Lesbianism and Identity Politics during the Feminist Movement
Lesbianism refers to sexual attraction between females whereas identity politics refers to the action of members of a certain specific sub- group uniting in order to affect social change or political changes. Lesbianism in the recent past has been on the rise and its increase was particularly tremendous during the feminist movement which is accused of in sighting women to hate men and thus encouraging sexual closeness. There has been a heated argument as to whether lesbianism is a choice or not. This argument has triggered a lot of interest in scholars of gender studies and lately it is a debate in most countries on the impact it has on policy issues. This paper explores the fact that lesbianism can challenge patriarchy and heteronormativity. It is an argument that lesbianism is not an active rejection of patriarchy or a political strategy.
There is a heated argument on whether lesbianism is natural or not. Scholars do research to ascertain whether there are genetic factors behind this sexual orientation or it is purely an environmental triggered trait. The debate ends up dividing the scientists and the religious leaders, in their arguments the scientists argue that lesbianism could be natural and have thus conducted several studies to test this hypothesis whereas the religious leaders on the other end argue that it is a choice and they actually align to an anomaly in the moral stands. According to American Psychological Association sexual orientation is a long standing sexual affection that one feels towards another. In other word one doesn’t have to be exclusively homosexual or heterosexual but rather people can have varying degrees of affection towards different people of different sex.
Sexual orientation is a part of human development and people discover at various points in life that they are gay, lesbian or bi-sexual. Further, they argue that sexual orientation is different from sexual behavior and therefore you can get someone who is a lesbian taking part in heterosexual affairs. Some studies also carried in the 1950’s determine that some individuals are not exclusively homosexuals or heterosexuals but they portray mixed characteristics. It is difficult for human beings to choose things that are not considered normal in the society and therefore lesbianism should not be expressed as a choice. No one can make the choice considered wrong in the eyes of the society. Mostly with the rejection they face, there is no reason at all why someone would make a choice which makes them rejected by family, friends and the society at large.
Moreover, the lesbians have always been considered a minority group and in most countries they do not have a legal status. Basically, no one would choose to be a member of the minority group. They are also denied a lot of rights like freedom of expression then why would a human being give up their freedom for a sexual orientation that is a minority. If lesbianism is a choice then heterosexuality is a choice too and if that is the case the religious elites should at all condemn the group. This is basically, to mean that if the heterosexual did not choose his or her sexual orientation then the same argument should be applied that lesbians did not make a choice to be in such a sexual orientation.
The National mental Health Association of the United States of America says “that most researchers believe that sexual orientation is complex and that biology plays an essential role in determining a person’s sexual orientation.” This argument has led to a number of behavioral scientists conducting studies to get to the crux of the aspect. In a nut shell the scholar argue that people are born with their sexual orientation and this can be discovered at an early stage in someone’s life. Studies carried out in twins show that people with identical genes like the identical twins have higher likely hood of having the same sexual orientation than people with different genetic composition like fraternal twins. This basically proves that genes play a vital role in determining a person’s sexual orientation.
Studies on the possibility of existence of a gay gene are still undergoing and genetic studies experts believe that there is a possibility though; they have not been able to prove the hypothesis. A widely publicized study carried out in gay’s brain in 1999 shows that a certain part of the hypothalamus was relatively smaller in gay men. It is thus essential to note lesbians having nothing against men and they are not purposefully deviant to patriarchy. In most instances, they bear children but prefer to have sexual relationships with women. This therefore only proves that they still respect patriarchy. However, though lesbianism is not a choice it is generally considered a threat to patriarchy and heteronomativity this is owing to the various reasons.
Lesbianism deprives men of partners. Lesbians are considered competitors to heterosexual men owing to the fact that both target the same partners. They both draw from the same well. Most lesbians have a known urge of overcoming male domination in every sphere of their life whether private or public; therefore, the radical lesbian feminists are known to be anti-men and can do anything in their power to have a male free society. The radical lesbian feminists literary consider men as their enemy. Another major reason why lesbians are considered a threat to normalcy is because procreation is one of the major reasons why people indulge in sex. Lesbian relationship therefore threatens the procreation process.
Lesbianism is a challenge to the meaning of marriage and responsible parenting. This is owing to the fact that lesbianism and gay committed relationship are not monogamous. Research has shown that most happy lesbian relationship allow cheating are basically non-monogamous and this being the case then the meaning of marriage is altered completely by lesbianism. Lesbian relationships have also the challenge of staying stable where children are involved. These impacts on the expectations of bringing up children who should grow up in a steady home. It is reported that more than 56% of lesbians separate before their children are seventeen years of age. This consequently, affects the personality and character of children brought up in such marriages. One other end separation in heterosexuals’ relationships with children has been found to be between three and thirty percent owing to the fact that people endure for the sake of the children.
