I've always found it interesting how people associate feminism with lesbians...?

Question

...especially given that the feminist movement was unfortunately very unfriendly to lesbians for many, many years.

In the novel Rubyfruit Jungle, for instance, the main character laments how her sexual orientation excludes her from the social movements that should accept her:
"My bitterness was reflected in the news, full of stories about people my own age raging down the streets in protest. But somehow I knew my rage wasn't their rage and they'd have run me out of their movement for being a lesbian anyway. I read somewhere too that women's groups were starting but they'd trash me just the same."

This novel is loosely influenced by author Rita Mae Brown's own experiences as a lesbian in the 60s and 70s. The book was first published in 1973. It took many more years for the feminist movement to be more inclusive and more tolerant of the lesbian community, and this is, in my opinion, one of the greatest failings of second-wave feminism.

Why is it, then, that people associate lesbians with feminism?

Additional Details

"Betty Friedan, the first president of NOW and author of the pivotal 1963 book, The Feminine Mystique, coined the phrase "lavender menace" to describe what she saw as the damaging effect of lesbians within the movement."

However, the source goes on to add, "Although homophobia continued to exist within the movement, as elsewhere, in 1971 NOW made support for lesbian and gay rights part of its policy, leading the way for other liberal feminist groups to do the same."

Strege, I didn't quote a bumper sticker or saying. I quoted an article examining homophobia in the early days of second-wave feminism.

And I'm neither an anti-feminist nor a misogynist, I am a feminist.

Sorry if I was a little bit irritable at you, Strege! :) I'm tired and misinterpreted what you were saying!

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

Obviously quite a few people don't know a thing about feminism and use stereotypes they consider negative to try to denigrate it. There was a split in the feminist movement in the 1960's and 1970's and it was more than just Friedan who openly or covertly thought that supporting lesbians would hurt the women's movement. I'm bi (and 50)and even though that view was intolerant (Friendan has since said she regrets her views of lesbians) Friendan was correct-supporting lesbians (and gays) was a risk and has had a tremendous backlash.

But not supporting lesbians also created a schism between feminist lesbians and feminist heterosexuals that took years to breach, as lesbians rightly felt invalidated and rejected, once again. It was one of the reasons lesbian separatism became popular for the more radical lesbian feminists, as lesbian feminists felt rejected by not only society at large, but by feminists as well. But it wasn't just the homophobia of some of the feminists that led to separatism; at the same time lesbians were also encountering hostility from sexist gay men in the gay and lesbian rights movement as well.

The double whammy led to a lot of hostility and the lesbian separatist writings at the time reflected the rage of being rejected not only by some of the women's movement, but by the gay male community as well. Was this a large number of women? No. The number of people who are politically active is small; the number of lesbians is estimated to be 1-10% of the population. Not all lesbians are feminists, in spite of the silly idea that feminists all think alike, many think lesbians do as well. The number of separatists were small, but very politically active and prolific writers, so it seemed huge. There were quite a few women's communities for a while, but like communes, living together usually creates incredible conflicts that most communities can not resolve. A few still remain, but are usually in rural, remote areas so they are not harassed.

One of the best books I read on the topic was by Suzanne Pharr, "Homophobia: A Weapon of Sexism", though it is really an opinion piece, this review of the book points out the flaws but also the strengths of the book: http://www.schryer.com/homophobia/articl…

Source(s):

History of separatism:
http://www.glbtq.com/social-sciences/sep…
Suzanne Pharr's web site:
http://suzannepharr.org/

Asker's Rating:

Asker's Comment:

Thank you! Very informative!

Thanks to all who answered for your wonderful answers. I'm sorry I could only pick one.

Answer 2

yeah doesnt make much sense does it, always wondered myself.. hmm people can be stupid :D

Answer 3

They do 'cause a lot of lesbians in the media are portrayed as men-hating bitches.. mostly people who just had a bitter divorce and decided 'maybe love will work out with a GIRL'. That's utterly stupid because if you're a lesbian, you're a lesbian, no doubt about it. You'll know, no need to prance around with men and lie to yourself.

Source(s):

Erm my opinion. A little biased I am not a lesbian myself but whatever just putting my opinion out there.

Answer 4

ignorance. Because then they can rationalise feminism being about some women not liking men when its about women wanting equality.

Answer 5

NOW's website says that one of the top feminist issues is promoting and supporting lesbianism.

I would post the link but my answer would get deleted as usual.

STREGE_MOON: According to the nation's leading feminist organization, NOW, there are strong associations between feminism and lesbianism.

Answer 6

This is one woman's experience. MS magazine defended lesbianism, and many of the European feminists were lesbians. Quite a few books about the philosophy of feminism were written by lesbians. I've always accepted lesbians (I'm a guy), and the hippies were very accepting of lesbians and gays as well. So, honestly, I don't know where this woman is coming from. Maybe she had social phobia and felt uncomfortable everywhere. Maybe she saw herself as a perpetual victim.
Back about 1910 suffragettes in the USA decided to ally themselves with stinking Fundies. Fundies supported the effort to get the vote for women in exchange for feminist support in passing Prohibition. These Fundies were wickedly racist, and so for awhile was the Women's movement. And what is the first thing women did when they got the vote? They passed Prohibition, an enormous error which virtually created organized crime.

Source(s):

American history

Answer 7

People will always associate Lesbians with the feminist movement because they are a convenient "scapegoat" to point to. See? They are all lesbians and we know lesbians "hate men" and really probably never even got laid by a man.... and the ignorance goes on and on.

As for Quoting books, sayings and bumperstickers that are 20, 30 or 40 years old, come on now.... can't we keep the issues and commentary a little more CURRENT??
I have to laugh when I see the anti-feminists and misogynists say stuff like: " Well so-and-so said - back in 1968 - that yadda yadda yadda...."

It was a different time, the most pressing issues were different, for the most part, than they are now; it was only the radical attitudes that got the attention...
not some Leave It To Beaver "mom" in her shirt dress and heels, waving a spatula around and saying in a soft, motherly voice; "Gee, women aren't really treated fairly."
"Radical attitudes" got women the vote, got women into colleges, got women the right to own property separate from her husband, etc etc.

In too many minds radicalism = lesbianism and vice versa.
Doesn't make much sense, but there you have it.

Added:
to RICK........... I can't be sure which side of the 'argument' you are coming from, not by your answer anyhow. But just because the women in NOW think equality, etc for lesbians is a "top issue" that means that nearly all NOW members must be lesbians??

Another top issue for feminists is ending female genital mutilation around the world... does that mean nearly all feminists have had their genitals mutilated? Don't think so....

Not sure what point you were making.

Added:
Mudkip... Sorry, I wasn't saying that to you, specifically. I just meant it as part of an explanation as to the way people negatively point to things as feminism or feminists' views. My apologies.