While the phrase “lesbian hookups” may bring dykons such as Shane McCutcheon to mind, things are different in 2023.
Despite what reality TV will have you believe, your next lesbian hookup doesn’t have to be Love at First Lie or an Ultimatum.
Whether you’re looking for love eternal, the friendship of a lifetime, or a casual encounter, intention and authenticity are the order of the day.
So get comfortable and learn how and when lesbians hook up, what the scene looks like since the COVID-19 pandemic, and how to hook up responsibly and safely for all the queer fun you can handle.
Do lesbians still hook up?
According to an LGBTQ in America survey conducted by Match in 2016, a quarter of gay and lesbian singles never aspired to the marriage and baby carriage dream.
While 2023 stats have yet to come in, it’s safe to say that a good portion of our lesbian community still prefers connecting and dating without marriage or long-term commitment as the goal.
However, factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic and current global economic woes have changed how, when, and why these casual connections take place.
The latest Singles in America survey describes how singles are now more than ever invested in conscious dating.
Important as age, distance, and other physical attributes are to gauge compatibility, dating and hooking up are now tools for FLINTA singles to explore their own identities.
This mindful and intentional approach to dating is something many now require before swiping right to match successfully with the cutie of their choice.
Knowing who you are, what you need, and how you navigate interactions with other people are non-negotiables for a potential match, even if you’re simply trying to move from the “nice-to-meet-you” stage to sexting.
What does this mean for your search for the ideal stud, chapstick lesbian, or non-binary dyke with whom to hook up?
Let’s find out!
The lesbian hookup scene in 2023
Whether it’s a long-term commitment or a single-night affair, dating creates a relationship.
And the fact is, a relationship has two i’s (yes, I really went there! #SorryNotSorry).
Both you and the object of your affection (or lust) should be self-aware to set the boundaries that will help you navigate your encounter in a fun, healthy manner.
Queer hookups in 2023 do more than scratch an itch–they’re a tool for self-discovery for more than a third of FLINTA singles.
Exploring your identity, gender, and sexuality is more than just physical, it’s a mind-body practice meant to empower you as you set the stage for healthier relationships with other fabulously queer connections.
So, where do you find these empowering lesbian hookups?
Well, whether you knew you were a lesbian at age 12, 30, or in your twilight years, these days, online dating apps are likely to be part of your (a)romantic journey of self-discovery.
Particularly since the worldwide lockdowns that followed the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the Pew Center, you’re in good company as 21% of lesbians surveyed met their partner on an online dating app.
Choosing an online dating app for lesbians
Choosing an online dating app for a successful lesbian hookup may be challenging.
With over 5000 dating apps at last count–2500 of them in the US alone– you have your work cut out for you.
But where there’s a will, there’s a way.
So, let’s figure out how to choose the online dating app that’ll lead you to the hookup or hookups of your queer dreams.
The most important factors to consider include the following:
Safety
Inclusivity
Accessibility
Usability
What safety features does the app offer?
The best online dating app provides you with safety features such as:
Account verification to prove a user is who they say they are.
Incognito mode so you can browse profiles privately.
Community guidelines that support a zero-tolerance policy to abuse and harassment.
How inclusive and representative is the app’s user base?
Online dating apps that promote clear policies to prevent harm to their users and respond swiftly to community guideline violations are the safest for you whether you’re looking for love or lust.
Dating apps with a proven zero-tolerance for bigotry and abuse typically attract an inclusive and representative user base.
You should feel right at home in your new digital community, especially as you bravely put yourself out there in such a vulnerable way.
Does the app meet digital accessibility guidelines?
An accessible online dating app takes its disabled users into account.
If you’re disabled and you find it difficult to navigate an app, that platform may not be the right place for you to engage in a self-exploratory quest.
Accommodations are not nice-to-have or optional–they are non-negotiables that ensure everyone has a great online experience.
In our hyper-connected digital world, nobody should be left behind.
