Lesbians. A term that earned its fame during the 1970’s feminist movements. A time when lesbian and feminist were almost synonymous, as the lesbian feminists marched through the streets. They created a culture where women could be gay because lesbianism was a “viable sexual and lifestyle choice.” They were seen as taking back the power from a patriarchal and heterosexual dominated world. Lesbianism made the feminist movement thrive as it forced the subject of female sexuality into the open. However, now you hear more about lesbians having babies and what they need to know about sex. Lesbianism is the utmost “bulwark” against male domination and compulsory heterosexuality. Media, however, fosters “lesbian invisibility” and silence. It is the
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5). The subject of the masculine woman or the “tomboy” has never been as stigmatized as the “sissy” because, like all forms of women’s sexuality, lesbianism is never allowed to become a threatening reality. For instance, when Queen Victoria learned what a lesbian was, she completely disregarded the notion as ridiculous. This even though gayness, or “buggery” was still a death penalty in Britain during her reign (Timeline, 2017). Early laws against the queer community only mentioned men, ignoring lesbianism. During her time as queen, the punishment of death for homosexuality was overruled in place of imprisonment, and still, lesbianism was never mentioned. The analysis of homosexuality in media has always been through the question of, what is and is not masculine. The phrase “who’s a sissy?” has been such a huge part of the American lexicon for so many years. Essentially the insult of calling a man effeminate is saying he is akin to a woman and therefore not a “real” man. Even the once popular definition of gayness is rooted in sexism. It questions the weakness in men instead of the strength in women. Effeminate men, meaning men who are like women, have consistently related to “deviant” sexuality. “Sissy” men tend to signal a betrayal to the myth of male superiority, while “tomboy” women are overlooked or seen as reinforcing that myth. (Russo, 1987, p.
5). The subject of the masculine woman or the “tomboy” has never been as stigmatized as the “sissy” because, like all forms of women’s sexuality, lesbianism is never allowed to become a threatening reality. For instance, when Queen Victoria learned what a lesbian was, she completely disregarded the notion as ridiculous. This even though gayness, or “buggery” was still a death penalty in Britain during her reign (Timeline, 2017). Early laws against the queer community only mentioned men, ignoring lesbianism. During her time as queen, the punishment of death for homosexuality was overruled in place of imprisonment, and still, lesbianism was never mentioned. The analysis of homosexuality in media has always been through the question of, what is and is not masculine. The phrase “who’s a sissy?” has been such a huge part of the American lexicon for so many years. Essentially the insult of calling a man effeminate is saying he is akin to a woman and therefore not a “real” man. Even the once popular definition of gayness is rooted in sexism. It questions the weakness in men instead of the strength in women. Effeminate men, meaning men who are like women, have consistently related to “deviant” sexuality. “Sissy” men tend to signal a betrayal to the myth of male superiority, while “tomboy” women are overlooked or seen as reinforcing that myth. (Russo, 1987, p.