Popular Contemporary Lesbian & Bisexual Poets

This page offers an biographies and references for a selection of notable lesbian and bisexual women poets publishing today.

Paula Gunn Allen – 1939 – 2008
Paula, a novelist and poet, was born to Laguna-Sioux-Lebanese parents in New Mexico. She is an activist for Native American and women’s rights, and her political concerns transmit strongly through her poetry. Her work addresses the oppression of women in general and lesbians in particular. Paula has taught English and Native American Studies at many prominent universities, and is currently a professor of Native American Studies at University of California at Berkeley.

Becky Birtha – b. 1948
Becky defines herself as a black lesbian feminist Quaker from a middle-class background. She grew up primarily in Philadelphia, where she produced two collections of short stories and The Forbidden Poems (1991), a collection of her poetry. Her work has appeared in many anthologies. In 1985 she was awarded an Individual Fellowship in Literature from the Pennsylvania Council for the Arts, and in 1988 she received a Creative Writing Fellowship in literature from the National Endowment of the Arts. She teaches English and creative writing at Bryn Mawr and Haverford College.

Elizabeth Bishop – 1911-1979
Elizabeth Bishop was known for her mastery of poetic form and her attention to descriptive details. She befriended poet Marianne Moore while at Vassar and considered her a mentor. In 1951, she won a Lucy Martin Donelly Travelling Fellowship from Bryn Mawr College (on Moore’s recommendation) and she used this to travel to Brazil. While in Brazil, she met Lota de Macedo Soares, the woman she was to stayed with for sixteen years. While with Lota, she produced a great deal of work, including A Cold Spring, a collection that contained a number of lesbian love poems.

Elizabeth was honored with many awards. Her Complete Poems won the National Book Award in 1970, and Geography III won the National Book Critics Circle Award in 1977. Elizabeth was the first woman to win the prestigious Books Abroad/Neustad Interational Prize for Literature. She taught at Harvard, University of Washington, and New York University.

She had strong feelings against anything that divided art by gender and refused to appear in all-women anthologies. Because of this, if you’re looking for her work, you’ll have the most luck searching out collections containing only her poetry, rather than looking in lesbian poetry collections.

Olga Broumas – b. 1949
Olga, a native of Greece, began her poetic career by winning the Yale series of Younger Poets award in 1977 for Beginning with O. Stanely Kunitz, judge for the 1977 award, described her work as “of letting go, of wild avowals, unabashed eroticism: at teh same time it is a work of integral imagination, steep in the light of Greek myth that is part of the poet’s heritage and imbued with an intuitive sense of dramatic conflicts and resolutions, high style, and musical form.” In 1978 she was awarded a grant from the National Endowment of the Arts. Her books include Soie Sauvage, Perpetua, and two books with T. Begley: Sappho’s Gymnasium and Helen Groves. Olga has taught at many colleges and universities; currently she is the poet-in-residence at Brandeis University.

Chrystos – b. 1946
Born off-reservation to a Menominee father and a Lithuanian/Alsace-Lorraine mother, Chrystos is a poet and a activist heavily involved supporting Native Rights and prisoners’ causes. She is self-educated as a writer and artist. Her work forthrightedly speaks on her experiences and concerns as a Native American lesbian; her work is both political and erotic. Her poetry collections include Not Vanishing, Dream On, In Her I Am, Fugutive Colors, and Fire Power. Among her many awards and honors, Chrystos received a grant from the National Endowment of the Arts in 1990, a Lannan Foundation Fellowship for poetry in 1991, and the Sappho Award from the Aestrea Foundation in 1995.

Cheryl Clarke – b. 1947
Cheryl Clarke, an African-American lesbian-feminist poet, is the directory of the Office of Diverse Community Affairs and Lesbian-Gay Concerns, Rutgers University. She has published four books of poetry: Narratives: Poems in the Tradition of Black Women, Living as a Lesbian, Humid Pitch, and experimental love (a Lambda literary award finalist).

Clare Coss – b. 1935
Clare is a playwright, poet, and psychotherapist. She is the editor of the recently published poetic anthology The Arc of Love.

Jewelle Gomez – b. 1948
Jewelle is an activist, essayist, novelist, and poet. She published Oral Tradition: poems old and new and her poetry appears in many anthologies. She lives in San Francisco where she teaches creative writing and popular culture.

Judy Grahn – b. 1940
Judy Grahn has published ten volumes of poetry (including The Queen of Swords and The Queen of Wands), is playwright, novelist, has contributed to many anthologies, and author of non-fiction. She is particularly known for her books Another Mother Tongue: Gay Words, Gay Worlds (1984) and The Highest Apple. The latter examines the work of nine major poets within a lesbian context. Judy is known for a political consciousness in her poetry, critiquing heterosexist and partriachal biases in our culture. She teaches at the California Institute of Integral Studies.

Marilyn Hacker – b. 1942
Marilyn, a teacher, poet, and editor, is the author of eight books. Her poetry collection Presentation Piece (1974) was a Lamont Poetry Selection and received the National Book Award in 1975. She received critical acclaim for Love, Death, and the Changing of the Seasons (1986) a book of sonnets that explore a lesbian relationship from inception through to end. Her talent with sonnets and sonnet sequences earn her a distinctive place among modern poets, where such forms are no longer as frequently explored. Mairlyn has received Lambda Literary Awards for Going Back to the River and Winter Numbers. She lives in New York City.

Joan Larkin – b. 1939
Joan is a poet and playwright who has been active in producing ground-breaking lesbian and gay poetic anthologies. With Elly Bulkin, she edited Amazon Poetry (the first lesbian poetic anthology) and Lesbian Poetry (1981). She co-edited Gay & Lesbian Poetry in Our Time (Lambda Literary Award winner for poetry in 1989) with Carl Morse. She has taught writing full-time since 1969. You can find Joan’s work in many anthologies, as well as in her two collections: Housework and A Long Sound.

Audre Lorde – 1934-1992
Well-known essayist and poet, Audre Lorde described herself as black, lesbian, feminist, poet, mother, and warrior. Through her writing and activism, she fought for African-American rights. Her work is lyrical and socially aware, infused with lesbian consciousness. Her writing on the topic of poetry challenges that it should not be a sterile word play, but a “revelatory distillation of experience.” She produced ten volumes of poetry, five books of prosed, received numerous awards and honors, and was the New York State Poet Laureate from 1991-1993. Audre died after fighting a 14-year battle with breast cancer.

Cherríe Moraga – b. 1952
Cherríe is a Chicana essayist, poet, and playwright. Her volume of poetry, Loving in the War Years (1983) was the first was the collection published by an openly lesbian Chicana. She founded The Kitchen Table/Women of Color Press. She also co-edited the anthology, This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color, which won the 1986 Before Columbus American Book Award. Cherríe is a part-time lecturer at the University of California, Berkeley, teaching Chicano/Chicana Studies. She lives in San Francisco.

Lesléa Newman – b. 1955
Lesléa is perhaps one of the most widely-diversified and prolific lesbian writers today. She is the author and editor of over twenty books and produces a regular column (“Out of the Closet and Nothing to Wear”). She has produced plays, children’s books (including the controversial Heather Has Two Mommies), novels, and poetry collections. Her work often addresses the unique issues faced by Jewish women, lesbians, and particularly, Jewish femme lesbians. She has also written extensively on eating disorders, body image, and incest. Lesléa’s own poetry volumes are Love Me Like You Mean It (1987) and Sweet Dark Places (1991). Her anthology The Femme Mystique includes poetry with prose, and her recent poetic anthology My Lover Is A Woman features the work of hundreds of popular and emerging lesbian poets. In 1989, Lesléa won the Massachusetts Artists Fellowship in Poetry.

