“Miriam Grace, a 58-year-old psychotherapist in Britain who came out when she was 50, surveyed more than 2,000 late-in-life lesbians between the ages of 40 and 65 for the book “Queering Gestalt Therapy,” which was released last year. (The title refers to a form of psychotherapy.)

She said some of those women said that they had always thought that they were lesbians, but had heterosexual relationships because they feared personal or professional discrimination. Others said that they had considered their sexuality to be fluid, and came out as lesbians after developing a strong attraction to another woman. A third group consisted of women who said they were not able or willing to embrace their lesbian identity in earlier years, but that, reflecting on their lives, they could see that they were always lesbians.

“Women who devoted themselves to motherhood, or who believed their sexuality is irrelevant or dirty, may be unaware of their authentic sexuality until space opens in later life,” Ms. Grace said.”

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