Is the app user-friendly?
The best online dating app is user-friendly, and that means it’s all about YOU, its users.
You are the center of this digital universe, and using and navigating the app should feel that way.
Creating an account and setting up your profile is quick and simple.
In line with inclusivity, you are able to identify yourself exactly as you wish without making do with not-quite-right labels.
Accessing support is also quick and simple.
And if you want to delete your account, you should be able to do so in as few steps as possible.
An online dating app is a service, and you are the customer making use of this service at your convenience.
When you’ve chosen the online dating app with which you’re safe and comfortable, it’s time to figure out how you’re going to approach the search for a magical lesbian hookup.
Authentic, responsible, and fun lesbian hookups
For an authentic, responsible, and fun lesbian hookup, you’ll need to keep three things in mind:
Communication
Safety
Consent
Communication is everything
Just like meeting someone in a bar or at your favorite bookstore, online dating requires communication.
Sure, you could conduct an entire conversation with memes, emojis, and GIFs.
However, clarity and honesty are key when you decide to engage in consensual hookups as a lesbian.
Be direct with your potential hookup to avoid misunderstandings, bruised egos, and hurt feelings.
While your very first message doesn’t have to be all peaches and eggplants, you can use your profile bio to make it clear that you’re looking for some casual fun and nothing more.
Once you’ve swiped right and matched with that hot butch lesbian three miles away, it’s a good idea to clarify expectations during your early text exchanges before you meet in person.
Psychological and physical safety
For a satisfying body-mind hookup experience, you’ll need both psychological and physical safety.
Even a casual encounter requires you and your lustful match to feel at ease and able to be vulnerable with each other.
It’s important that you set your boundaries and share them with each other, again for clarity’s sake.
Ask each other what your comfort levels are, what you expect from the encounter, and what after-care you both need to walk away whole, happy, and empowered.
And if either or both of you cannot agree on certain things, you can part ways before crossing a line and causing trauma.
Casual doesn’t always mean harmless.
Consent is queen
Assumptions can bring about some serious problems when all you want is some sexy time with a gorgeous lesbian or two or three.
To avoid making an ass of yourself when you’d rather, you know, it’s important you ask the lovely you’ve been fantasizing about whether they’re into it, too.
And you don’t even have to guess.
You can get the answer straight from the horse’s mouth by asking in no uncertain terms whether this beautiful unicorn is up for a few hours or days of fun between the sheets.
We’re mixing metaphors, but you get our meaning, right?
Approaching a stranger for a hookup may go flawlessly in the movies, but in everyday life, clear and unequivocal consent is necessary.
And it’s absolutely valid for either of you to change your mind even when all garments have been discarded.
Consent isn’t forever, and communication doesn’t end once you lock lips.
When you check in with each other, you create a psychologically safe space to explore yourselves and each other.
So, be your authentic self even if there’s no long-term goal other than a physical encounter.
Remember, authenticity doesn’t equate to commitment; however, it can pave the way for a meaningful pleasurable romp.
Join HER and find your next lesbian hookup and more!
Here at HER, we’re about hookups, happiness, and making herstory as the best lesbian online dating app in 2023 and beyond.
Why?
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: because the future of lesbians is trans, non-binary, and inclusive.
We stand for queer inclusivity, and we hold a zero-tolerance policy when these bigots rear their heads in our community.
From day one, we’ve worked to establish a secure, inclusive, and intersectional community where queer women, nonbinary and trans folks can flourish.
HER is a dating app made for queer people by queer people.
So don’t wait for Dating Sunday!
Join HER to explore your identity and gender, make friends, or find the lesbian hookup that might lead to your forever after.
[Download HER app now]
The three pillars of sustainability
Alt title: The challenges of the three pillars of sustainability
Meta title: How the three pillars of sustainability ensure our survival
Meta description/Quick excerpt:: Understand the three pillars of sustainability, how they interact, and the challenges they present in our pursuit of sustainable development
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What are the three pillars of sustainability?