Minnie Bruce Pratt – b. 1946
Minnie, born in Selma, Alabama, is the author of stories, essays, and poetry. Her poetry collections include We Say We Love Each Other and Walking Back up Depot Street. Crime Against Nature, her second book of poetry, was the Lamont Poetry Selection for 1990 and was nominated for a Pulitzer Price. Minnie teaches at George Washington University and the University of Maryland at College Park.

Adrienne Rich – b. 1929
Adrienne Rich is probably the most widely-read American lesbian poet. She is well-respected as a master of poetic craft and form. She began receiving praise early; her collection A Change of World (1952) won the Yale Younger Poets Award. She married in 1953, raised three sons, divorced her husband in 1970, and began sharing her life with her current female partner in 1976. Her poetry reflects her varied life journeys and elevated consciousness; she insists that poetry must be forceful enough to change lives, and works toward this goal. Her awards and honors would fill pages–among them she received the 1991 Common Wealth Award in Literature, the 1992 William Whitehead Award for lifetime achievement, and the Academy of American Poets’ 1992 fellowship for “distinguished poetic achievement.” Her sequence “Twenty-one Love Poems” (included in The Dream of a Common Language) has been quoted in many books and excerpted in a number of anthologies. To date, she has published twenty books of poetry and four books of prose.

Muriel Rukeyser – 1913-1980
Muriel was a poet, literary translator, and political activist who spoke out passionately on topics of social justice. She began her poetic career by receiving the Yale Younger Poets Award (1935) for Theory of Flight. She published 19 volumes of poetry and four books of prose. Two newly available books are Out of Silence: Selected Poems and A Muriel Rukeyser Reader. In 1967 she was elected to the National Institute of Arts and Letters. She did not speak openly about her sexual orientation. She had a short marriage in the forties and also had lesbian relationships. Just before she died, she indicated a desire to become more public about her lesbian identity by participating in a lesbian poetry conference, but was unable to follow through due to ill health.

May Sarton – 1912-1993
May was an active journal writer, essayist, novelist, and poet. She preferred the form of meter and rhyme to free verse. She won numerous awards and honors during her long literary career, during which she produced 54 volumes of poetry, novels, journals, essays, and children’s books. Her work was not obviously lesbian-identified until later years. Her later journals speak more openly of her relationships. She remembers her long-term relationships with Judith Matlock in her poetry book Honey in the Hive (1988). The film: May Sarton: A Self Portrait (1982) explores her life.

Anne Sexton – 1928-1974
Anne Sexton was a poet, an author of children’s books, and a lecturer. She led a troubled life during which she battled mental illness, making many suicide attempts and spending time in hospitals. Despite her struggles, she created poetry that was critically acclaimed, often seen as both gifted and disturbing. All My Pretty Ones (1964) her second volume of poetry, was nominated for a National Book Award. Live or Die (1966) won the Puliter Prize. Her work often expresses great pain, and also explores topics of women’s lives that were not as commonly written about before her publishing (issues such as abuse, abortion, menstruation, and rage). While, for a period of time, Anne had an intense friendship with another woman that may or may not have been sexual in nature, she did not identify as a lesbian. However, at least one of the poems she wrote during that time (“Song to A Lady” from Love Poems, 1967) has distinct lesbian appeal.

May Swenson – 1919-1989
May, a journalist and editor, was also a gifted and inventive poet who wrote on topics such as nature, scientific research, and eroticism. She possessed a distinctive skill for expressing sexuality through descriptions of nature, as well as for creating detailed descriptions of an environment that then led to profound observations on the human physical or spiritual condition. She published 10 collections of her own poetry and one book of translated poems (translated from Swedish, her first language). Her book Another Animal (1954) was chosen by John Wheelock as the first of his Scribner Series Poets of Today. She held the Bollingen Prize in Poetry and a John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Fellowship. She served as a Chancellor of the Academy of American Poets, as well. For a glimse of some particularly beautiful lesbian love poems, see The Love Poems of May Swenson (1991).

Saying Goodbye To Lesbian Bed Death

Sometimes when a couple has been together for a long time, sex isn’t the main priority for them, or one person in the relationship isn’t as into it. Regarding lesbian relationships, this has been called “Lesbian Bed Death” (LBD).

Just like any other type of couple, a lesbian couple might find that they’re not as passionate as they were when they first met. Even though this a common occurrence for those who’ve been together long-term, it is a hot topic in the LGBTI+ community. This issue can be worked on if both partners in the relationship are willing to give it a shot. Read on for some ideas you can use to spice up your sex life and put LBD behind you.

Reintroduce romance to the relationship
It’s easy enough to take your partner for granted when you’ve been together for awhile. You’re both most likely very busy, juggling work and family life. See what happens when you start to surprise your partner with tickets to a movie they want to see or some flowers. Whatever you know will make them smile.

Spend some time on your own
Have your own life and social circle. Maybe take up a new hobby or join a group with similar interests. A little time away from each other now and then will make you appreciate each other more.

Go ahead and have sex
There’s always an excuse to not have time for something that seems like a luxury. Sex is an important part of an intimate relationship. Make it a priority and set aside time for quick, but passionate lovemaking during a break at work, or go on a mini vacation to a hotel, even near home.

Show affection toward each other
When you’re not being loving and affectionate (touching, cuddling, kissing, etc.), you might as well be housemates. Long-term relationships need love and attention. Remember why you were so excited about your partner in the first place and go from there.

Harmful Myths About Lesbian Partner Violence

Domestic violence happens in every type of relationship

Crisis line counselors are sometimes warned to be extra vigilant when they screen those seeking safety from domestic violence because, in the case of lesbian relationships, some pretend to be victims in order to be admitted into a shelter to access their partner. Turning a blind eye to domestic violence in lesbian relationships tells abusers they can get away with it…because they do. Here are some myths about same sex partner violence in lesbian relationships that need to come out in the open:

Because there are two women in the partnership they must have equal power.

People have skewed ideas about how different people of one sex can be–women in particular. There are women who are very capable of using incredible strength to cause great physical harm to their partner–biting, punching, kicking…all of it. Homicides and serious injury do occur. Not all women are nurturing. In fact, in a survey that included over 1,100 lesbians, more than half said they were abused by a same sex partner at some point in their life. And, up to 50 percent of lesbians have reported sexual abuse.

Sexual abuse doesn’t exist in lesbian partnerships.

Unfortunately, people tend not to believe that sexual abuse happens in lesbian relationships. When they think of this type of abuse, there is an idea that forced penetration with a penis must be involved. This is completely false. Emotional abuse with coercion and threats often occur in lesbian relationships, which forces one woman to submit. Threatening to “out” a partner is common as is humiliation in general. One woman can very well dominate another in a violent manner and sexually abuse the other, despite common beliefs to the contrary.

Lesbians and heterosexuals are equally as challenged after leaving an abusive relationship.

