Tribadism
A lesbian sexual practice involving vulva-to-vulva contact.
Tribadism (pronounced TRIB-ə-diz-əm), also called tribbing and commonly known as scissoring, is a sexual practice between women. It involves rubbing the vulva against a partner’s vulva, thigh, stomach, buttocks, arm, or other body parts (but not the mouth), primarily to stimulate the clitoris. Many positions are used, including the missionary position. Historically, the word referred to beliefs about women acting as penetrative partners; women accused of penetration during sex faced ridicule or punishment. Today, it usually describes various forms of non-penetrative sex between women. It is analogous to frot, which is penis-to-penis contact.
The word comes from the Greek *tribas*, from the verb *tribō* (“rub”). In ancient Greek and Roman contexts, a tribas (or tribade) was a woman or intersex person who actively penetrated someone else—male or female—using the clitoris or a dildo. Only in Late Antiquity did the term come to refer exclusively to sex between women. Because penetration was seen as male-defined, the tribas was considered the most vulgar type of lesbian. Ancient cultures recognized same-sex attraction but believed any sexual act required a “phallic” partner, so sex between women was thought impossible without an enlarged clitoris or a substitute phallus. This idea appears in Greek and Latin satires from the late first century onward.
In English, “tribade” appears as early as 1601 in Ben Jonson’s *Praeludium* and remained common through the mid-nineteenth century. It was the most frequent term for lesbians in European texts, appearing in classical literature, anatomy books, midwifery guides, sex manuals, and pornography. It also came to mean lesbian sexual practices in general. By the mid-eighteenth century, anatomical studies cast doubt on stories of enlarged clitorises, and doctors argued for a clearer distinction between clitoral hypertrophy and hermaphroditism. Author Bonnie Zimmerman noted that many European writers avoided the term, using euphemisms like “unnatural vice,” “lewd behavior,” “crimes against nature,” “using an instrument,” and “taking the part of a man.” In the eighteenth century, the term was popular in pornographic libels against Marie Antoinette, who was tried and convicted in the press as a tribade. Dena Goodman explained that her rumored tribadism had political implications; one fictional testimony has her confessing to i
- etymology
- From Greek τριβάς (tribas), from τρίβω (tribō), 'rub'
- earliest English use
- 1601, in Ben Jonson's Praeludium
- synonyms
- Fricatrice, confricatrice, rubster
- related term
- Analogous to frot (penis-to-penis contact)
- historical usage
- Most common lesbian term in European texts through mid-nineteenth century
- modern replacement
- Supplanted by sapphist, lesbian, invert, homosexual
Lore & Background
Tribadism is a common practice among women who have sex with women. It includes positions such as scissoring, missionary, woman on top, and doggy style. Some women find scissoring physically uncomfortable or attribute it to male fantasies in heterosexual porn, while others enjoy it for maximum vulva-to-vulva contact and intimacy. Studies from 1973 and 1977 reported approximately one-third of lesbian women used tribadism to achieve orgasm; a 2003 UK study found 85% of lesbian and bisexual women engaged in tribadism.
Reader's Guide
Tribadism's significance lies in its long history as a term and practice, reflecting shifting societal attitudes toward female same-sex sexuality. Originally denoting a penetrative, 'male-defined' role, it evolved to describe non-penetrative vulva-to-vulva contact. The term was central to European discourse on lesbianism from the 17th to 19th centuries, appearing in literature, medical texts, and political libels. Its modern usage, however, is often obscured by silence in sex research and by the popular but contested 'scissoring' stereotype. The practice remains common among women who have sex with women, yet is frequently omitted from mainstream studies. Understanding tribadism reveals how language and sexual categories have been shaped by cultural anxieties about gender roles, penetration, and female pleasure. Its legacy is a reminder that many sexual activities practiced widely are poorly documented or misrepresented, and that historical terms can carry heavy moral and political baggage.
Did You Know?
- The term tribadism derives from the Greek verb τρίβω (tribō), meaning 'rub'.
- In ancient Greek and Roman culture, a tribas was considered the most vulgar type of lesbian because penetration was viewed as male-defined.
- Marie Antoinette was the subject of pornographic libels accusing her of tribadism, with one libel describing her as providing details of her husband's 'incapacity in the venereal act'.
- A 2003 UK study of 803 lesbian and bisexual women found that 85% engaged in tribadism.
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