Natal Lesbians, lifelong Butch Lesbians, YES. The issue of Butch poverty is something I struggled with all my adult life once leaving home at 23...even then circumstances changed once my father divorced and left my mother. My hetro brother on the other hand had up to 3 houses, a very lucrative career, and still living in my mother's house(he bought me out over a decade ago). That house is probably now worth $750,000 because of its location. My parents bought it for only $50,000 in 1973.
Meanwhile my partner and I are barely making it here in Nebraska in a trailer we bought with my union retirement money for $21,000. And living on salaries just a few dollars more than minimum wage. Most of the jobs around here pay $9-12/hr., unless you get hired on direct to the factories then you can get up to $20/hr...and they are HORRIBLE dangerous environments to work in!!!
Poverty and getting and staying hired much less advancing IS A REALLY BIG ISSUE for Butches. Its one reason I DID go into the Trades, NOT because it suited my temperament, but solely whats a Butch to do to make DECENT MONEY? MANY of my Butch friends in the 1980s were in the Tradeswomen Movement, and they were making really good money, and they helped mentor me in.
Course I thought Id see tons of Butches on the job(I follow my Yoni), and was sorely disappointed once I got in just how isolated I ended up becoming surrounded by a sea of often hostile men....
Butch poverty due to discrimination is a REAL issue. At least in the trades, even with all the redneck male bullshit I could wear clothes I was comfortable in, Ben Davis pants or jeans, flannels, thermals, t shirts and tools and LEARN a lifelong skill. And make good money while working.
No makeup, hose, dresses, skirts, or femming it up needed. Not that I did but I know I was told by one supervisor to dress that way on a poor paying lower management job for a recycling company. I said "I dont wear dresses or skirts!!!" But SOMEONE is ALWAYS trying to get us to "femme up" to be more socially acceptable. For a true Butch THAT is NOT in our nature....
Het feminism doesn't REALLY address lifelong Dyke issues!!! -M.A.
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