Although leaving an abusive relationship is difficult for anyone, lesbians face some specific challenges that heterosexuals don’t. Many lesbians do not seek assistance because they fear a homophobic response. Others are ashamed of their own sexuality due to messages they received growing up. Lesbians often don’t feel like they can be themselves much less risk being rejected when they seek help. Sometimes they’re not out to their families and abusers take advantage of this fact to further isolate them, perpetuating dependence.

Butch lesbians are the only ones who are abusive.

A woman doesn’t have to identify as butch or have any typically masculine traits whatsoever to be an abusive person. Not every lesbian relationship is butch/femme. A feminine lesbian who is an abuser can use this false assumption to her advantage. She might threaten to call the police when she’s not the one who is actually the victim. Sadly, law enforcement sometimes falls for this when the partner being blamed looks more masculine.

Sexual Safety During Pregnancy Possible For Lesbians Too

Worrying about the safety of sexual activity is not something limited to heterosexual couples. Many lesbian couples worry, too. Thankfully, there’s generally no reason to avoid intimacy when you’re expecting. However, there may be certain activities your doctor will advise you to avoid if you are considered a high-risk pregnancy.

Pregnant lesbians may find the topic of sex to be a touchy subject. During pregnancy some women experience heightened senses and an increased libido, while others lack sexual desire completely. Some have partners who are afraid of injuring the baby and, as a result, put any sexual feelings on the back burner. It’s important to keep in mind, though, that most pregnant women want to be intimate and many want to participate in sexual activity.

Even if genital sex is not desired, there are other ways to go about creating intimacy such as massage, kissing, and touching. The majority of types of lesbian sexual activity, including light penetration, is safe for most pregnant women. However, it’s important to stay away from certain activities such as rough S&M, deep thrusting, or fisting. Do not continue any sexual activity that triggers any discomfort. Avoiding sex toys such as vibrators, dildos and strap-ons are suggested since there’s difficulty in knowing where they’re touching exactly.

During pregnancy, it’s important to take time for yourselves. Otherwise, you’ll find that you won’t naturally have that emotional energy. Take time to get together with friends and family. This is especially important if you’re a single pregnant woman, finding that you’re isolated from most of the lesbian community during this time. Perhaps you’ll even find it worth considering to give yourself a spa day.

And, if you are in a partnership, include your loved one for the spa day. You needn’t even visit a spa. Stay home, give each other massages, have a special dinner together, and even a gigantic dessert. Why not? At least once in awhile.

This is not an easy time for couples, in general, but it can still have more ups than downs. You can both keep your relationship fresh, especially when remembering that you’re going to have to take it more slowly than usual. You might have actual sex less, but find that you’ll become more intimate with your partner in ways that you never imagined.

Tips for Lesbians Seeking a Love Life Boost

Do you feel a little bored with your life? Or, maybe even feel like it’s a chore? That’s not what anyone wants when it comes to sex. It’s okay. It’s normal to go through periods of time when you’re somewhat stuck and need to put a little more effort into spicing things up.

Spend time together
It’s wise not to assume things will work out on their own. You need to put some effort into creating a more satisfying love life. Mark your calendar and set aside an entire day for the two of you to explore each other completely — mind and body. Both of you may be pleasantly surprised about what you discover.

Kiss for awhile
Why don’t both of you spend a lot more time kissing, without worrying about doing anything else? Often, lovers spend a lot of time thinking about the end result. You may find that if you spend time kissing, you’ll become much more intimate and sex will be phenomenal.

Don’t become too comfortable
You and your lover need not become victims of lesbian bed death. Make sure to spend some time away from each other once in a while; make your own friends, and just socialize. A little bit of time away from each other will make you both appreciate one another that much more. Of course, this appreciation and excitement will extend to the bedroom.

Buy some toys
Even the thought alone and the decision to purchase a good toy is exciting. If you’re both inexperienced, check out some websites that sell adult toys, and communicate about what turns you on. Maybe start with a dildo, which is pretty versatile. If you decide you want to go all out and use a strap-on for sex, do that, too. It’s your choice, and that can be arousing on its own.

Pick out a good lube
This is important to use on your sex toys, but also in general. It can be rubbed in all sorts of sexy places and is even more arousing if you choose one with stimulant properties.

Massage
Incorporate some massage into your love life. Make sure to explore every inch of your lover’s body. Using lotions and oil makes it that much better. You may discover new places you both like to be touched.

Dress up/Role play
You might decide to go for some power playing if you’re in a respectful, trusting relationship. This may strengthen your trust towards each other. One person playing the dominating role can be incredibly arousing. You may also choose to use costumes and uniforms. Invite a light-hearted sense of humor to set the mood. Laughing together can be sexy…and maybe you’ve always been turned on by a woman in uniform–here’s your chance to make that happen.

Common Myths About Lesbians

Are you a lesbian tired of hearing myths about who you are and what you do?

Or, are you just curious and want to dig beneath the surface for some truth? Either way, it’s important to clear up some common misconceptions every once in awhile. Some of them can be quite damaging. Let’s look at some of the more frequent myths:

Lesbians are man-haters
This isn’t true at all. In fact, there are lesbians who love men. They have long-term friendships with men and might have a man who’s a best friend to them. It’s confusing that this myth is popular at all because it doesn’t make logical sense.

Butch lesbians really want to be men
It’s true that we all express ourselves in different ways and sometimes it happens that women wear clothing or their hair in styles that are more traditionally masculine. It does not follow that women want to be another gender. Those looking to change their sex are transsexual. Sometimes clothing style has little to do with expression and more to do with comfort.

You must sleep with a woman before you know you’re a lesbian
If heterosexuals can know they’re attracted to someone else before sex, the same applies to lesbians, or anyone else for that matter.

If you’re a lesbian this means you’re attracted to all women
Bogus. This is a myth where anyone’s concerned. Apply it to yourself. Are you attracted to everyone of a specific group?

Being a lesbian is a choice
There have been numerous types of therapies attempting to get people to “become” straight that are not only ineffective, but downright damaging. Studies have shown that sexual orientation isn’t chosen and that it’s an inborn trait.

Lesbians relationships are about sex
Not true. Lesbian relationships are often multi-faceted, involving families and emotional connections as well as sex.

Lesbians just haven’t found ‘the right man’
If anything, many lesbians haven’t found the right woman yet. Just as in any type of relationship, it takes some time to find the right partner. Lesbians aren’t interested in finding the right man because they’re attracted to women. It seems simple enough, but a lot of people find that difficult to swallow.

You know a lesbian when you see her
You might, in fact, have a decent intuition or “gaydar”, but this is not something that can be measured in any definite way just by looking at someone.

One partner plays “the man” in a lesbian relationship
Sometimes the dynamics of a same sex relationship make it seem easier to assume that male/female roles are being played, but it’s not the case. There are a lot of different kinds of lesbian relationships, butch/femme being one, but that doesn’t mean that one person is pretending to be a man.

Lesbians can’t be religious or spiritual
There are some churches that are accepting of all humans, and spirituality is a subjective experience. Unfortunately, there are some denominations that would think lesbians are living in sin.

Butch, Dyke, Femme or Lipstick Lesbian?

What Do They Mean and Where Do they Come From?

I’ve been caught out myself quite a few times. I’ve been hanging out with a group of lesbian friends in a bar, catching up on gossip and the latest on off relationships (much like the L Word), when someone surprises me with a term where I just haven’t got a clue what they are on about! I used to nod my head in failing agreement trying to hide the fact that I haven’t got the slightest inkling whether Jane who lives down the street is a Dieseldyke, or not!

