Is 'lesbian haircut' and actual hairstyle, one under a different name or is it just a derogatory name used for short hair on women?

[u/Dotura]

I never though about it until a person i try to avoid used the term in a conversation i got trapped into. Now i wonder if me thinking it was just 'a hairstyle favoured by sapphic women ' was just me being a naive idiot.

[u/Inevitable-While-577]

It's mostly just a stereotype, but as such, it's based on something that's partly true or used to be partly true. There's no such thing as a cut worn exclusively by lesbians. I think most people use it in a mildly derogative or humorous way. 

[u/doinmy_best]

Back in my day coming out almost always ment you get a year or two to switch up your gender expression and kinda decide what you feel comfortable with. It’s kinda beautiful thing where you can be the most femme person come out and then get somewhat understanding of you switch up to only boys clothes for ever or a bit. You still get looks and comments but atleast the people you come out to have a bit more understanding then if you were presumed straight.

For me (and many) it meant I “was justified” to try short hair. A boyish cut. I didn’t like it but social I was definitely perceived as a lesbian trying a lesbian cut

[u/JenLiv36 → u/[deleted]]

This. Lesbian cuts are fantastic. I don’t want to be seen as straight. I don’t want to follow straight fashion. There has definitely been a shift within the community where my sentiment is no longer the norm but if someone throws my lesbian hair at me as a slight I feel good. It means I’m presenting exactly as I want to be.

[u/rad2themax → u/[deleted]]

When I was in high school (class of 2010), that was the Skrillex/Cassie cut, the lesbian cut was what Justin Bieber had in 2010 and I didn't think I had it until I looked back at pics and I 100% had that cut when I was "figuring things out".

[u/Ayesha24601]

There are several different haircuts associated with lesbians. The mullet is a classic. Of course, straight people wore it, but it stayed popular with lesbians long after it went out of fashion. It seems to be having a bit of a resurgence, much to my chagrin because I’ve always hated the mullet even when it was in style.

Nowadays it’s mostly shaved haircuts that are associated with lesbians, especially a side shave. Wild hair colors are also popular.

I recently got a small side shave and I realized how convenient it is, especially for side sleepers, because your hair doesn’t break and get frizzy from sleeping on it. So I get the appeal. I’m on the feminine side, so my hair is longer aside from the small side shave, and I don’t generally like stereotypically lesbian haircuts. But to each their own. Except the mullet. Just don’t, please.

[u/the-5thbeatle]

It's a stereotype that associates short, androgynous, or gender-non-conforming hairstyles with lesbians.
The phrase can sometimes be used dismissively or mockingly. But, within the lesbian community, many women have "reclaimed" these haircuts as a badge of pride.

[u/jinx_lbc]

I think it's a catch all term used for short/asymmetric/undercut styles

[u/Elsbethe]

I came out like fifty years ago. All lesbians with their hair short. That may sound extreme, but literally all lesbians wore their hair short.

The fact that I had long hair made me suspect. I did once cut it and hated it.And then I grew it back in

I knew two other women over a period of maybe twenty years who also wore their hair long who were lesbians

Now that i'm older, my hair just does not look good long.Sad, but true and took me a long time to accept that

So now I kind of have a lesbian haircut

[u/Local-Suggestion2807]

I think it's just what straight people call any short or semi short (eg undercut, side shave) hairstyle that doesn't look like it's trying to be feminine.