That was the case in the UK too.
Homosexuality was an offense, but only males were targeted, and condemned either to death or forced labor. Because of the whole "sodomy" thing in the Bible. They even cornered one of their geniuses, Alan Turing, to suicide because they forced him to chemical castration.
Lesbians were never acknowledged or targeted by legislation. So technically, it was legal. Or rather, ignored, dismissed. Not unlike Japan with the whole Class S spiel.