Understand the lesbian identity “…sex attains meaning in social relations, which implies that we can only make appropriate choices around sexuality by understanding its social, cultueral and political context.” (Quote: 9293 jeffrey weeks) The idea around the sexual tradition has drastically changed over the years; for centuries homosexuality was considered as a sinful act; but with developments in the scientific, cultural and social world this ‘act’ developed into an identity, a way of being based
Upon reading the article “Daring to Be Different: A Look at Three Lesbian Artists” by Laurel Lampel, the author’s main purpose is to discuss that unlike other female historical artists during the mid-19th century there were three artists whom dress and lived as lesbians, changing the norm of gender roles, and presented themselves differently to society (Lampel, 2). In addition to those experiences, it created a major impact for the artists’ new perceptions towards art history and art education (Lampel
experience rather than the larger social issues which cause this type of behaviour. Therefore, although the Ellen Degeneres show may appear to be reworking dominant ideologies held by society, which often discriminate against minorities such as gays and lesbians, this merely distracts the public from the fact that the show is inadvertently reinforcing these ideas through it’s target audience and the limited way in which these issues are dealt with. Conventional talk shows comprise of individuals who have
existed despite the lack of a unified lesbian social identity; these, in
Studies 38.1(1992): 269. Meese, Elizabeth. "When Virginia Looked at Vita, What Did She See; or, Lesbian: Feminist: Woman - What's the differ(e/a)nce?" Feminist Studies 18.1 (1992):105. Nicolson, Nigel. Portrait of a Marriage. New York: Atheneum, 1973. Nicolson, Nigel and Joanne Trautmann, eds. The Letters of Virginia Woolf. Vol. 3. New York: Harcourt Brace, 1977. Smith, Patricia Juliana. Lesbian Panic: Homoeroticism in Modern British Women's Fiction. New York: Columbia UP, 1997. Woolf,
would disagree. Scott redefines what the “individual” is and how women’s attempt to become an “individual” creates the paradox of feminist speech. Author Marilyn Frye redefines some common words in her essay, “Willful Virgin or Do You have to Be a Lesbian
Lesbian feminism, in itself, is a response to the second wave of feminism. The second wave of feminism was responsible for making gender discrimination visible, encouraging women to take government/political positions, and also contributed to procreative rights. Lesbian feminism emphasized on focusing their energy away from men and more into other women. The paper, The Woman Identified Woman, by Radicalesbians describes lesbianism, like male homosexuality, as a category of behavior possible only
The Captive depicts a story about a young woman named Irene who attempts to conceal her love for Madame d’Aiguines by creating a fake marriage with her best friend, Jacques, who goes along with the idea, but is actually in love with her. Irene hopes this plot will appease her father so she won’t have to move with her father and sister to Rome, Italy. To Jacques dismay, however, he later discovers that her affection is not returned, because she is having an affair with Madame d’ Aiguines. A reoccurring
cases, blacklisted from applying for civilian jobs. Lesbians in this era were ostracized by society and endured unending discrimination from the government and police. In the face of this tremendous cultural pressure these women carved their own communities and lives out on the edges of the social order. The ‘Lavender Scare’ of the 1950s bred anti-gay legislation that led to horrific discrimination against lesbians and the development of a lesbian subculture. This period is currently referred to
whom she had met while she was an undergraduate student at Harvard. During their marriage, they had three children, David, Paul, and Jacob. In the mid 60’s Adrienne became very involved in Vietnam anti war protests, feminist, and civil right issues. As time went on, Alfred thought she was losing her mind because of her obsession and devotion she had to these causes. This created quite a bit of tension in their marriage. In 1970, she separated from Alfred, which lead to his suicide a few months later
In their book The Lessons of History, historians Will and Ariel Durant caution that, "No man, however brilliant or well-informed, can come in one lifetime to such fullness of understanding as to safely judge and dismiss the customs or institutions of his society, for these are the wisdom of generations after centuries of experiment in the laboratory of history. A youth boiling with hormones will wonder why he should not give full freedom to his sexual desires; and if he is unchecked