It got to the point where I was too afraid to say much in case I made a fool of myself – so, instead of vegging out in front of the TV, I hit the web by storm and researched all the lesbian terms I possibly could so I would never fall into the same trap again. Now I consider myself to be pretty much on par with everyone else, but I thought I would make it easier for you womyn out there who aren’t quite up to scratch by publishing it all right here!

So here it is – my lesbian terms dictionary. I’ve even thrown in some of the origins of words so you can look extra clued up next time your buddies go out for coffee. I haven’t organized it alphabetically, but in groups of terms that have similar meanings.

Women Who Love Women

Boston Marriage
Definition: Old fashioned term describing two unmarried women who shared a house together.
Origins: This originates from the nineteenth century when it was acceptable for two unmarried women to share a house together. It is hard to say how many of these women were lesbians!

Lesbian
Definition: A gay woman. This is often shortened to les or lesbo.
Origins: This term was originally used for natives of the Greek island of Lesbos. An ancient poet called Sappho lived here and wrote many love sonnets to women or describing same sex relationships. It was first used as a term to describe a gay woman in the 1890’s.

Sapphism
Definition: Another term for lesbianism
Origins: Direct origination from the poet Sappho who wrote love sonnets to and about women.

Masculine Vs Feminine

Butch
Definition: Used to describe a lesbian who is masculine in appearance and outlook. Often relates to the way she dresses, the hairstyle, the shoes she wears etc.
Origins: There are conflicting stories as to where this term originated from. Some say it comes from 1930’s America from Butch, a strong and popular man’s name of that time. Others believe it stems from the 1950’s when both in the UK and USA working class lesbian couples dressed as one masculine and one feminine, whilst the middle class preferred to hide behind their feminine demeanor. Another important influence on Butch lesbians comes from the same period in lesbian bars where you were forced to dress Butch or Femme. Such distinction in dress is not as apparent nowadays but when you know someone that prefers power tools to cookery and dresses in comfy men’s clothes then she’s probably a Butch at heart.

Dyke
Definition: Another term for butch.
Origins: This may have originated from the Celtic language, or possibly from the slang word dike used in the nineteenth century which means male clothing. This term is widely accepted in lesbian circles but if a straight person were to call you a dyke this is thought to be offensive!

Bulldyke
Definition: Incredibly masculine lesbian.
Origins: This supports the theory that dyke originates from the Celtic language as Queen Boudicca was around at the time and she was known for being an incredibly powerful woman.

Dieseldyke
Definition: Once again this term means incredibly masculine lesbian, particularly those that drive heavy equipment and trucks.
Origins: Good old 1990’s slang!

Soft Butch
Definition: A lesbian that appears hard and masculine on the outside but has a soft heart! This is a relatively new term.

Baby Dyke
Definition: A young lesbian that’s coming out.

Femme
Definition: A lesbian who dresses in a feminine nature and has a feminine manner. Femmes are said to prefer skirts, flouncy clothes, makeup, and spending inconceivable amounts on their hair. They are the opposites of Butch.
Origins: This originates from the same time as Butch became popular in the 1950’s where lesbians were forced to choose which way they would dress in bars, or the working class lesbian couples chose to dress that way.

Lipstick Lesbian
Definition: Another term for Femme. However it can also mean feminine women who are attracted to other feminine women. It’s also used to describe women who pretend to be lesbians, just for personal gains. For example, where would the porn industry be without all those women who have sex with other women just for the money!
Origins: This is a slang term introduced in the late 1990’s.

Everything In-between!

Androgynous
Definition: A lesbian who is neither masculine nor feminine in appearance or behavior. Universally known as Unisex.

Chapstick Lesbian
Definition: Another term for Androgynous
Origins: Introduced in the late 1990’s to take on all those lipstick lesbians out there!

So there it is; my guide to lesbian terms. Short and simple, I know, but this should certainly keep you up with the rest of the pack. I often think, though, that many of the terms – such as Butch and Femme – relate to what the person is, or appears to be on the outside. All I can say is that I know some women that appear Butch on the outside but are as feminine, and soft, and flouncy, on the inside as any Femmes out there. Maybe some day these terms will evolve to describe personality, and emotions, but for now let’s just be satisfied that we finally understand what everyone’s harping on about!

You’re Not the Only Lesbian in Town!

Whether you’ve grown up all your life in a quiet, sleepy little town and just “Came Out”, or you’ve moved to the back of beyond with your partner, there’s no need to feel that you are the only lesbian – or lesbians – in town! It may seem like a sleepy, little place full of retired citizens and schoolteachers, but there’s a whole underground world out there that you haven’t explored! You’ll be surprised just how many lesbians come out of the woodwork when you know where to look. I reveal the easiest ways to find out what lesbians get up to in your local area and just how to hook up with them!

Look Online for Lesbian Groups
Something of a huge advantage to you is your PC. No home is complete without one nowadays, so get online and search for local lesbian groups in your area. It often happens that lesbians who live in remoter areas outside of major city centre gay and lesbian populations, make friends and meet up regularly by forming groups. They may just be groups that have trips to gay bars and clubs, or they may meet for a specific purpose. For example, there could be some lesbian art classes or lesbian literature groups. Just join one that sounds like your cup of tea; there’s no point in joining an art class if you hate drawing and lack any attention span! Many of them will mail out regular newsletters that you can subscribe to. These newsletters will tell you all the up-and-coming events that you can attend.

Lesbian Holidays
There are lots of companies that help to bring lesbians together by arranging lesbian-only holidays. This may only be camping in your local camp site, or walking in the nearby countryside, but if it gives you an opportunity to meet likeminded people then it’s well worth investigating. These tend to be inexpensive so don’t worry about having to take out a loan to meet other lesbians. All you’ll need is a tent, sleeping bag, and a bit of money towards food and drink, and you’ll probably have the time of your life. You never know, they may be organizing a trip to the next Gay Pride event and what better way to celebrate your sexuality than with new found friends!

Local Lesbian Bars and Clubs
You may laugh when you read this but there will probably be lesbian bars and clubs nearby to you. Sometimes they are secretive, or very well hidden, but they do exist. Once again you should use the internet as your resource as this will be able to tell you where the nearest bars and clubs are in your area – it may take you a few minutes, or a few days, to find these online, but, if you search long and hard enough, you will find them. If it feels a bit daunting heading out on your own then take a gay-friendly straight friend. They’ll probably have a whale of a time, and it will give you the opportunity to meet new people and mix in with lesbian crowds. You never know, people who you actually know may even be there; you just never knew they were lesbians!

Internet Chat Rooms
There are a lot of people out there that feel isolated from the lesbian world because of where they live, and many of them turn to internet chat rooms to find solace and comfort. However, once they step inside their first chat room they find that there are several people who live within a few miles radius of their own home chatting away! This can be a really useful way to make new friends, and potential partners. Just make sure that you can trust them implicitly before arranging to meet with them – as there can be some very sad and strange people online. You will also find that many lesbian chat rooms have message boards where you can add your own message. Why not try putting up your own asking for contact from people who live in your neck of the woods? You’ll be surprised just how many people reply!

Lesbian Magazines
You should also subscribe to lesbian magazines. They will be full of articles to keep you up to date with what’s going on in the world of lesbianism – and, quite often, they have events pages or pages of people looking for friends or relationships. You may even stumble across an advert for a local lesbian group. It’s well worth the few dollars it will cost you once a month!

