coined by Adrienne Rich in Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence
theory claiming that all women have a lesbian potential women’s bonding is the only tool to dismantle patriarchy fluid model of female sexuality
does not confine itself to just sex, but to other bonds between women need to reduce dependence on men
overall “range—through each woman’s life and throughout history—of woman-identified experiences, not simply the fact that a woman has had or consciously desired genital sexual experience with another woman”
women may not have a preference toward heterosexuality, but may find it imposed, managed, organized, propagandized, and maintained by society