The three pillars of sustainability are environmental, social, and economic in nature.
There is no agreement as to who first defined these pillars, mainly because all three dimensions of sustainability are interpreted differently by different stakeholders in different parts of the world.
Even today, our common understanding of the three Ps of sustainability continues to evolve as we gather data and develop new technologies and policies as we pursue sustainable development.
However, early versions of sustainable development’s environmental, social, and economic components are first discussed in Edward Barbier’s The policy challenges for green economy and sustainable economic development, published in 2011.
In current policy and economic literature, these three pillars are depicted in several ways, such as:
Three interlocking circles or a Venn diagram with sustainability at its center.
Three pillars that support a roof which represents sustainability.
Three circles, the largest one symbolizing the environmental pillar of sustainability and containing the social aspect, which in turn, holds the economic factors that impact sustainable development.
Let’s explore the three pillars of sustainability and how they work together to create a sustainable future for humanity and our planet.
The environmental pillar of sustainability
The environmental pillar of sustainability refers to the factors that impact our natural environment as human society pursues economic growth and social development.
The environmental component is perhaps the most well-known and best-developed of the three pillars of sustainability.
An example of environmental sustainability practice is sustainable forestry, which ensures that forests continue to provide vital ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, water filtration, and biodiversity conservation.
Other examples of environmental sustainability practices that we can adopt to promote sustainable development include:
Using renewable energy sources
Reducing energy consumption through energy-efficient appliances and buildings
Conserving water
Recycling waste
Using sustainable human-powered and public transportation
Adopting these practices reduces our environmental impact and carbon footprint while promoting economic benefits, such as cost savings and increased productivity.
The social pillar of sustainability
The social pillar of sustainability focuses on the human, societal, and cultural aspects, which we must consider when developing an economic growth strategy that prioritizes the protection of our natural resources.
We must also prioritize social factors such as access to education, healthcare, and social services to ensure every person has the opportunity to reach their full potential and can partake meaningfully in the economic development of our society.
When we invest in education and training programs, we can help reduce inequality and promote economic growth.
And providing affordable healthcare can help reduce poverty and improve overall health outcomes for every community.
Additional examples of social sustainability practices include the following:
Promoting diversity and inclusion
Supporting local businesses and communities
Providing affordable housing
Investing in social infrastructure such as parks, community centers, and public spaces
These social sustainability practices can help create more vibrant and connected communities, promote social cohesion, and improve the quality of life for all living beings on the planet.
The economic pillar of sustainability
The economic pillar of sustainability comprises corporations’ profit and investment goals as well as supply chain factors that may negatively impact both the social and the environmental spheres of sustainable development.
However, profit must be pursued in a way that is compatible with environmental and social sustainability.
Examples of economic sustainability practices include the following:
Promoting green jobs
Developing circular economic systems
Using renewable energy sources
Promoting resource efficiency
Reducing waste
Investing in sustainable transportation and infrastructure
These practices create a more sustainable and resilient economy that is better equipped to meet the needs of individuals and communities.
Why are the three pillars of sustainability important?
The three pillars of sustainability are important because, for humanity to progress without irreversibly damaging our planet, our development must equitably incorporate environmental, social, and economic concerns.
We can achieve environmental sustainability by reducing pollution, mitigating the effects of climate change, and conserving biodiversity.
Our society can become sustainable by ensuring access to fundamental human rights, improving health and education, and fostering social cohesion.
The third pillar of sustainability–economic sustainability–involves creating a resilient and sustainable economy that can meet every person’s needs without jeopardizing the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
However, there can be no economic development without people and natural resources.
Human social development and the well-being of every person on the planet depend on the efficient long-term management of natural resources and equitable access to services and products offered by businesses.
It’s essential that individuals and corporations work together to ensure the survival and conservation of all species–plant, animal, and mineral.
Only then can we hope to maintain long-term access to the resources needed to manufacture the products and services that support our development in a sustainable manner.
