Open Letter: Dear Femme

[Lynn]

Originally Posted by SuperFemme

How do We meet at a crossroads regarding the L word?

How do we make sure *not* to visit the sins of others upon the innocent without negating everyone's truth?

Can you say more?

[SuperFemme]

Originally Posted by Lynn

Can you say more?

I am mulling over in my head how people come in and say "I was shunned and ostracized by the Lesbian community" because it is their truth.

I am mulling over in my head the people that ARE the Lesbian community coming in and being hurt beyond measure because They did NOT participate in such hurtful behavior and it is NOT their truth.

Both groups of people have valid points and feelings that are in complete contradiction.

How DO WE get around this?

[apretty]

Originally Posted by SuperFemme

I am mulling over in my head how people come in and say "I was shunned and ostracized by the Lesbian community" because it is their truth.

I am mulling over in my head the people that ARE the Lesbian community coming in and being hurt beyond measure because They did NOT participate in such hurtful behavior and it is NOT their truth.

Both groups of people have valid points and feelings that are in complete contradiction.

How DO WE get around this?

i'm so glad that this has been brought up, i feel so *protective* of the lesbian community, (whenever i hear it bashed) tho i really don't ID as lesbian, simply stated i've got more in common with *her* than not.

(lately--post prop 8--i'm thinking more about aligning ourselves, vs. our few 'differences')

[SuperFemme]

Originally Posted by apretty

i'm so glad that this has been brought up, i feel so *protective* of the lesbian community, (whenever i hear it bashed) tho i really don't ID as lesbian, simply stated i've got more in common with *her* than not.

(lately--post prop 8--i'm thinking more about aligning ourselves, vs. our few 'differences')

I absolutely think we need to align ourselves.

Perhaps the key is in not making the personal the general?

I have experienced shunning but to attach that to the general Lesbian Community is encompassing the masses in an event that involves only a few.

Am I not in turn BECOMING what I am angry about in doing so?

[Lynn]

Originally Posted by SuperFemme

I am mulling over in my head how people come in and say "I was shunned and ostracized by the Lesbian community" because it is their truth.

I am mulling over in my head the people that ARE the Lesbian community coming in and being hurt beyond measure because They did NOT participate in such hurtful behavior and it is NOT their truth.

Both groups of people have valid points and feelings that are in complete contradiction.

How DO WE get around this?

Maybe we could start by not generalizing to an entire community when speaking about individual experiences. I am suspicious about the existence of an actual lesbian community. Or, for that matter, a butch femme community or any other worldwide experience of community. Any lesbian who went out of her way to ostracize an individual, or who got a bunch of her friends to join in on the meanness is not someone who is in *my* lesbian community.

Have you seen the posts (mine included) that put in disclaimers and small print to utterly ensure that this is no one else's viewpoint but the poster's. When, in fact, that's all any one of us can speak to at any time, no matter how sweeping and all-inclusive our language gets.

On line, there are different levels of education, worldliness, writing and speaking abililties, intelligences, etc. No d'uh. We know this, but yet we often don't give each other a fucking break. I think when we're discussing different points of view, we just offer a little kindness and benefit of the doubt and that could go a long way toward avoiding pissing wars. Sarcasm and insults should be relegated to the fun and fluff threads.

My lesbian warrior with great hair identity is not threatened by anyone's babygirl identity, lesbian or not. Don't be afraid of me. I love you and I mean it.

[SuperFemme]

Originally Posted by Lynn

Maybe we could start by not generalizing to an entire community when speaking about individual experiences. I am suspicious about the existence of an actual lesbian community. Or, for that matter, a butch femme community or any other worldwide experience of community. Any lesbian who went out of her way to ostracize an individual, or who got a bunch of her friends to join in on the meanness is not someone who is in *my* lesbian community.

Have you seen the posts (mine included) that put in disclaimers and small print to utterly ensure that this is no one else's viewpoint but the poster's. When, in fact, that's all any one of us can speak to at any time, no matter how sweeping and all-inclusive our language gets.

On line, there are different levels of education, worldliness, writing and speaking abililties, intelligences, etc. No d'uh. We know this, but yet we often don't give each other a fucking break. I think when we're discussing different points of view, we just offer a little kindness and benefit of the doubt and that could go a long way toward avoiding pissing wars. Sarcasm and insults should be relegated to the fun and fluff threads.

My lesbian warrior with great hair identity is not threatened by anyone's babygirl identity, lesbian or not. Don't be afraid of me. I love you and I mean it.

I love you back and I love love love your post. Every. Single. Word.