Lesbian relationships also impact on their children’s sex orientation. Most lesbian children are also lesbian. This is partly because of the socialization process which begins at home and also the fact that children look up to their parents like their significant other. Lesbians are also exposed to higher risks of transmitting sexually transmitted diseases, physical injuries, metal disorders and also a reduced life span. Lesbians are also more prone to promiscuity than heterosexual women. An Australian study proved that ninety three percent of lesbian women confessed to have had sex with men and also lesbians were four and half more times likely to have more than fifty lifetime male sex partners than heterosexual females. This proves that lesbians are more liberal and prone to promiscuity. Prostitution is considered abnormal and therefore lesbianism in general is a threat to normalcy.
The sexual practices between lesbians have been shown to have high risks of contracting sexually transmitted diseases and also physical injuries. Lesbians are known to use sexual items like vibrators and others with a shape of the penis, these cause injuries to their private parts. Lesbians are more prone to bacterial and yeast infections like: bacterial vaginosis, hepatitis B and Hepatitis C owing to the things they use for their sexual activities. They are also more prone to pelvic inflammatory diseases than the heterosexual women. They are also considered to be four times more likely than heterosexual women to be involved with men considered high risk for HIV. It has been argued that lesbianism contributes to the increasing margin of HIV and Aids.
Intravenous drug abuse is six times more in lesbians than heterosexuals. Transmission of diseases such as genital warts, Chlamydia and genital herpes has been discovered in lesbians. Cases of HPV , anogenital warts and trichomoniasis. There are high rates of psychological illnesses, drug abuse, heavy cigarette smoking and suicide attempts amongst lesbians. This has been observed even in countries like Netherlands where lesbianism is more accepted. Psychiatric illnesses are basically owing to the fact that in most countries lesbians are not socially accepted and therefore the rejection results to them feeling unwanted and they end up isolating themselves. This consequently, pushes them to drug abuse. In the United States of America depression and drug abuse are strongly associated with lesbianism and homosexuality. It is also argued that lesbians lose up to twenty years of their life expectancy; the reduced life span can be attributed to dangers arising from drug abuse, mental illnesses and sexually transmitted disease.
There have been arguments that mental illnesses are induced by the unwillingness to accept same sex attraction as normal i.e. homophobia which is defined as the opposition to gay sex or behavior. Homophobia has been attributed to the high cause of psychiatric diseases. Netherlands where it is even legal for gay people to marry still there is a high number of psychiatric diseases questioning the direct correlation between psychiatric illnesses and homophobia in a study conducted in Dutch and published in the archives of General Psychiatry, high rates of psychiatric diseases were found in same sex relationships. Lesbians were more likely to experience major depression, compulsive obsession disorder and panic disorder amongst other mental illnesses.
Issues like depression, drug abuse can result to reckless sexual behavior. The transmission of diseases amongst the lesbians is pertinent concern to the public health. This is owing to issue like the lesbians having unprotected sex owing to depression or intoxication by drugs. Women generally, are considered vulnerable to issues like rape and extreme caution should be taken, but under mental break downs and drug intoxication this is not very possible and therefore, they are subject to more risks and vulnerability relative to a heterosexual woman. None the less they feel that they have no dignity to care about owing to the rejection by the society and thus indulge very easily in reckless sexual behaviors.
Lesbianism’s impact and threat to heteronormativity fall in a continuous continuum and is a series, in the sense that one leads to the other. Drug abuse, mental illnesses and reckless sexual behavior impact heavily on the life expectancy of the affected people. It is one issue that contributes highly to the national index of the Dutch in pre-mature deaths and also dropping the average life expectancy. Lesbianism also impacts on the population increase in the sense that most lesbians do not wish to have babies and therefore, impacting on the number of births registered per year.
Women are known to be extra sensitive to how they look but that is not the case with lesbians. Most female obese cases are known to be lesbians and this in return affects the health index and success factors. Lesbianism is also known to be a threat to morality on issues of pre-marital and extra-marital sex. This owing to the fact that Lesbianism is not fully based on principles of monogamy. Though, there are arguments that Lesbian partners are more faithful to each other, there are also findings that most lesbians sleep with men in the course of their relationship.