How do the three pillars of sustainability affect each other?
The three pillars of sustainability affect each other in such a way that not one pillar can exist without the other two.
Let’s take the example of artificial intelligence (AI).
Large language models (LLMs) like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Bard require an enormous amount of energy because they make use of large server farms.
While electricity is the first obvious requirement, these server farms and data centers also need large cooling systems which rely on freshwater resources.
Where this water comes from matters because the data centers supporting ChatGPT and Bard, for example, are located in regions of the United States that have experienced unprecedented drought in the last decade.
Strained water resources overused by big businesses also put pressure on local human populations, restricting their development and possibly impacting their health.
AI is just one example of how the three pillars of sustainability may be at odds and requires carefully balancing every stakeholder’s needs.
Challenges to Achieving Sustainable Development
Achieving sustainable development is a complex and challenging task that requires balancing the needs and interests of the environment, society, and economy.
Some of the challenges to achieving sustainable development include:
The lack of political will
Insufficient resources and funding
Competing priorities and interests
One of the biggest challenges to achieving sustainable development is making trade-offs between the three pillars of sustainability.
How so?
Promoting economic growth may require using natural resources that contribute to environmental degradation.
Protecting the environment may require limiting economic growth and reducing jobs.
Similarly, investing in social programs may require diverting resources from economic or environmental priorities.
Making these trade-offs requires careful consideration and planning to ensure that sustainable development goals are not compromised.
There must be collaboration and cooperation among stakeholders, including government, civil society, and the private sector.
Achieving sustainable development also requires understanding the interconnectedness of the three pillars of sustainability and how decisions made in one area can impact other areas.
Another challenge to achieving sustainable development is the lack of public awareness and understanding of the importance of sustainability.
Education and awareness-raising efforts are essential to ensure that individuals and communities understand the impacts of their actions and can make informed decisions that support our sustainable development goals as defined by the United Nations.
The three pillars of sustainability and ESG
Businesses and corporations consider the three pillars of sustainability when they identify their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) priorities.
ESG is a framework developed to
Evaluate an organization’s business practices and performance according to the three pillars of sustainability
Measure business risks and opportunities in these critical areas
For a business to thrive, it must be sustainable over a long period.
However, profit alone is no longer enough or acceptable to consumers and governments of the regions in which corporations operate.
Businesses and organizations that incorporate and prioritize ESG policies and guidelines are more likely to be supported by consumers as well as national and local governments.
ESG-ready businesses understand that they must consider environmental, social, and economic factors in their overall operations to ensure:
They have a minimal impact on our natural resources with regard to their supply chains.
They care for the well-being of their employees and the communities in which they operate.
Their profits are not at the expense of the people and natural resources supporting their existence.
Final words
The three pillars of sustainability–environmental, social, and economic–are crucial for achieving sustainable development.
The environmental pillar of sustainability is critical for preserving natural resources and ecosystems for future generations.
The social pillar of sustainability is crucial for promoting social well-being and ensuring everyone has access to basic human needs such as education, health care, and clean water.
The economic pillar of sustainability is vital for promoting economic growth and stability while ensuring that it is compatible with environmental protection and social well-being.
Each pillar is connected to and dependent on the other two.
Understanding the three pillars of sustainability, their importance, and their interaction is essential for the well-being of our species and our planet.
This responsibility falls on corporations big and small, governments at all levels, and each of us as individuals.
Each person has the power to influence their communities, local governments, and the corporations that operate in these communities.
By choosing what we consume, which service providers we support, and which governments align with our values, we can do our part in ensuring the sustainable development of human society as a whole.
We must find ways to balance the needs and interests of all three pillars to achieve sustainable development.
To achieve sustainable development, we as individuals, organizations, and governments must prioritize sustainable practices and policies to create a better world for ourselves and future generations.
We must take actions that promote sustainable development, such as reducing waste and emissions, investing in renewable energy, promoting social equity and justice, and supporting local communities and economies.
