[Kobi]

There is no nice way to address this so I will just be straight forward.

There was an issue here yesterday. It was moderated. When I saw the moderation, I had to ask what it was about because my interpretation of it and the reason for it wasnt the same thing. And when I got the answer, I sat here and mulled over how or if I address this because, to me, I was between a rock and a hard place. No matter how I handled this, someone would be somehow umbridged about it. And I knew it.

Aj you are right, this isnt a safe place. It never was. I had to make a stink to get this space and I had to fight for the right to have this thread and to clarify over and over and over its intent. I ask to ask over and over why it was so threatening for lesbians, like me, to have a place to talk about stuff - even unpleasant stuff. Stuff that people do not want aired because it is too threatening to the pervailing opinions we expect everyone to spout off like good little doobies. And I had to ask why there was such a need to try and silence lesbians like me.

We are thousands of different people with thousands of different perspectives and life stories and horror stories and experiences. Yet, somehow we are all supposed to tow the same line for the sake of "unity" because we are all queer? That is illogical.

This thread isnt a safe place and never was. Anyone who was brave enough to post here was a fish in a barrel with a ready supply of vultures sitting on the sidelines reading every word of every post under a microscope waiting for the moment to pounce.

And the minute they got it, a moderation wasnt enough. The PATRIARCHY had to come roaring in with a vehemence worthy of an Oscar and chastise the bad bad lesbians. AND, they demand that we bad bad lesbians/women explain ourselves.

I wish I could say this is about bigotry but it doesnt feel like it. Bigotry may have been the impetus but there are larger issues here that cannot be swept under the rug over and over and over again without continuing to
feed into the resentments, pecking order, and the right of people to have and express differing opinions.

We would much prefer that everyone have the same perspective, the same values, the same opinions.....ahhh yes our beloved diversity of sameness. Just because we put blinders on doesnt mean all is right with the world. And there will continue to be deep resentments in this community because the things that need to be aired and discussed cant be.

And the saddest part is those who straddled the fence, waiting to see which way the wind was going to blow before they weighed in today.

I wish I could say I was surprised this happened but I am not. Nor am I disappointed. It was only a matter of time until lesbians, like me, would be put in their proper place ......again.

There was a concerted effort to silence our voices and our concerns and our opinions. Seems to me, mission accomplished!