Lesbianism has been considered a powerful political tool in the contemporary world owing to identity politics. Identity politics refer to members of a sub-group uniting in order to affect political or social change. In this case the unity of lesbians to influence political or social change is referred to us lesbianism movements. Feminist movements have been in existence and running their affairs since 1925 which began in the women world Fairs. This became intense by the 1960 when a new wave of women movement erupted called the Women’s liberation who argued that women were facing oppression from men in the male dominated society.
The historical society was basically patriarchal and women had limited rights, the women’s liberation formed concentrated on raising awareness to women on the oppression, they also concentrated on achieving reproduction and sexual freedom. This is the period that lesbianism first became public and gained a slight degree of acceptance mostly within the group. Lesbian periodicals like “a midwestern lesbian/feminist newspaper,” erupted in the 1980’s, the periodicals were an expression of women to free themselves from the control of men in all spheres as much as possible. Lesbianism can be considered a strong tool in fighting for social or political change for numerous reasons:
- Most members of the feminist’s movements are lesbians mostly the radical feminists.
- The world has acknowledged women as equal leading to various social changes
- The equality has impact on policy issues on politics, labor and education
It is essential to note that feminism is considered one of the most successful movements in the world. It basically, began in 1911 and to date a hundred and one years later it has made a lot of strides as far as fighting for change is concerned. In the contemporary world most people have come into acceptance of the fact that male and female are equal. Most parents now recognize their girls and give them equal attention to the boys Men also have appreciated this fact and they have also accepted to have a share of the domestic duties.
Feminism movements have also had a lot impact in the Family values and the Jury system. Most laws regarding divorce, children custody, and single parenthood have been spearheaded by feminist movement groups. Lesbianism has also been accused of creating divorces. This is owing to the myth that has been gaining a lot of popularity that lesbianism is more satisfying and has less stress. Therefore, most lesbians are actually divorce victims that try to find solace in lesbianism; mostly in cases where the divorce was a result of infidelity. In addition, they don’t have a reason to stick together in case of a misunderstanding and hence, separation is very high in lesbian relationships.
Lesbianism movements have a lot of impact in varied jurisdiction resulting to legislative changes in marital laws. The power of lesbianism cannot be underrated since they really result to sensitive changes. Children of heterosexuals enjoy being brought up in marriages that are valid and recognized and also the fact that both parents are essential for the growth of a child. Studies in the correlation of the physical health and relationship show that people in heterosexual relationships have better physical state relative to people in lesbian relationship who are very prone to mental illnesses. According to the study every ten psychiatric patients four are lesbians, three are homosexuals and three are heterosexuals.
Feminist movements are not only fighting for gender equality but also economic empowerment. This is having a shift on gender roles since now the women are career women in pursuit of economic empowerment. The zeal to be economically empowered is more evident in lesbians who are seen to portray a very high degree of independence. The women of today consider child bearing as an issue curtailing them from making money and therefore, they are in constant use of contraceptives. Lesbianism also impacts on the population increase in the sense that most lesbians do not wish to have babies and therefore, impacting on the number of births registered per year.
Moreover, the lesbians have always been considered a minority group and in most countries they do not have a legal status. Basically, no one would choose to be a member of the minority group. They are also denied a lot of rights like freedom of expression then why would a human being give up their freedom for a sexual orientation that is a minority. If lesbianism is a choice then heterosexuality is a choice too and if that is the case the religious elites should at all condemn the group. This is basically, to mean that if the heterosexual did not choose his or her sexual orientation then the same argument should be applied that lesbians did not make a choice to be in such a sexual orientation.
Conclusion
Lesbianism is an aspect that has led to a lot of controversy. This paper explored the argument that lesbianism is not a choice. Some studies have proved that one doesn’t have to be exclusively homosexual or heterosexual but rather people can have varying degrees of affection towards different people of different sex. Studies on the possibility of existence of a gay gene are still undergoing and genetic studies experts believe that there is a possibility though; they have not been able to prove the hypothesis. In addition there is an argument that Sexual orientation is a part of human development and people discover at various points in life that they are gay, lesbian or bi-sexual. Therefore, the fact that lesbianism is a minority group it is thus, not justifiable why a person would end up choosing such a group.
Lesbianism is a threat to patriarchal and to heteronomality owing to issue like: they compete with men for partners, vulnerability to promiscuity, drug abuse, mental illness and also increasing the rate of divorce. Lesbianism is a part of the feminist groups and they are considered an essential and successive group owning to the changes they have made both socially and politically e.g. recognition of women as equal gender and also gaining equal rights. In addition a number of affirmative actions have been crafted to reduce the disparity.
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