Jeanette Winterson’s The Poetics of Sex stands as a prevalent piece of writing that sheds light on the truth and relevance of LGBTQ+ social justice and awareness. The text addresses a series of frequently asked questions that a member of the lesbian community could find both redundant and slightly offensive. Through symbolic writing, Winterson paints a picture of two lovers not bound by society’s conceptions or structures. Using the pseudonyms for herself and her lover Winterson depicts them as the artist Picasso and the lyric poet Sappho, both artists of their craft. As the work progresses, she is able to unravel common misconceptions and shed a new light on the lack of difference between lesbian and heterosexual couples. Throughout the work
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In this section, Winterson describes Picasso as her mother and describes the process of her ‘birth’, “She baptized me from her own font and said, ‘I name thee Sappho.’ People often ask if we are mother and child…” (416). It is her birth to Picasso as Sappho that Winterson describes her birth as a lesbian and the birth of her true identity. Winterson serves to show that one does not always know at birth, that it sometimes takes an awakening or a second birth to find your true self. In the line, “It is no surprise that we do not always remember our name,” (Winterson, 416) that the idea of our society making one forget their ‘birth’ and become afraid to acknowledge their true identity is addressed. In our ever progressing world, though being LGBTQ+ is becoming more accepted, the fear of flaunting one 's identity is still terrifying. Winterson describes people’s warped vision eloquently, “They don’t see Picasso and me dignified in our love. They see perverts, inverts, tribades, homosexuals. They see circus freaks and Satan worshippers, girl-catchers and porno turn-ons. Picasso says they don’t know how to look at pictures either,” (416). Winterson’s speak is able to speak against the marginalization of people in the LGBTQ+ community and protests for the squashing of their difference as something …show more content…
It is through the addressing of each heading that Winterson is able to challenge the everyday societal generalizations that members of the LGBTQ+ community are faced with. In her work, she shows that there is so much more to the relationships and love of lesbian women than just the everyday thought. The eloquent love story between Picasso and Sappho exemplifies the truth and purity in the relationship and can attest to how lesbian love is so much more than “porno turn-ons” (Winterson, 416). The quote, “Poor girls, they are locked outside their words just as the words are locked into meaning…” (Winterson 418) can attest to the stereotypes, and how harsh they are on these women— and any others who are fighting to escape the confines of words. Winterson is aiming to take back the words and emotions stolen from her and other members of the LGBTQ+ community. In the section “Why Do You Hate Men?” Winterson explains an instance between her Picasso and a man named Salami, and how he does not like to hear their sex nor their joy. It is in this section that Winterson can speak of her command of the words stolen from her, “The real trouble is that we have rescued a word not allowed to our kind. He hears it pounding through the wall day and night. He smells it on our clothes and sees it smeared on our faces. We are happy Picasso and I. Happy,”
In this section, Winterson describes Picasso as her mother and describes the process of her ‘birth’, “She baptized me from her own font and said, ‘I name thee Sappho.’ People often ask if we are mother and child…” (416). It is her birth to Picasso as Sappho that Winterson describes her birth as a lesbian and the birth of her true identity. Winterson serves to show that one does not always know at birth, that it sometimes takes an awakening or a second birth to find your true self. In the line, “It is no surprise that we do not always remember our name,” (Winterson, 416) that the idea of our society making one forget their ‘birth’ and become afraid to acknowledge their true identity is addressed. In our ever progressing world, though being LGBTQ+ is becoming more accepted, the fear of flaunting one 's identity is still terrifying. Winterson describes people’s warped vision eloquently, “They don’t see Picasso and me dignified in our love. They see perverts, inverts, tribades, homosexuals. They see circus freaks and Satan worshippers, girl-catchers and porno turn-ons. Picasso says they don’t know how to look at pictures either,” (416). Winterson’s speak is able to speak against the marginalization of people in the LGBTQ+ community and protests for the squashing of their difference as something …show more content…
It is through the addressing of each heading that Winterson is able to challenge the everyday societal generalizations that members of the LGBTQ+ community are faced with. In her work, she shows that there is so much more to the relationships and love of lesbian women than just the everyday thought. The eloquent love story between Picasso and Sappho exemplifies the truth and purity in the relationship and can attest to how lesbian love is so much more than “porno turn-ons” (Winterson, 416). The quote, “Poor girls, they are locked outside their words just as the words are locked into meaning…” (Winterson 418) can attest to the stereotypes, and how harsh they are on these women— and any others who are fighting to escape the confines of words. Winterson is aiming to take back the words and emotions stolen from her and other members of the LGBTQ+ community. In the section “Why Do You Hate Men?” Winterson explains an instance between her Picasso and a man named Salami, and how he does not like to hear their sex nor their joy. It is in this section that Winterson can speak of her command of the words stolen from her, “The real trouble is that we have rescued a word not allowed to our kind. He hears it pounding through the wall day and night. He smells it on our clothes and sees it smeared on our faces. We are happy Picasso and I. Happy,”