Thursday, May 31, 2012
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Disabled Lesbian Discrimination by National Gay & Lesbian Task Force as well as their overall dismissal of Lesbian issues as a whole
My partner is the third disabled Lesbian I've been with, and I've known Patty Overland for many years, she was my first Bay Area partner's ex, when we met...though she was always friendly with her(Mary Gennoy). Also I know Patty has been supportive of the Butch group, when it went to Pacific Center. I"ve known many Disabled Bay Area Lesbians throughout the years, and admire their activism, despite the daily struggles they go through to thrive and survive.
I find this situation absolutely disgusting, but there is a larger issue of basic Lesbian noninclusion, and Lesbians threatened to girlcott Creating Change this past year, because there were NO Lesbian specific workshops for bio female Lesbians, except one for Old Lesbians. So, because of the threat of girlcotting, they had ONE other Lesbian workshop for the overall Lesbian community called "Lesbian Caucus". Out of that developed a 600 strong Lesbian Caucus Facebook group with intelligent and thought provoking conversations, as well as a Google presence. I have really enjoyed this group. They have dialogued with Sue Hyde(Lesbian sellout with Creating Change) on if there would be a suite for Lesbians at Creating Change, when so many other communities within the alphabet soup get their space. There were at least 20 trans workshops. So, this is a community wide shut out. That political hack, Sue Troutman sounds just like Sue Hyde when confronted with noninclusion of Lesbians and their issues, same ole smooth talking b.s. With Lesbian "sisters" like that, who needs enemies?
This is something as WBW Lesbians, whether Disabled, Butch, Racial Minority, Working Class or any other Lesbian aspect we must confront these political smooth operators with.
NGLTF does NOT represent the Lesbian community overall...this woman is a typical NGLTF politico hack with no sincerity whatsoever. I know both Patty and some of the others involved in this video. All one would need is two heavy pieces of plywood to get in that house! I thought at first they'd have to go up those stairs! It's disgusting. Not only that, but their fundraisers are so expensive oftentimes that most working class Lesbians cannot afford their event, and this year Lesbians threatened to girlcott the Creating Change conference because there were NO Lesbian workshops exclusively BY AND FOR Lesbians, except one Older Lesbian meeting. So, one meeting called 'Lesbian Caucus' was held and out of that, 600 Lesbians signed up on the Lesbian Caucus Facebook site, threatening to continue the girlcott unless NGLTF began addressing Lesbian issues and holding Lesbian workshops for bio female(wbw) Lesbians. There were something like 20 trans workshops, many gay male ones, and more generic ones as well. Even Lesbians like Sue Hyde in leadership at Creating Change did NOT address the Lesbian Caucus issues, and there is still ongoing dialogue with our group and NGLTF in holding workshops that take Lesbian issues into account, whether they be issues for Lesbians of Color, Disabled Lesbians, Butch Lesbians or the general overall WBW Lesbian community. There always will be Lesbian sellouts when they get these cushy movement jobs, who have gotten theirs, or who have money and comfort at the expense of their less fortunate Dyke Sisters. I find this DISGUSTING, and it's one reason I HAVE NOT contributed to NGLTF in years, because they dont' represent wbw Lesbian interests, much less Disabled Lesbian interests as well. This situation could have EASILY BEEN amended by just a few good construction carpenter Dykes of which there are plenty in the community, or community members that would have made sure the plywood was heavy enough to hold the wheelchairs(5/8" thick, probably no problem, 4ft by 8ft, or cut down to appropiate size for the doorframes.) This was NOT an insurmountable issue! Geez, we're only talking 4-5", not a full staircase or two! I mean, after all what is REAL community supposed to be all about? Or is 'community' only for those willing to pay big bucks for it?????? Yep, that's it, don't include either Disabled or Working Class Dykes cuz we don't have the big bucks or the passing hetero lookgood!
It all comes down to economic privilege, and the question of what community really means. REAL community means WE TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER, NOT JUST THOSE WHO CAN EASILY AFFORD IT, or AN INJURY TO ONE IS AN INJURY TO ALL!!
Bay Area Disabled Lesbians Discriminated Against By National Gay Lesbian Task Force
I KNOW some of these Lesbians, and it absolutely disgusts me that NGLTF would NOT accomodate them at an event that could have been made EASILY ACCESSIBLE without much fuss! What is the REAL MEANING OF COMMUNITY? Or are Lesbian voices just so easily dismissed even by other Lesbians in leadership at NGLTF? Talk about sellouts like this Sue Troutman, or by Sue Hyde in relation to Lesbian visibility needs overall!
I will update with my response to this in a moment.
I will update with my response to this in a moment.
"Females First" and for me "Butch Dykes First' which is the truth!