Set Up Your Own
Alternatively, if all else fails and you just can’t find a group that appeals to you, or is even close by, then why not set up on your own? It’s not difficult! Offer a newsletter, set up a mini website or blog, and wait for local lesbians to start contacting you. You may need to advertise in local papers, or national magazines, if you want to organize trips or events, but you’ll be surprised just how many people will want to join!

There are so many lesbians that live near to you; you just don’t know it yet!

Cervical Cancer Risk for Lesbians

The risk factors for developing cervical cancer are the same for all women regardless of gender identity and sexual orientation (LGBT Health Education .org). That said, bisexual women and lesbians are ten times less likely to get tested for cervical cancer.

Regular screenings, however, have been shown to be the best way to catch it early when treatment options and outcomes are the best. Lesbians are less likely to get preventative healthcare out of all women and lesbians and bisexuals are less likely to have health insurance that heterosexual women. Originally, cervical cancer was the most deadly form of cancer for women. Today, with early screening, it is one of the most preventable.

Since we know now that bisexual and lesbian women are the least likely to be screened, an outreach program is underway to get cervical cancer under control, and these two groups have been designated as priority populations. In addition, black women suffer the highest mortality rates from cervical cancer, while the highest age-adjusted rates are suffered by Hispanic women. Survival rate from cervical cancer within the first five years of being diagnosed is 67.9%, but if it is found early on, the survival rate is 90.7%. That’s why it’s so important to reach out to these populations and motivate them to get regular screenings.

Smoking, immunosuppression often related to HIV, and human papilloma virus (HPV) infection are major risk factors for cervical cancer. Many in the LGBT community such as lesbian women, bisexual women and transgender men who still have a cervix have higher chances of having or developing these other conditions, and so have an increased risk of developing cervical cancer. What makes matters worse, since they are much less likely to be insured, they are less likely to seek out preventative care.

Obesity is another risk factor which is also higher among lesbians. Not as much data is available on bisexual women, though some studies show that they may have lower insurance rates and higher smoking rates, making them also more susceptible. One study found that 2.2% of bisexual women develop cervical cancer as opposed to 1.3% of heterosexual women. Hispanic and black bisexual and lesbian women should be particularly targeted for an outreach program.

Although we are seeing more and more types of studies being done concerning LGBT health, more still has to be done. We see that race and age data is often collected while sexual orientation data often slips through the cracks of the healthcare system. There has been a pivot recently. LGBT health is becoming more of a priority in communities across the country and certainly on the national front. We should see this data being collected more and issues such as this coming to the forefront, as well as policies and procedures to better address the health disparities suffered by the LGBT community.

Cervical Cancer Risk for Lesbians and WSW
Dr. M. Mirza, LGBT Health Wellness – 2015

Lesbians, women of genius

Lesbians, women of genius: Hong Kong star Denise Ho, who is mobilizing for democracy, iconic football player Megan Rapinoe who refuses to meet Trump, Adèle Haenel who broke Caesar: lesbians are making history, says activist Alice Coffin popularizing the concept of “lesbian genius.”

This article is from Libé’s feminism and sexuality newsletter L.

Lesbians have genius and we don’t know that. Collective Barbe and activist Alice Coffin from the European Lesbian Conference said, “They play a leading role in many social and political movements, and this is unspoken. There are many examples throughout history. Hong Kong pop star Denise Ho and the Umbrella Democratic movement, iconic American football player Megan Rapinoe. and refusal to see Trump in the White House, Black Lives Matter, founders of the black American movement, or tennis player Billie Jean King, who demanded equal pay to men in the 70s …

Being a lesbian is not only a romantic or sexual trend, but also a way to exist in the world. Doing it without people’s eyes will provide considerable political freedom, greater freedom of psychic thinking. “Lesbian genius is the capacity to think and grasp these mechanisms of society that are completely different from the codes prevailing in patriarchy. This genius is also the power to cultivate them, ”explains Alice Coffin. The concept was born in European militant circles, the French activist made a book for it and it was released by Grasset this spring. Speaking of lesbian genius is fighting one of the biggest discriminations lesbians suffer: invisibility. “The word ‘lesbian‘ is difficult to pronounce even in public spaces. With that word, we had to fight against Google that was sending spam messages directly,” Alice Coffin said.

Lesbian Author Patricia Highsmith

Patricia Highsmith (1921-1995) is credited with writing many novels.

Her novels are psychological thrillers. Here are just a few of them

The Price of Salt (as Claire Morgan, 1952)

The Blunderer (1954)

The Talented Mr. Ripley (1955)

Deep Water (1957) –

This Sweet Sickness (1960)

The Cry of the Owl (1962)

The Tremor of Forgery (1969) –

Ripley Under Ground (1970

Suspension of Mercy (1965)

Those Who Walk Away (1967

Edith’s Diary (1977)

An Unhappy Childhood

Patricia did not have a happy childhood. She did not meet her father until she was twelve years of age. In later years, Patricia believed that her current problems of alcoholism, anorexia and feelings of inadequacy stemmed from her repressed childhood. Her mother seems to have been cold and unloving and homophobic. Patricia would hear sentences from her mother in her teens, such as “Are you a les? because you are beginning to make noises like one.” Years later, when journalists were waiting to interview Patricia, her mother even posed as her.

College Years and Lesbian Affairs

Patricia attended Barnard University and was known to be an intellectual. She had a number of affairs with women which was easy for Patricia who was known for her beauty and her wit. Her aloof nature may have also been a challenge and an attraction. Perhaps, it was hard for Patricia to love when she had never felt love as a child.

You Will Not be a Lesbian

Her mother and other family members wanted Patricia to marry and be “cured” of her homosexuality. For whatever reason (be it money or a need to be loved), Patricia agreed to undergo a long period of psychoanalysis. It failed.

To Thine Own Self Be True

Like so many gays and lesbians, the acceptance of her own sexuality was a reward to who she was and it provided positive creativity for her bestselling novels and short stories.

An Unique Personality

It is true that Patricia had a macabre imagination. In her later years, she became increasingly anti-social and “unusual.” She developed a friendship with snails and brought them with her. She placed them in her purse.

In closing, I look at Patricia’s life and cheer her for her bravery, creativity and hope that she found love in some of her relationships.

Paula, 2015, stories4hotbloodedlesbians.com

American First Lesbian Attorney General

If you are confused about American politics (which I as a Canadian am often), there are two major parties in the USA – the Democrats and the Republicans. President Obama is a Democrat.

If you are a lesbian, then the Democratic party is kinder to you. Under President Obama and with pressure on the Supreme Court by the LGBT community and their friends, state by state is legalizing same-sex marriage.

Democrat Maura Healey was elected as the state’s new top cop last night,succeeding her former boss Martha Coakley and making history as the nation’s first openly gay state attorney general.

“I’m so humble and grateful to the voters across the state for turning out to elect me,” said Healey, who plans to tackle gun violence, prescription drug and heroin abuse, and civil rights, among other issues, when she takes office in January.

“It’s a broad agenda and a big agenda. … As attorney general you don’t have the luxury to do just one thing at once,” Healey said. “It’s important to build and maintain the top talent in the attorney general’s office so we’re able to protect the people of Massachusetts.”

