WLW

What Does WLW Mean in a Text?

image for WLW depicting two women holding hands with a heart symbol above their heads

WLW stands for "women loving women." It is a term used to describe romantic or sexual attraction between women, including lesbians, bisexual women, pansexual women, and other females who experience attraction to women.

Usage and Context

WLW is commonly used within the LGBTQ+ community as an inclusive term to represent women who are attracted to other women. It helps create a sense of identity and community among women who share similar experiences and attractions. It can be encountered both online and offline. For example:

Social Media: The term is frequently used on social media platforms like Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, and TikTok. People use hashtags like #WLW to connect with others, share experiences, and promote visibility.
Online Forums and Communities: Various online forums and communities dedicated to LGBTQ+ topics often use WLW to discuss issues, provide support, and share stories related to women loving women.
Literature and Media: WLW is also used in literature, articles, and media discussions focusing on LGBTQ+ topics to describe characters, relationships, and themes involving women who love women.
Dating Apps and Websites: Some dating apps and websites, particularly those catering to the LGBTQ+ community, use WLW to help users identify their interests and find compatible matches. (Check out our comprehensive glossary of dating terms.)

Image for WLW

When I write WLW, I mean this:

WLW describes a romantic or sexual attraction between women.

Summary of Key Points

"Women Loving Women" is the most common definition for WLW in texting. Here are more details on the word type and users:

WLW
Definition:	Women Loving Women
Type:	Abbreviation
Guessability:	3: Guessable
Typical Users:	Adults

An Academic Look at WLW

image for academic look, showing a teacher with a mortar board

WLW is an initialism abbreviation, or initialism. This is a type of abbreviation formed from the initial letters of a series of words or a phrase. Each letter in the initialism is pronounced separately. For example, "FBI" (Federal Bureau of Investigation) and "BBC" (British Broadcasting Corporation) are initialisms.

On the other hand, an acronym is also formed from the initial letters of a series of words, but the letters are pronounced as a single word. For example, "NATO" (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) and "NASA" (National Aeronautics and Space Administration).