In response to bugbrennan's blog on:
http://bugbrennan.com/2012/01/05/females-first/
This is about identifying as Females First, the usual Female issues are trotted out: abortions, pregnancy and access to birth control, while the latter issues that correlate to Butch Dykes are considered an 'identity group' and yet those issues could apply to all Females and especially those who don't conform to heterosexist female roles, I argue that it is as important to me to see MY issues represented as much as the issues that don't affect me personally first and foremost. I have no intention to get pregnant, practice birth control or have an abortion, while these ARE important issues to all who retain a working fertile female body, my sexuality is 100% Lesbian, and my first concern sexually for myself would be safe sex with anyone beyond my primary partner, and my ability to be treated equally in a world that completely invisibilizes my needs as a Butch Dyke Female, mostly, the ability to work, get and keep a steady job and make a living, be treated equally and fairly on that job, to move through the world without harassment, violence or threats or being made fun of by either men or hetero women for not conforming to their idea of patriarchal womonhood, ect. This does not just apply to a Sister Dyke like BugBrennan who I do greatly respect, but to how heterosexual women treat Butch Dykes, and constantly dismiss our issues, much less Lesbians who also dismiss some of our issues who can pass for straight. I just experienced all this at a yearly women's conference I attended this past weekend which I may go into further later on.
So here's my response to her blog:
"Wow, great post. But nonetheless as a Butch Dyke Female, it IS important I have a group representing who I am as a Butch Dyke FEMALE. And to have solidarity with other Butches who throw their lot in with all of womonkind, instead of escaping it as so many are pushing away the Female/woman label. Because when people talk of feminism and women’s rights, it always seems to be HETEROSEXUAL womens’ rights, abortion/prochoice, childraising, relationships to M E N, even though others may think they’re ‘Lesbians’ if they aren’t in their straitjacketed feminine roles and are advocating for other Females first and foremost. For us, as Lesbians it is necessary to do so for our survival. For us as Butch FEMALES it is even more necessary when literally Butches are being pushed out of the Female realm and identifying as male/genderqueer/ftm/trans but NOT as a woman, and where the word ‘woman’ in the queer community is seen as a dirtier and dirtier word, even though they are coming together in basically bio female to female sexual relationships. As Butches we are so often told by the straight world “you just want to be a man”, and now we are being told the same by the queer world: “you must be a man.”
I could say, ‘abortion is not really MY issue, it certainly isn’t my primary issue” and that is totally true. Access to equal pay for equal work, equal opportunity, freedom from male violence and harassment and discrimination, as a Butch, as a woman and as a large woman are the biggest levels of discrimination I find in the outside world….first as a woman, but in that, other women are hired, and then I’m percieved as a large Butch woman….and they make an issue of my size, whereas with a guy they wouldn’t, and NEVER would they say because I’m a Butch Dyke, so which is it????It’s all three……sex, size, and sexual orientation/nonfeminine presentation…..the interplay of the three. Also I want the right to stay married to my Butch Dyke partner, and she works in an all female field and is hugely oppressed in opportunities, raises and advancement BECAUSE she is a Butch Dyke, BY OTHER HETEROSEXUAL FEMININE WOMEN!! We BOTH
suffer in the workplace, access to work in the first place(getting hired, me), her in advancement, raises, being treated fairly and opportunities BECAUSE OF BEING BUTCH LESBIANS….
So, for a feminism that works for me, I don’t want to be lumped in with straight women issues, except as pertains to ALL women/females moving ahead. I WANT MY issues taken as seriously as straight women have their issues taken. And it is one reason that Black Feminists and Black Lesbians started their own womanist movement to have their particular issues addressed as well. So if the personal is political and the political is personal, there has to be a two way flow with our commonalities AND our differences acknowledged and VALUED, because there are some of us as one kind or another as further minorities of womonhood that have the boot even harder on our necks, while other women who are more conventional and have more privilege do get the opportunities over us and get to move ahead, sometimes on our backs!"
-In Sisterhood,
-FeistyAmazon
http://bugbrennan.com/2012/01/05/females-first/
This is about identifying as Females First, the usual Female issues are trotted out: abortions, pregnancy and access to birth control, while the latter issues that correlate to Butch Dykes are considered an 'identity group' and yet those issues could apply to all Females and especially those who don't conform to heterosexist female roles, I argue that it is as important to me to see MY issues represented as much as the issues that don't affect me personally first and foremost. I have no intention to get pregnant, practice birth control or have an abortion, while these ARE important issues to all who retain a working fertile female body, my sexuality is 100% Lesbian, and my first concern sexually for myself would be safe sex with anyone beyond my primary partner, and my ability to be treated equally in a world that completely invisibilizes my needs as a Butch Dyke Female, mostly, the ability to work, get and keep a steady job and make a living, be treated equally and fairly on that job, to move through the world without harassment, violence or threats or being made fun of by either men or hetero women for not conforming to their idea of patriarchal womonhood, ect. This does not just apply to a Sister Dyke like BugBrennan who I do greatly respect, but to how heterosexual women treat Butch Dykes, and constantly dismiss our issues, much less Lesbians who also dismiss some of our issues who can pass for straight. I just experienced all this at a yearly women's conference I attended this past weekend which I may go into further later on.