Healey, who helped lead the legal battle to strike down the Defense of Marriage Act and give federal recognition to same-sex married couples while working for the attorney general’s office, beat out Winchester attorney and Republican John B. Miller to become the first openly gay state attorney general in the nation.

“I’m proud that we’ve broken that barrier, but I’m also proud that it wasn’t an issue during the campaign,” Healey said. “I think that says a lot about how far we’ve come.”

MassEquality Executive Director KC Coredini called Healey’s win a “historic victory for LGBTQ people and for LGBTQ equality.”

“Maura has spent the last seven years in the attorney general’s office making the commonwealth a national leader on LGBTQ issues with her vision, drive and talent,” Coredini said. “Now, as the country’s first openly gay state attorney general, she is poised to make history again, not only with what more she will accomplish in this critical office, but with who she is.”

Healey worked in the AG’s office first as the chief of the civil rights division and then leading bureaus on Public Protection and Advocacy, as well as on Business and Labor.

The former Middlesex County prosecutor cast herself as the underdog and triumphed in the primary over the Democratic-establishment-backed candidate Warren Tolman to win a spot on yesterday’s ballot.

Healey, a Harvard graduate, also played professional basketball in Europe before earning a law degree at Northeastern University.

In the open race for treasurer, Brookline Democrat Deb Goldberg beat Republican Mike Heffernan and Green Rainbow candidate Ian Jackson to replace Treasurer Steven Grossman, while Democratic incumbents Secretary of State William F. Galvin and Auditor Suzanne Bump held onto their seats.

Galvin fended off challenges from Malden Republican David D’Arcangelo as well as Green Rainbow Party candidate Daniel Factor, while Bump bested Republican Patricia

Maura Healy-American First Lesbian Attorney General

Paula, 2014, stories4hotbloodedlesbians.com

Lesbian Kiss in Protest at British Supermarket

A naive and rather uninformed security guard tried to stop two lesbians sharing a kiss at a British seaside town of Brighton, England. Brighton is a Mecca for gays and lesbians and it is just about an hour’s drive by car from London.

The incident that sparked the protest happened last week when a customer complained about Annabelle Paige, a Sussex University student, and her partner kissing.

Ms Paige told The Times newspaper that she had only given her girlfriend a light kiss, but was told by a security guard to stop or leave the store. “I’m so shocked and upset about it. I get that if another customer is uncomfortable that’s a bad thing… but the problem is the other customer was in the wrong and essentially being homophobic. The guard didn’t seem to understand that, I was absolutely humiliated,” she said shortly after the incident.

Well, never underestimate people who stand up for equality whether they are gay or straight. The result was a “Big Kiss-In” has been held in the Brighton branch of Sainsbury’s. This is a nation-wide chain and the top brass wanted to get rid of the bad publicity generated by what was clearly a homophobic security guard.Kiss_In_3

Dozens of people – men and women, including one couple in wedding dress – descended on the store on Wednesday as bemused shoppers looked on.

Video footage of the event shown by ITV News showed a number of couples, some in fancy dress, kissing as people held signs with supermarket-style slogans like “Live well for lez”.

Sussex University’s students union said in a tweet: “Thanks to everyone who took part in the #bigkissin. Great to see people in Brighton and beyond showing we like kissing and hate homophobia.”

P.S. Trish and I visited Brighton in the spring of 2014 and we had a great time. Lesbians in pubs chatted with us and welcomed us to their wonderful seaside resort. Hello and well-done, Brighton!

Lesbian International Community: Is This For You?

I am one urban dyke transplanted to the wilds of Kentucky who has received the honor of writing about the movement of which I am a part. There is no “typical” representative of us, so I write from my experience and knowledge, having lived in a rural lesbian community for over ten years. In this article you will see the words “wimmin” for “women” and “womyn” for “woman.” Not a typo, it is common among some feminists and lesbians to use a word that does not make females derivative of males or men. Wimmin are not the outgrowth of Adam’s rib, and many of us have created alternative spellings for our gender such as womon, womoon, and wems.Since OWL (Oregon Women’s Land) farm was established in 1975, there has been a small but growing number of intentional communities formed specifically for lesbians in North America. After OWL’s pioneering efforts, so many settlements started up in Oregon that the roads leading to them have been loosely named “the Amazon Trail.” Lesbian land also exists in New Mexico, Arizona, Louisiana, Florida, Quebec, British Columbia, Kentucky, Mississippi, California, Virginia, Wisconsin, Kansas—just about everywhere!What Kinds of Community?Kate continues: Lesbian land ranges from one or two wimmin who welcome female travelers to their home to well-established groups of a dozen residents. It may consist of a one-acre lot at the edge of town, a 700-acre rural tract of land, or anything in between. The focus of a land group may be on farming and self-sufficiency, art and culture, politics, or simple survival, to name a few.One of the more famous efforts at establishing new ways of living for wimmin is Seneca Peace Camp in Seneca, New York. A political antimilitary action group, Seneca is a small farm bordered on one side by an Amish family and on the back by a military compound. It has been a staging ground for many peace actions, as well as home to numerous wimmin who are dedicated to the peace movement. The core group lives there year round and governs itself by consensus.

During Seneca’s heyday, when actions were planned, acres of tents would appear and organization was crucial. The “affinity group” method allowed for consensus among each small group of wimmin who traveled and worked together, with representatives from each group participating in consensus decision making for the whole. One example of their activities was a nonviolent attempt to block the entrance to the military base when it was discovered that nuclear missiles were being transported in trucks labeled as if they were carrying food or auto parts. While the military’s attention was on the gates, several wimmin sneaked in the back and then telephoned the front gate guards to let them know they’d been invaded.

One of the military’s responses to the camp’s presence was continual helicopter surveillance. One summer some wimmin climbed on the farmhouse roof and painted a huge spider web surrounded by the words “You can’t kill the spirit!” which was a popular slogan and song.

The form of the peace movement has changed, but Seneca Peace Camp remains a source of education on a smaller scale, hosting lesbian-feminist conferences and retreats.

Back to the Land Movement

The “back to the land” movement by lesbians is part of the overall lesbian feminist focus on the Earth as female, the creatrix who birthed us all. We are an extremely diverse bunch; the term “eco-feminist” might just be the only label that fits everyone. A concern for the preservation of the natural environment and a search for an unpolluted place to live motivate many to live simply, in a place where food comes from gardens on the land and where everyone knows what happens to their sewage.

The ecology motive is familiar to all who seek rural community living. The lesbian feminist part is unique to our movement. Almost all those who seek wimmin-only space have been touched by the joy of recognizing the power in each of us to create lives that suit us, rather than lives handed down from patriarchal institutions.

Each settlement is different in size, shape, rules, and traditions. Most wimmin’s land is populated by lesbians, not straight or bisexual wimmin. However, in my community, Spiral Land Trust for Wimmin, we choose to create community with wimmin, not specifically lesbians. Some wimmin who do not identify as lesbian have considered living here, but not very often. Their male partners and boy children could not move here, although male relatives and friends can and do visit. There are many opinions about our wimmin-only policy, but the bottom line to us is that a community of wimmin is not a community that includes male energy. This is difficult for wimmin with sons, but there are other wimmin’s communities that do accept boy children.

