Now many important feminist leaders are out ( out means that they make it known that they are lesbians ) lesbians . Lesbians portrayed in literature , film , and television often shape contemporary thought about women 's sexuality . The majority of media about lesbians is produced by men ; women 's publishing companies did not develop until the 1970s , films about lesbians made by women did not appear until the 1980s , and television shows portraying lesbians written by women have been created within the past ten years .