Well, it kinda depends on who you're talking to.

Now, up front, trans rights are human rights, and it's a fact that sexual orientation is not inherently linked to gender.

That being said, not everyone knows that second part.

Bigots would definitely object to all of it, but ignorance != bigotry until it becomes willful ignorance.

There are people that are new to the idea of transgender issues.

I'll use a real life example paraphrased. I have older family still. Folks in their nineties. They don't know many/any trans people. They don't really get their news from anything but the standard broadcast networks.

One uncle in specific, he tries hard. But he's usually at least a decade behind any social issues because he just stays on his farm and works all day. And that's with him being almost 80. When gay marriage became legal via Obergefel (spelling?), the guy said, and this isn't paraphrased "hain't they always been able to?". Totally disconnected dude. He thought all the stuff he was hearing about was people trying to make it illegal because dude is just that off grid and didn't even finish his freshman year of high school.

So, the trans issues come into public awareness, and eventually the subject comes up at a July 4th party. The guy didn't know the difference between someone like Bob hope doing drag and being trans. He said something along the lines of "oh, you mean like Bob hope useta do!".

We get that straightened out in his head, and his only response was "well I'll be damned, them doctors can do anything".

Then, this subject came up maybe two years ago, that sexual orientation and gender don't have to be linked. The little enclave of my generation and the younger set that lean way left of center were babbling about some story in the news, and he was just sitting there with his brow furrowed, sipping on a beer.

His question was something along the lines of, "but if'n he's into girls, why's he want to be one? He could just stay a boy." We did our best to explain, and he eventually got the idea. His response was "huh. Seems like a whole lotta work, but hain't nonea my nevermind".

In other words, you're right, lesbian would be the right term, but it wouldn't necessarily be the obvious term to everyone right off the bat. Concepts have to spread. It takes time to happen, and there's always someone that's going to be the last person to get the idea.

What I'm looking forward to is my uncle hearing about trans people that don't want bottom surgery.