We maintain good relations with our neighbors, people who may not ever have left the county. When I first moved to Spiral, I found myself having many more conversations with neighbors, especially men, than I had ever had in the city. They almost always observed, “Yer not from around here, are ya?” My explanation, that I was from Tennessee, seemed to satisfy them, even though we live only 25 miles from that state. Our peace and security rest in the fact that we are considered “good neighbors,” allies who look out for each other and band together in emergencies.

Why do wimmin seek to establish a separate place for ourselves? Some would say it just makes sense to them. I have come up with a western, herstorical (that’s female for history, folks) answer. Wimmin have lived for thousands of years in our fathers’ houses, then our husbands’. At times we have been actual slaves owned by men, at times it was figurative. Even escaping to a nunnery meant being a bride of Christ, obedient to the priest and pope. The modern city womyn usually works for “the man,” just like everybody else.

Lesbians have always been around, surviving as best we could and slowly developing a culture based on our own experiences, separate from the dominant culture. Now we have the chance to create culture deliberately, as we listen to each other in growing numbers, as we each speak our hearts. Wimmin-only space is the only place that is not run by men at all, and it feels very different.

Lesbian land gives wimmin the chance to build our own homes, barns, studios, outhouses. For many, the creative direction and implementation of a project, a home for herself or her friends, is profoundly life-changing. Female conditioning has led most of us to be comfortable assisting, not taking charge. Or we give directions but rely on a man’s expertise and strength to get the job done. Now, even when there is a project leader, we share skills and create together.

Lia, who recently moved to Spiral, told me, “I feel a sense of empowerment I never had before. I am respected and taken seriously in a way that never really happened before moving here. I have a grown son that I dearly love; I certainly don’t hate men. However, men live and take for granted a kind of entitlement, it’s in their bones, and they don’t necessarily mean to treat you different, but they do. It’s a rare man that can treat everyone equal, and I’m tired of looking for him.”

Another new resident of Spiral used to have her own farm a few hours from here. Gina says, “As a womyn, you can’t get any help on the farm. You can’t go down to the corner store and hang out with the guys, then ask some of them to come over and help with the fencing. When other farmers did help me, it was like the help they give a womyn—someone that’s looked down on, or a possible opportunity for sex. And of course they never want me to help them, because I was just a womyn. Wimmin don’t do that kind of work, none of their wimmin do. Besides, I like being around other wimmin, having a social life, being myself. In community with wimmin, I feel safe. I no longer have to look over my shoulder.”

Everyday living has its frustrations and misunderstandings, no matter where you hang your hat. Yet sometimes I feel inspired by the work and the play that we engage each other in. It gives my life meaning the way nothing else ever has. Perhaps you feel that way about your community. I am grateful that we have enough freedom and sense of adventure to make these choices.

I appreciate the opportunity to learn from other wimmin in an environment of respect. We may have different backgrounds, but our commonalities as wimmin, and especially as lesbians, help me feel that I’m working with my own group. The support, understanding, and shared experiences make it easier. The only way to really know the difference is to experience it yourself.

The following addresses are given to help lesbians reading this article connect with the wider community of rural lesbians and wimmin’s land. Please respect our intent.

Lesbian Natural Resources (LNR), a networking source for lesbian communities, was established over nine years ago to be a resource for community-owned (not-for-profit) lesbian lands and rural lesbians in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. LNR has a program for sharing rural living skills through its apprenticeship program. It does not maintain a contact list of rural communities to visit. For more information, write LNR at PO Box 8742, Minneapolis MN 55408, USA.
Shewolf publishes a 64-page directory containing “the philosophies and contacts for over 75 wimmin’s settlements in the United States and Canada.” To order, contact: Royal T., 2013 Rue Royal, New Orleans LA 70116, USA. Email: Wimminland @aol.com members.aol.com/shewolfww/fave/index.htm

Author Biography

Kate Ellison has lived for 10 years at Spiral Wimmin’s Land Trust in Kentucky. Email katespiral at juno.com.

– See more at: ic.org/wiki/lesbian-intentional-community-yer-around-ya/#sthash.jmTozMGq.dpuf

Kate Ellison writes : (Taken from the site of Lesbian International Community)

Paula, 2014, stories4hotbloodedlesbians.com

Lesbian Quotes by Famous Lesbians

I chose these quotes from amongst many. I included one from Rita Mae Brown. Her lesbian novel, “Ruby Fruit Jungle” was the first lesbian novel I read. I went on to read the dark and desperate novel, “The Well of Loneliness.” I was so glad that I read Ruby Fruit Jungle first!

-Girls who put out are tramps. Girls who don’t are ladies. This is, however, a rather archaic usage of the word. Should one of you boys happen upon a girl who doesn’t put out, do not jump to the conclusion that you have found a lady. What you have probably found is a Lesbian.

( Fran Lebowitz )

About Fran:

Born Oct 27, 1950 in New Jersey, she is an author, writer and public speaker.

-The love expressed between women is particular and powerful, because we have had to love in order to live; love has been our survival.

Every woman I have ever loved has left her print upon me, where I loved some invaluable piece of myself apart from me–so different that I had to stretch and grow in order to recognize her. And in that growing, we came to separation, that place where work begins.

(Audre Lorde)

About Audre:

Born: February 18, 1934 in Harlem, New York city. Died: November 17, 1992 in U.S Virgin Islands.

Audre was a Caribbean-American writer, radical feminist, lesbian and civil rights activist. She published poetry.

-Women who love women are Lesbians. Men, because they can only think of women in sexual terms, define Lesbian as sex between women.

(Rita Mae Brown)

About Rita Mae:

Born November 28, 1944 in Hanover, Pennsylvania, USA

Wrote Rubyfruit Jungle in 1973 (my first lesbian read) She is author of many books and a screenwriter.

-You can’t type what a lesbian is. We’re anything and everything. The one thing in common is that we make love to other women. So give up trying to limit us.

(Amanda Bearse)

About Amanda Bearse:

Born August 9, 1958 in Florida, USA.

Partner: Carrie Schenken (2010-

American actress, director and comedienne. Best known for her role as neighbour Marcy D’Arcy on the television sitcom “Married with Children.”

Paula, 2014, stories4hotbloodedlesbians.com

Lesbian Victories in US Politics

Christine Quinn, an open and married lesbian is running for Major of New York City. If she wins, it will be the first time in twenty years since a Democrat takes the position. Michael Bloomberg has been in office for twelve years.

In the mayorial race is Anthony Weiner, who became infamous when he emailed pictures of his crotch to a number of women. Weiner is married to a former Hilary Clinton’s aide,Huma Abedin who has stood by him.

So, is there a penis versus a vagina race between these two? (just joking).

As LGBTI people, it is heart-warming to read of our brothers and sisters who have made a difference in politics. Harvey Milk paid with his life in San Francisco in 1978 when he fought against a proposal to fire all gay school teachers in California.

To the present, we congratulate gay Assemblyman Daniel O’Donnell involved in marriage equality in the New York State Legislature

For the record,

– no openly LGBT governor or United States president has ever been elected to office

– no openly LGBT person has been named or served as a federal Cabinet member

But, we’re discussing lesbian victories in USA politics, so let’s celebrate

– Federal judge: Deborah Batts, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York – appointed 1994

– U.S. Senate (first openly LGBT person, out when first elected): Tammy Baldwin – elected 2012, lesbian, representing Wisconsin

Lesbian Mayors

Massachusettes: Gina Genovese, elected Mayor, 2005 – Neptune Township

Texas :Mayor: Annise Parker, elected Mayor of Houston 2009

So let’s spread this information world-wide to aspiring lesbians politicians and lawyers.

paula, 2014, stories4hotbloodedlesbians.com

First Public Chinese Lesbian Wedding

On January 4, 2014, two Chinese lesbians will be celebrating their first wedding anniversary. Who are they? It is not possible to provide names as the lesbian couple ‘married’ in China.

