Activism Issues: Collectives and Conferences

[Heart]

In reference to the BV issues, I am cross-posting this blog link in a couple of threads.

http://butchenough.wordpress.com/201...pe-not-a-line/

I hope this discussion about activism, allyship, organizing, leadership, etc continues. Painful as it is, it's necessary.

Contrary to what some may think, I am not "taking sides," -- at least not any side I haven't always taken. And I am not investing in what any individual butch/stud/MoC should call him/her/zieself.

I am, however, adding my voice to the discussion despite the fact that I'm not butch because I absolutely see this as an issue for women, dykes, feminists, allies, and organizers. In fact, I think it's more about that, than it is about inclusive descriptors for butch identities. I know -- that sounds appropriating, but bear with me....

I think the context of butch identity is one in which the dilemma of being a woman in a woman-hating and woman-devaluing world gets constantly played out, and also obfuscated by concerns about masculinity. I think the current controversy is an opportunity to take a crystal clear look at how woman and butch are NOT antithetical. How woman does not need to be altered, adapted, parsed, or minimized in favor of male-ness or masculinity in order to be butch. We all know that butch is varied and diverse, and like any term is stretch-y. We all know that some butches id as male, as genderqueer, as 3rd gender, as transmasculine; some have come from butch to arrive at another place.

What seems to get forgotten, (or considered out-dated or somehow passe), is that butch is also woman. Not just female-identified or female-bodied, but woman. Woman, as an identity, as a butch identity does not need justification or qualifiers. In fact to do so reeks of internalized misogyny. That's what I call it when women are devalued, under-represented, co-opted, and under-estimated.

Heart
(not shutting up)