Celesbian - What is it? What does it mean?

Terminology

According to Urban Dictionary, the term celesbian is a contraction of the words celebrity and lesbian. It implies that a person is or was at one point famous. Celesbians can come from all industries not exclusive to show business. Gay female influencers as well as those who are famous because of their corporate world may also be labeled celesbian.

On occasion, some ladies use attraction to other females as a publicity stunt. There have been instances of celebrities claiming to have gay relationships or being lesbian temporarily for the sake of their 15 minutes of fame.

These entertainers may have been labeled celesbian at one point, but there is another term faumosexual that was coined in mass media to describe a female celebrity who claims to be a gay woman solely for publicity purposes. 

History

Celesbian as a word first appeared as a western media phenomenon in 2008. It became a popular word with young people struggling to describe celebrities that identified as lesbians. The term was allegedly first used by New Yorkers Pam Franco and Susan Levine in a full-page ad in a lesbian nightlife magazine GO MAGAZINE promoting Fit NY contest. The ad featured a lesbian nightlife promotion with the word celesbian describing celebrity lesbian judges in the contest. 

Celesbians have always been here, but not many were open about their sexuality until the late nineties. In 1997, Ellen DeGeneres publicly came out facing a backlash from her audience which ultimately led to the cancelation of her popular TV sitcom Ellen. When Ellen came out on the Oprah Winfrey Show she did it “because it’s okay. Because it is okay!”

Society today is much different than that of the previous century. Some celesbians are changing how the entertainment industry views gay women. Think about the serious issues TV series like the "L word " or "Orange Is the New Black" raised about presenting homosexuality on screen. Several female celebrities like YouTuber Gigi Gorgeous, Actors Ruby Rose and Cara Delevigne, Television writer Lena Waithe are redefining what it means to be a celesbian in showbusiness.

Flag and Symbols

There is no particular flag that is for celesbian folks. Most celebrity gay women use a lesbian flag that features different shades of pink and orange. That said, there is really no official flag to this date, as there are more than sixty different variations out there. The most common is a flag that features pink, orange, and white strips. 

Lesbian flag

A double venus sign is typically used to convey lesbian love. Some celesbians may use it on social media as an emoji to showcase their relationship status.

Double venus symbol

Pronouns

Celesbians typically use gendered pronouns she/her but may also use they/them, as well as gender-neutral versions if they see fit.

So, it is always best to share your pronouns first and ask what pronouns a person prefers using.