By working together towards sustainable development, we can ensure a healthier planet, a more equitable society, and a prosperous economy for all today and in the future.
Let’s each do our part to ensure that the three pillars of sustainability permeate every aspect of our lives and direct the decisions made by the businesses we support and the governments we vote into power.
There is only one planet Earth, for you, us, and the generations to come.
FAQs
What is the most important pillar of sustainability?
The most important pillar of sustainability is arguably the environmental one.
There can be no humanity and corporate sustainability if there are no resources to support and maintain our society.
While all three pillars of sustainability are important, the social and economic aspects rely wholly on the health of our natural environment.
Who created the three pillars of sustainability?
There’s no consensus as to who created the three pillars of sustainability.
That said, discussions of sustainable use of natural resources arose in the 17th and 18th centuries when writers such Hans Carl von Carlowitz first warned of the need for the sustainable use of timber in German forestry practices to ensure availability for future generations.
Why is a fourth pillar sometimes mentioned?
Culture as the fourth pillar of sustainable development has been put forward in recent years because it may drive people’s and communities’ adherence to policies that promote and achieve sustainable development.
What do the three P’s of sustainability stand for?
The three P’s of sustainability stand for planet, people, and profit.
What is the circular economy?
The circular economy refers to the transformation of traditional linear supply chains into closed-loop supply chains.
In the conventional economy, resources are extracted from the earth, processed, and manufactured into goods that are then transported to retailers and supplied to consumers before ending their life as waste products.
A circular economy model attempts to close this loop by avoiding further extraction of natural resources and removing waste by remanufacturing and reusing products repeatedly.
What is sustainable development?
According to the 1987 Brundtland report, sustainable development is defined as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
Sustainable development is an attempt to reconcile the seemingly competing interests of economic development with those aimed at protecting the social needs and environmental barriers of our planet.
How to Write Marketing Blogs Your Clients Will Actually Read
Blogging impacts your marketing efforts in several ways: search engine optimization (SEO), lead generation, and audience insight.
Write a marketing blog your clients will actually read by ensuring it is optimized for search engines like Google to generate leads for your business and provide you valuable insights into your audience.
Find out what steps you can take and the tools you can access to ensure your content shows up at the top of Google search results and is engaging enough to turn readers into clients.
How Do You Write Engaging Content on a Blog?
Write engaging blog content by focusing on your client’s specific needs. Your blog is part of the user experience you offer, so make your users—your clients—the center of it all.
Know Your Clients
You want to provide your users with an experience that delights them, and your marketing blog is an ideal tool to achieve this.
Thank your clients by featuring them on your blog. Testimonials in their own words are a great idea; however, you can take it a step further.
Share case studies demonstrating how you provided solutions that met clients’ specific needs and exceeded their expectations.
Case studies are unique and original marketing content that will make your blog stand out. They are also evidence of your marketing claims.
Social Media
Remember that your marketing blog is an ideal platform to hold a conversation with your clients. By engaging frequently and regularly with readers in the comment sections, you’ll gain valuable insights into your target market’s needs.
Comments and questions also keep you abreast of trending topics that are relevant to your clients and provide popular search keywords for your SEO needs.
To provide answers and advice, reach out to experts in the field for thought leadership that you can share with your readers and clients. Reliable information that they can apply to their immediate circumstances will bring them back for more.
Use the Similar Page Checker to ensure your content does not duplicate similar content elsewhere online or on your website. Your clients read your blog to find information that is not available elsewhere.
Use the Tools at Your Disposal
The written word may be powerful, but content alone isn’t enough to keep your clients reading. Make your marketing blog visually appealing and easy to navigate, and your content will be impactful and memorable.
Your site needs to look good, but it also needs to load quickly. Submit a URL to the Page Speed Checker, and find out how much time it takes for a page to load. You’ll be able to isolate the slow elements of your page and optimize them.
