The lesbian community: an anthropological approach.

Visible lesbian communities, a recent social development in the United States, have received relatively little research attention. This article defines the "lesbian community," as distinct from both the lesbian population and the lesbian subculture. The important features of the lesbian community are the social networks of lesbians, their group identity, shared subcultural values, and the institutional base, the organizations and places where community members can interact. One lesbian community is described and directions for future research suggested.