WSW

WSW stands for women who have sex with women, a behavior-based term used mainly in sexual health research and HIV/STI prevention. Like its counterpart MSM, it describes what people do rather than how they identify, so it captures women who may call themselves lesbian, bisexual, queer, or heterosexual. Clinicians and researchers use it because sexual behavior, not identity, drives screening and risk recommendations. The term has real limits. Public health scholars note that grouping people only by behavior can erase lesbian and bisexual identity and flatten a diverse population. Health agencies also point out that WSW often face poorer outcomes tied to stigma, discrimination, and gaps in care.