Abstract
Over the last 20 years concepts about lesbian sexuality have relied heavily on gender socialization theory, which overgeneralizes and essentializes lesbian women's experiences. The latest concept, lesbian bed death, is additionally problematic because of its lack of definitional clarity and empirical validity. This article provides a critical review of the sex therapy and research literature that has contributed to the formation of the lesbian bed death concept. It discusses the limits of gender socialization theory in explaining lesbian sexuality and suggests a postmodern view of sex and gender as an alternative. A multicontextual model for conducting sex therapy is presented along with 2 case examples that illustrate the complexities of sexual issues in lesbian couples.
