#lesbian existence

[cantsayidont]

April 28, 2008. Why "DYKES TO WATCH OUT FOR"? Alison Bechdel explains.

(Sort of jumping around here because even in a fit of self-reflection, Bechdel is easily distracted by the impulse to draw naked ladies.)

[farmerlesbian]

Queer Theory 101: Compulsory Heterosexuality

Before There Was The ‘Am I A Lesbian’ Masterdoc, There Was Adrienne Rich

I'm going through and catching up on my readings and thought yall might appreciate this one! Some history and context around the term compulsory heterosexuality.

If you’re queer and on the internet, there’s a good chance you’ve heard of the term ‘compulsory heterosexuality,’ often shortened to ‘comphet.’ While academic and scholarly theories have often made their way into popular culture, this is especially true on the internet, particularly in spaces like Tumblr and now Tik Tok.  Today’s popular usage of the term compulsory heterosexuality has stemmed from several different sources, but there’s one source that stands out as being the most influential. The so-called “Am I a Lesbian?” masterdoc was first posted on Tumblr in early 2018, and since then has gone viral on that site and others, with copies frequently being posted and discussed on Twitter, Reddit, and Tik Tok. The 30-page document was created by a Tumblr user who was 19 at the time, and is essentially a checklist of sorts, or as the creator puts it, “a tool of self-reflection.” The document relies heavily on the theory of compulsory heterosexuality, reassuring readers that compulsory heterosexuality can cause women to feel like they are or should be attracted to men, but that uncovering who you really desire is the key to unlocking your identity. The document lays out the difference between actual attraction to men and the experience of compulsory heterosexuality, as well as listing many common signs that you may have been attracted to women in the past without realizing it.  Since the masterdoc was first posted, there has been a lot of controversy surrounding it, with many sharing how much it helped them figure out their identity (even Kehlani said it helped her realize she was a lesbian), and others critiquing it for ignoring bisexuality. I’m not interested in unpacking that controversy right now, in part because it would take all day and also because I don’t feel it’s necessary to pick apart the impromptu work of a teenager. Instead, I want to dig into the lexicon used in the document and explore the origin of this terminology. 

continue reading

[scifisiren]

The queer longing for the tender mentorship of older women.

[cantsayidont]

1993. The first issue of the indie comic DYKE'S DELIGHT had contributions from various artists, including Roberta Gregory and Leanne Franson, but the highlight is a story by Kate Charlesworth in which Auntie Studs, a middle-aged butch, recounts growing up in postwar England, including her first serious affair with a butch named Lenny, who ran a chip shop in femme drag by day (and thus couldn't quite hide the smell of chip grease) and charmed young Studs' mum. However, it didn't work out:

[cantsayidont]

2012. In her memoir ARE YOU MY MOTHER? Alison Bechdel recalls reconnecting with her childhood teddy bear in a painful moment.