In Kennedy and Davis’ article the debate over who is constituted as the “true” lesbian reflects the tension between heterosexuality and butch-fem identities when taken into account ethnic background and assigned gender roles in the relationship. While lesbianism is supposed to pose as a challenge to heterosexuality as the norm, as Kennedy and Davis’ article shows, within the lesbian community practices like the specification of butch-fem roles becomes a tool of oppression similar to conformity to
amniotic fluid, so in drowning the woman is immersed in feminine organic element. Drowning thus becomes the traditionally feminine literary death”. (Showalter 219) LeBlanc takes this idea even further. She tells us that “The sea is Edna’s metaphorical lesbian lover—her only source of fulfillment equal to her longing.” Edna “overcomes her fear of water and unites with her “lover” for the first time”. (LeBlanc 251) In these statements Showalter and LeBlanc guide us to a glimpse of why Edna chose to end
eyes of many, also lesbians. “[Fried Green Tomatoes] represents around the issue of lesbianism, depicting a strong and intense friendship between two white women (the tomboy Idgie Threadgoode and the fern Ruth Jamison), but never committing itself one way or another'; (Pelligrini 7). There have not been many stories written about homosexuality in the first half of the twentieth century. That is why Fannie Flagg does not just come out and say that Idgie and Ruth are lesbians. In turn, the idea
States Constitution does not explicitly guarantee this right, the Supreme Court through landmark cases such as Roe v Wade, Griswold v. Connecticut, and Eisenstadt v. Baird have judicially established privacy rights under limited zones relating to marriage, procreation, contraception, family relationships, childrearing, and education. The Supreme Court has resolved, by a vote of five to four that the "Constitution provided no fundamental right to engage in homosexual sodomy." (Bowers v. Hardwick)
arguing over what clothes Alison should be wearing, especially to attend more formal events. She liked to wear more traditionally masculine clothes, and wasn’t allowed by her family, making her feel as though she was an anomaly, until she saw the butch lesbian at the luncheonette. Seeing this woman dressed in a masculine fashion was her first glimpse into a style that she could actually imagine herself wearing – and liking. Her father tears down the young girl’s immediate idolization of the woman by questioning
general contempt for the world, a verbal stoning of anything different. Most of the audience on this radio shows were white and male. Most of the callers have spent their lives walling themselves off from any real experience with blacks, feminists, lesbians or gays. Rush Limbaugh tell his audience “what you believe inside, you can talk about it in the marketplace.” Unfortunately what’s inside is then mistaken for what’s outside, treated empirical and political reality. Most of the talks on the radio
attacks heterosexuality as “a political institution which disempowers women” in her 1980 essay Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence (Rich 23). What most see as a traditional way of life, Rich views as a societal mandate that serves as “a beachhead of male dominance,” (Rich 28). For a woman in Virginia Woolf’s time, “the one profession that was open to her [was] marriage,” and though females entered the public sphere as the 20th century progressed, “single women…are still viewed as deviant”
essay primarily focuses on the differences and similarities of sexuality between men, women, gays, and lesbians. It also focuses on time, because throughout time, human sexuality has changed. New scientific evidence has also helped give new insight to the human mind and their most basic needs. The first topic that was approached in this essay was sexual desire among men, women, gays, and lesbians. The research concluded that men have more sexual desire than women. Men not only have more sexual desire
best be described as nebulous. Although most know that a lesbian is a woman that loves other women, the public opinion surrounding lesbianism mainly consists of half-formed stereotypes and vague disapproval or begrudging acceptance. When considering the LGBT community, most people picture the gay male and neglect the rest of the acronym. There a multitude of reasons for this nebulous perception of the modern day lesbian, but in actuality, lesbian culture is a vast and solid connection between woman that