Another great tool is the Website Links Count Checker. Submit a URL, and this tool will return the number of links on the page, split into internal and external categorization. Too many external links may impact your search engine rankings negatively.
Marketing Blogs for Your Growth
Head on to Webconfs to explore more tools to make your marketing blog stand out from the crowd and keep your clients reading.
You’ll also find a list of best and worst practices for designing a high-traffic website. This list covers essential topics like keywords, links, metatags, content, visual media, and URLs.
Combine SEO and Networking to Find the Tech Job You Want
Your brand is a promise.
I’m paraphrasing Mike Figliuolo, founder and managing director of thoughtLEADERS.
I recently completed a business planning course he offered on LinkedIn Learning, and this statement stuck with me.
While you may be looking for a tech job, you’re essentially making promises to recruiters and potential employers about your skills, experiences, and expertise.
During a job search, you are selling yourself–your brand–and you can approach this venture the same way a business or organization would their marketing strategy.
Search engine optimization (SEO) is another effective tool, along with your resume, portfolio, and professional network.
You can use SEO to optimize your LinkedIn profile or personal website so that they appear in searches performed by recruiters and talent acquisition teams here, on LinkedIn, or in search engines like Google and Bing.
Employers and recruiters are humans just like you and me, and they use search engines the same way we do.
They’ve got questions–search intents–and want the best answers to their questions.
Reviewing job descriptions lets you familiarize yourself with the language used by the companies you want to work with. Ask yourself:
What are the most commonly used job titles for the roles I want?
Which skills are most often requested for my ideal job?
What duties and responsibilities are most frequently listed in job postings I apply to?
When you’ve identified the job titles, skills, and responsibilities that best match your experience and expertise, get to work rewriting your LinkedIn profile, resume, and portfolio accordingly.
If you don’t have a professional webpage, the summary section of your LinkedIn profile or resume is where you have the most room to play and make an impactful first impression. Highlight those keywords you saw (don’t keyword stuff, of course) so recruiters and hiring managers can find you.
You can even do your own tests to see how searchable you are on LinkedIn! Ask a trusted friend to search LinkedIn for the keywords you want to be found for on your LinkedIn. If you end up as a top search result, you’re doing great!
Recruiters also have more robust tools–ask a friend with a recruiter license to search the same way. If you aren’t coming up on the first page, determine what keywords would get you there and if those match what you really want!
Once you’ve optimized the storefront of your brand–your resume, profile, and portfolio page–you need to ensure the right people see it when they walk past it.
Word-of-mouth is still a powerful marketing strategy; for it to be effective, you’ll need the help of your professional network.
Over the last few years, LinkedIn has become a powerful social media platform where you can create, nurture, and grow your network.
There are plenty of fun Social Saturday initiatives, such as NickAtNoon hosted by Nick Martin, CEO of TechChange.
Confession: NickAtNoon is my first and favorite Social Saturday exchange thread.
So, how do you combine your newly optimized brand with networking?
Be curious.
Engage with other jobseekers and recruiters in these Social Saturday threads.
Connect with other posters on work-related topics and anything else that grabs your attention.
A successful job search is more than finding the right role.
It’s far more than being competitive and keeping your cards close to your chest.
Today’s hyperconnected digital landscape is about being vulnerable and putting yourself out there.
It’s a tough job market out there, and nobody is safe.
Cooperation and vulnerability are more likely to get each of us the dream role or project we wish for when we communicate and exchange information than when we hoard opportunities and step on others to get to the top.
The latter is one of the reasons we find ourselves where we are today: thousands of highly experienced professionals are laid off every month and on the verge of losing their homes and few remaining resources.
Ready to take the next step in your tech career?
Stay engaged with the LCM Network on LinkedIn and keep refining your brand.
Don’t let the current challenges of the tech industry hold you back.
With the backing of the LCM Network, feel confident and empowered to pursue the roles that are the best fit for you and get started on your path to success.