraction that they do experience is limited to similar genders only. The SAM functions differently for alloallo people than for alloace or aroallo people.

Others will argue that lesbian is an umbrella term, and refuse to update their information and definition of the label due to it historically being used as such in the 1970s. While it is true that lesbian used to be considered an umbrella term, that is simply outdated information that does not hold up today. Due to bisexual movements fighting for independence and recognition, many bisexual women voiced discomfort in labeling themselves as lesbians, as they felt it erased their bisexuality. The Bisexual Manifesto (1990) was a large turning point in bisexual and lesbian history, as it voiced a desire for independence and recognition that represented the past decade of activism, and sparked societal acceptance and recognition of the bisexual identity as a whole, fluid, and independent orientation. Bisexual women are not half lesbian, half straight; they are fully and entirely bisexual. That is why the lesbian label has changed. Lesbian is no longer an umbrella term for all women-loving-women (aka wlw or sapphic), but rather, an orientation for women who are exclusively attracted to women (inclusive of nonbinary genders as well, as all sexualities are). There were radical feminists who pushed a term called Political Lesbianism which excluded any women who chose to date men, which definitely contributed to this separation, but it would be foolish to act as though that was the sole reason why bisexual and lesbian evolved into independent labels. Political Lesbianism as a concept actually supports the idea of bisexual lesbians, as it argues that any women can be a lesbian regardless of sexual orientation, if they just choose to date women instead of men. This supports bisexual, polisexual, and heterosexual women identifying as lesbians so long as they swear off men, as well as the lesbophobic concept that lesbianism is a choice, and not an orientation that one is born into. While polisexuality wasn't a well known or commonly used identity during that period of time, many Mspec Lesbians will argue that it plays a role similarly to bisexuality in this discussion, despite never being acknowledged as a lesbian identity in history.

Another common argument is that lesbianism can be a fluid identity where one alternates between experiencing polisexual attraction and lesbian attraction; so they identify as both at the same time. This is invalid due to lesbian being a static label. While sexuality can be fluid, especially in the case of polisexuality, which is a vague sexuality with plenty of wriggle room, lesbian is not a fluid sexuality. If somebody experiences fluidity between polisexual and homosexual attraction, then they are still under the polisexual label, as while not always, they still do experience attraction to various genders. If they wish to clarify that their sexuality is fluid, they may wish to identify as an abrosexual polisexual, or an abrosexual sapphic. These labels clarify their fluid attraction between genders, without stepping into lesbophobic territory and overstepping various boundaries.

Some believe that lesbians who are "monosexual" cannot be attracted to nonbinary people, so therefore any lesbian who also experiences attraction to nonbinary genders must identify as a bi, poli, or otherwise mspec lesbian. This is both lesbophobic and enbyphobic. Nonbinary people have always been included in lesbianism, and they always will be. Matter of fact, lesbians can be nonbinary. One does not have to label themselves polisexual if they experience attraction to both women and nonbinary genders, although they may choose to if they wish; they do not have to. Combining the terms polisexual and lesbian to describe this experience is harmful to lesbians and nonbinary people alike. If one wishes to label this experience as polisexual, but also to clarify their lack of attraction to men, they may choose to use the label polisexual sapphic instead; this puts emphasis on their attraction to women, without suggesting that lesbians are always polisexual if their attraction includes nonbinary people.