January 4, 2013 was an auspicious day on which to get married in China, according to the China Daily. The date sounds similar to “love you forever” in Chinese.

Among the couples who got married were a 36-year-old woman named Dongdong and 30-year-old woman named Qiqi (both names are aliases), a lesbian couple in Shenzhen,China Daily reports (via the Southern Metropolis Daily). By taking vows, the couple became the first lesbian couple to hold a public wedding in Mainland China.

Although homosexual marriages cannot be legally certified in Mainland China, both couples received parental approval after initially encountering opposition: “Whether my child marries a man or a woman, she is still my daughter and I can think that the marriage brings me another daughter, which is also a source of happiness,” said Dongdong’s mother.

Taiwan is closer than Mainland China to legalizing gay marriage, as Shanghaiist reported last week. In October, tens of thousands of Taiwanese took to the streets of Taipei for the city’s 10th annual gay pride parade.

Last month, Gay Star News reported that Taiwan’s Ministry of Justice would commission studies into attitudes towards same-sex marriage in Asian cultures as part of research looking into legalizing gay marriage.

In 2011, New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan warned that legalizing gay marriage would turn New Yorkers Asian. If you feel like a laugh, you can check out his reasoning, or lack thereof, here.

Paula, 2014, stories4hotbloodedlesbians.com

Myths About Lesbians

1. All lesbians hate men.

Fact: It’s a myth that all lebsians hate men. The fact that a woman is sexually and emotionally attracted to another woman has absolutely nothing to do with men. Most lesbians carry on long-lasting and emotionally satisfying friendships with men.

2. Some lesbians want to be men.

Fact: Lesbians who appear more masculine do so for fashion or comfort. There is a wide variety of gender expression in both men and women regardless of sexual orientation. A person seeking to change their sex is called a transsexual.

3. You can’t know if you are a lesbian unless you sleep with a woman.

Fact: This myth about lesbains is simply untrue. You do not have to sleep with someone in order to know you are attracted to them. The same holds true for heterosexuals. Discovering your sexuality is not about sleeping with someone.

4. Lesbians are attracted to all women.

Fact: If a person is attracted to one specific gender this does not mean that they are attracted to all members of that gender. This is true for both men and women, regardless of which gender they are attracted to.

5. Being a lesbian is a choice and can be changed.

More and more studies are finding that sexual orientation is not something chosen, rather it’s an inborn trait found in most animal species. There is plenty of evidence that therapy and counseling to “make someone straight” is ineffective.

6. Lesbian relationships are all about sex.

Fact: Sex is an important aspect of any healthy relationship, but not the only aspect. Lesbians connect on an emotional and spiritual level, and like heterosexual couples can choose whether or not to have families and children. (Kids with Lesbian Parents Do Just Fine) Sex has nothing to do with this aspect of the relationship.

7. Lesbians just haven’t met the right man yet.

Lesbianism has nothing to do with men, many lesbians have not met the right woman yet, but again it has nothing to do with men.

8. You can tell a lesbian by how she looks.

Fact: Some homosexuals claim to have what is referred to as “gaydar”. This is nothing more than an intuition regarding another persons’ sexuality. Based on the fact that some people are still in the closet, there is really no way to know this.

9. One lesbian in the relationship has to be “the man”.

Fact: While there are lesbian couples that are butch/femme, both partners are clearly women. Butch/femme is not the only kind of relationship for lesbians, but most women may prefer no kind of labeling at all as this generalizes them.

10. Lesbians can’t be spiritual.

Fact: While some denominations consider homosexuality a sin, there are many faiths and churches that accept all humans regardless of any differences. Spirituality is a personal belief system that has nothing to do with organized practices or sexual preferences.

These myths about lesbians are just that – myths. As with any genre of myths, there’s the appearance of truth and so some people believe them. Now that you have the facts about these lesbian myths, you can debunk them the next time you hear someone repeat them.

Source: Written by Samantha Gluck on Healthyrussian-kissPlace

Paula, 2014, stories4hotbloodedlesbians.com

Are You With the Right Lesbian Partner?

These, in my mind, are just basic common sense and loving ways to treat anyone. If your partner has these traits, then you are very fortunate. As they are read, it is a good check list to know if your darling is treated the same way by you.

1. She doesn’t try to change you. She likes the fact that you both have things in common, but you are your own person. She respects the fact that you want your own bank account.

2. She pays attention when you speak. She may not always agree with you, but you are the centre of her life.

3. Even after years together, she treats you like she was dating you. Flowers arrive and little gifts surprise you and it isn’t your birthday or any special occasion.

4. While you are not glued together, she misses you when you are gone.

5. She is genuinely interested in your family and isn’t a tag-along.

6. She is honest with you. Her feedback may not always please you, and she won’t be pushed around, but she is your best friend and loyal supporter.

7. She is not controlling or jealous. She wants you to have private time with special friends. Ex-girl friends are not suspiciously viewed but are welcome.

8. She lets you vent. She may argue strongly with you but is not vicious.

9. She enjoys your company, but may need time for herself. She seeks compromise on difficult issues – and often she ‘will agree to disagree.’

10. She is faithful and will not cheat on you. Being with her is a joy.

Paula, 2014, stories4hotbloodedlesbians.com

Lesbians, Pakistan Islamist Society & Honour Killings

What do you do if you know that you are a lesbian in Pakistan?

A city is your only hope for freedom and a chance to find a woman to love. Cities also allow women to wear blue jeans and cut their hair short. Universities are places to challenge society in dress and speech. By nature, many university students are non-conformists and are interested in western democracies with freedom of lifestyles. However, if a lesbian gest caught in any homosexual act, Pakistani law can imprison a lesbian for life. Most gays and lesbians worst fears are family and neighbours who may decide to murder homosexuals in honour killings.

In an Islamic country, there are few role models for lesbians to follow. The internet becomes a source of information and hope. If a Pakistani lesbian does find a woman to love, they can walk down the streets holding hands, as this is a custom regarded as ‘sisterly love.’ The main problem occurs when a lesbian reaches the age of marriage which is the fabric of Pakistani society. Some lesbians buckle under pressure and marry men. There is also the struggle to love oneself in a society that considers homosexuality unnatural and a disease. Islam considers homosexuality a sin.

If a Pakistani lesbian does manage to find someone to love, many people may just overlook the two of them living together. It is a society that feels that women don’t have sexual needs or desires. That kind of woman works in a brothel!

Lesbian dating occurs on the internet and another way to date is to be part of a circle of lesbians. Professional women stand a better chance of being lesbians and marriages of convenience do occur where lesbians ‘marry’ homosexual men. Money and power are two modes of protection, allowing travel outside of the country.

It is a hard life for Pakistani lesbians and others that live in countries where ‘love dare not raise its name.’ However, love is an incredible force and when combined with initiatives can lead to a happy life. We wish all the brave lesbians in this situation, every happiness and love.

Paula, 2014, stories4hotbloodedlesbians.com