So here's my response to her blog:
"Wow, great post. But nonetheless as a Butch Dyke Female, it IS important I have a group representing who I am as a Butch Dyke FEMALE. And to have solidarity with other Butches who throw their lot in with all of womonkind, instead of escaping it as so many are pushing away the Female/woman label. Because when people talk of feminism and women’s rights, it always seems to be HETEROSEXUAL womens’ rights, abortion/prochoice, childraising, relationships to M E N, even though others may think they’re ‘Lesbians’ if they aren’t in their straitjacketed feminine roles and are advocating for other Females first and foremost. For us, as Lesbians it is necessary to do so for our survival. For us as Butch FEMALES it is even more necessary when literally Butches are being pushed out of the Female realm and identifying as male/genderqueer/ftm/trans but NOT as a woman, and where the word ‘woman’ in the queer community is seen as a dirtier and dirtier word, even though they are coming together in basically bio female to female sexual relationships. As Butches we are so often told by the straight world “you just want to be a man”, and now we are being told the same by the queer world: “you must be a man.”
I could say, ‘abortion is not really MY issue, it certainly isn’t my primary issue” and that is totally true. Access to equal pay for equal work, equal opportunity, freedom from male violence and harassment and discrimination, as a Butch, as a woman and as a large woman are the biggest levels of discrimination I find in the outside world….first as a woman, but in that, other women are hired, and then I’m percieved as a large Butch woman….and they make an issue of my size, whereas with a guy they wouldn’t, and NEVER would they say because I’m a Butch Dyke, so which is it????It’s all three……sex, size, and sexual orientation/nonfeminine presentation…..the interplay of the three. Also I want the right to stay married to my Butch Dyke partner, and she works in an all female field and is hugely oppressed in opportunities, raises and advancement BECAUSE she is a Butch Dyke, BY OTHER HETEROSEXUAL FEMININE WOMEN!! We BOTH
suffer in the workplace, access to work in the first place(getting hired, me), her in advancement, raises, being treated fairly and opportunities BECAUSE OF BEING BUTCH LESBIANS….
So, for a feminism that works for me, I don’t want to be lumped in with straight women issues, except as pertains to ALL women/females moving ahead. I WANT MY issues taken as seriously as straight women have their issues taken. And it is one reason that Black Feminists and Black Lesbians started their own womanist movement to have their particular issues addressed as well. So if the personal is political and the political is personal, there has to be a two way flow with our commonalities AND our differences acknowledged and VALUED, because there are some of us as one kind or another as further minorities of womonhood that have the boot even harder on our necks, while other women who are more conventional and have more privilege do get the opportunities over us and get to move ahead, sometimes on our backs!"
-In Sisterhood,
-FeistyAmazon
Monday, May 7, 2012
On Separatism and the need for Separatist space.
At a meeting I was at today, I continue to fight for my WBW space, at least in regards to my workshops...but I'd prefer it overall at this event I attend yearly. One Dyke FELT she had to say, when I brought up the issue of our WBW identity and space, afterwards that she USED TO BE a big ole Dyke Separatist but no longer needed it, now that she's got a 24 year old male in her life, either her or probably her partner's son. One can have children in their lives, but STILL CRAVE womyn only or Dyke only space from time to time! And in fact our event is 5 days of womon only space, but unfortunately it no longer will be WBW space....
So here's Margaret Sloan-Hunter's short article on the NEED for Separate space, whether for Black Folks, Dykes, or Womyn! And yes, I used to know her, and admire her, and was very sad when that powerful big ole Butch Black Dyke passed! Enjoy!
http://www.feminist-reprise.org/docs/Sloan-Hunter.htm
-In Sisterhood,
-M.A.
P.S. You'll probably have to copy and paste the url to go to it....
So here's Margaret Sloan-Hunter's short article on the NEED for Separate space, whether for Black Folks, Dykes, or Womyn! And yes, I used to know her, and admire her, and was very sad when that powerful big ole Butch Black Dyke passed! Enjoy!
http://www.feminist-reprise.org/docs/Sloan-Hunter.htm
-In Sisterhood,
-M.A.
P.S. You'll probably have to copy and paste the url to go to it....
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Z Budapest's WBW Dianic Ritual and 3 Crones as observers and protectors outside it holding the space, at Pantheacon 2012
Ok, so this is another's blog, and I'm giving her full credit for it, but for those who feel strongly about retaining our WBW Dianic ritual space, here is a well known Butch Radical Feminist Lesbian whose been lifelong a fixture in the womyn's spirituality community, a Wisewomon, a Sage, a researcher and an Elder.
http://www.sourcememory.net/veleda/?p=486#comment-5463
You will have to copy and paste the url above to your line and it will take you right to the blog on this issue. Thanks to Max Dashu for her clear thinking on these very difficult times and issues we hold dear to our hearts.
-M.A.
http://www.sourcememory.net/veleda/?p=486#comment-5463
You will have to copy and paste the url above to your line and it will take you right to the blog on this issue. Thanks to Max Dashu for her clear thinking on these very difficult times and issues we hold dear to our hearts.
-M.A.
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