LovingMother, I've been upset about this since the mid 1970s when the first dude in a dress crashed our lesbian social group and demanded to be admitted because he was a "lesbian." Out of a group of about 30 women, only two of us voted against letting him in, myself and someone who remained anonymous.
LovingMother, I've been upset about this since the mid 1970s when the first dude in a dress crashed our lesbian social group and demanded to be admitted because he was a "lesbian." Out of a group of about 30 women, only two of us voted against letting him in, myself and someone who remained anonymous.
My theory as to why the lesbians caved on this issue has several parts to it.
First, in those years, homophobia was rampant. Child custody and holding a job were problematic. So was getting evicted by a homophobic landlord who suddenly noticed that you were gay. We were disowned by our parents, got arrested for impersonating the opposite sex...stuff like that. We lesbians were genuinely oppressed, we felt sorry for the guys, and didn't want to be mean. Humoring them seemed like the compassionate thing to do. After all: HOW MANY OF THEM COULD THERE BE, ANYWAY? One lone guy wants to sit in our circle, what's the harm? Ha.
Second, as the years went by and queer theory morphed into the ideological juggernaut we're familiar with today, a contingent of progressive, leftist lesbians from the universities decided that trans was on the cutting edge. (Judith Butler and Leslie Feinberg comes to mind. Feinberg was not in the academy but she had a lot of infuence there.) That perspective still holds sway in progressive lesbian and heterosexual feminist circles. I know some very committed feminist abortion-rights activists who are passionate supporters of trans women in women's spaces, including sports and prisons. I can't explain it, I just know it makes no sense and that I abhor it. Such is the power of ideologies over reason.
The embrace of queer theory led eventually to progressive lesbians deciding to transition instead of living proudly in their butch bodies. [I'm omitting the names of many lesbian intellectuals, writers, musicians and playwrights who fought back during those years and still do.]
Today, young lesbians still manage to come out without being diverted down the trans path. What's really sad is when they don't figure it out until AFTER they've had the double mastectomy and wrecked their female organs with surgery and testosterone. There are lots of lesbians (and gay men) among the detransitioners.
Thank you for this thoughtful response. I quoted you over on that Thefp Miller Lite comments section. I hope that's ok.
"we felt sorry for the guys, and didn't want to be mean. Humoring them seemed like the compassionate thing to do."
I think that natural compassion - especially female compassion has been played. I also think people confuse being kind with being nice. IMO, humoring confused people in delusions instead of saying maybe you are an ok guy in a dress does not do them a kindness. So, "being nice" is often not kind. And, look where we all are now!
LovingMother, I've been upset about this since the mid 1970s when the first dude in a dress crashed our lesbian social group and demanded to be admitted because he was a "lesbian." Out of a group of about 30 women, only two of us voted against letting him in, myself and someone who remained anonymous.
My theory as to why the lesbians caved on this issue has several parts to it.
First, in those years, homophobia was rampant. Child custody and holding a job were problematic. So was getting evicted by a homophobic landlord who suddenly noticed that you were gay. We were disowned by our parents, got arrested for impersonating the opposite sex...stuff like that. We lesbians were genuinely oppressed, we felt sorry for the guys, and didn't want to be mean. Humoring them seemed like the compassionate thing to do. After all: HOW MANY OF THEM COULD THERE BE, ANYWAY? One lone guy wants to sit in our circle, what's the harm? Ha.
Second, as the years went by and queer theory morphed into the ideological juggernaut we're familiar with today, a contingent of progressive, leftist lesbians from the universities decided that trans was on the cutting edge. (Judith Butler and Leslie Feinberg comes to mind. Feinberg was not in the academy but she had a lot of infuence there.) That perspective still holds sway in progressive lesbian and heterosexual feminist circles. I know some very committed feminist abortion-rights activists who are passionate supporters of trans women in women's spaces, including sports and prisons. I can't explain it, I just know it makes no sense and that I abhor it. Such is the power of ideologies over reason.
The embrace of queer theory led eventually to progressive lesbians deciding to transition instead of living proudly in their butch bodies. [I'm omitting the names of many lesbian intellectuals, writers, musicians and playwrights who fought back during those years and still do.]
Today, young lesbians still manage to come out without being diverted down the trans path. What's really sad is when they don't figure it out until AFTER they've had the double mastectomy and wrecked their female organs with surgery and testosterone. There are lots of lesbians (and gay men) among the detransitioners.
Thank you for this thoughtful response. I quoted you over on that Thefp Miller Lite comments section. I hope that's ok.
"we felt sorry for the guys, and didn't want to be mean. Humoring them seemed like the compassionate thing to do."
I think that natural compassion - especially female compassion has been played. I also think people confuse being kind with being nice. IMO, humoring confused people in delusions instead of saying maybe you are an ok guy in a dress does not do them a kindness. So, "being nice" is often not kind. And, look where we all are now!
Yes, look where we are now…what a disaster