Subject: gender: in reply
From: Emily Morrison (Emorrison@mail.utexas.edu)
Date: Thu Sep 16 1999 - 00:53:59 CDT
To clear it up - I haven't spent any energy on those issues because, like
Jane's excellent elaboration on the differences between gay and queer, I
see them as moving gay and lesbian politics to a place I don't care to be
in - "mainstreaming." So while Del's comments offended me, I don't
necessarily disagree with what was probably his main point about some
"G-A-Ys" (as in the gay and lesbian political movement (in contrast to a
"queer" one) as fighting to be included in really oppresive structures.
However, I was really offended by the way he spoke about G-A-Ys. I think
in a university situation (or any situation, really) one should consider
how their remarks might be taken - when he said those things what disturbed
me the most is thinking of people who might already be tempted to belittle
G-A-Ys and that that kind of remark would do nothing but foster
misunderstanding - particularly when the only explantation of queer that he
could come up with was "it's a matter of style." What a crock. Even
though I generally align myself on the "queer" side, I have a difficult
time dissing those who align themselves on the "gay and lesbian" side
because I don't think that all of what "they're" up to is necessarily
working in the wrong direction - just some of it (but they can do what they
want - if you want to get married, then you should be ABLE to do it).
It sort of reminds of the controversies around "post-feminism."
That's all for now. Thanks for asking.
Emily
>gays in the military and gay marriage (though I too feel no need to spend
>my energy on either of those two issues).
Just wanting a bit of clarification perhaps on this bit (although I
recognize this was not your main point, it did stick out to me). Do you not
feel a need to spend energy on them because they are not of any consequence
to you, or because you don't feel they are important enough in general to be
a main focus, or you feel that they are currently a crusade for so many that
the cause
is being addressed?
Julienne
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