Transcription: Lesbians fighting stereotypes
By Gail Hinchion
The phrase repeated most at the first Free University class on lesbianism was, “I’ve never been so happy as I am as a lesbian.”
About 25 women attended the first session of “A Lesbian’s View of Lesbianism” in the Indiana Memorial Union. The first two rows of chairs in the small conference room were conspicuously empty, but women seemed relaxed once group leader Janet Lewis arrived and pulled the chairs into discussion circle.
Lewis began the class with a discussion of myths and stereotypes about lesbians. Group members recalled such phrases as “All lesbians are truck drivers,” or “All lesbians dress masculine and have crew cuts.”
Humorous stereotypes do not affect these women. They have to deal with more subtle misconceptions such as the belief a lesbian’s whole life evolves around her lesbianism.
“Being a lesbian in’t the totality of your life,” Lewis said. One girl explained her parents never think to attribute her troubles or moods to outside pressures. All troubles stem from lesbianism, her parents think.
The class also discussed the stereotype, “All lesbians are man-haters.” Although lesbian sentiment about men varies, Lewis believes many lesbians have distaste for the idea women need men and the male dominated society.
“Some women are acting out of hostility to men. They won’t sleep with men. They won’t sleep with their oppressors. And they’re turning to women,” Lewis said.
Women are taught they don’t have anything to offer except what they can offer men, and so they are always giving, giving, giving, Lewis said. “Women are the first masochists of life,” she said.
“Women tend to put up so much energy into keeping a relationship going, and men just suck it up,” Lewis said. A lesbian relationship offers a more equal exchange of energy, she said.
Lewis, speaking of her lesbian life, indicates she has not only amply rationalized the contradiction between lesbianism and the social mores that women loving and touching women are mentally ill. She said she has learned society’s anti-lesbian beliefs are wrong.
“There is no reason why if I fall in love with another woman I can’t get close in all ways possible,” she said, and she maintains almost all women fall in love with other women sometime in their lives.
“So many women go so far (loving another woman) but cut it off to pursue the heterosexual way. It’s just not wrong to touch another woman’s body,” Lewis said.
Several women spoke freely of “coming out” and experiences as lesbians to encourage those women just admitting and exploring their lesbianism.
“A class like this can open people’s minds and they’ll see being a lesbian isn’t a problem. Not admitting it is a problem,” one class member said.
The class is directed towards sharing lesbian experiences such as coming out of or female sexuality. Several classes will also be devoted to lesbian artistic expression and accomplishments such as lesbian art, music and poetry.
