“Abandoning the lesbian label and create something else”

submitted by windrunner from self.Lesbians

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[–]SailorMoon2020 5 insightful - 5 fun5 insightful - 4 fun6 insightful - 5 fun -  (8 children)

I in fact call myself homosexual because the word 'lesbian' is a stolen word. Something I've said numerous times. But nobody wants to address that because to do so would be to admit theres racism, prejudice, and superior ideologies within the lesbian community.

[–]Jillyjanejan 13 insightful - 1 fun13 insightful - 0 fun14 insightful - 1 fun -  (7 children)

I remember you said that and I reminded you that it was not lesbians who stole the word, it was male 19th century sexologists who did. They chose the word, and popularized it in the English language as a word to characterize same-sex relations between women. My original response was deleted but it's still in my post history:

If you know that lesbians didn't steal the word why did you say all that stuff about lesbians being similar to white supremacist and religious fundamentalists and having a superiority complex? That's a false comparison. Most people (both lesbians and non lesbians) have no knowledge of the origin of the word so they are not "stealing" it maliciously or knowingly. It was popularized in the English language as a label for same-sex relations between women, so of course English-speaking people are going to use it accordingly. If you want to protest about lesbians using a stolen word, make sure you also include the rest of the English-speaking world. We don't have much choice over these things. Even if every single lesbian stopped using the stolen word which was forced upon us by some men years ago, it won't stop the majority of people from calling us that. Personally, I think trying that trying to find another label or trying to fight for the lesbian label are both futile pursuits. Whatever the majority wants is what wins and we are a minority.

Anyway, I'm only responding again because you always seem to have a massive chip on your shoulder about everything to do with race.

[–]SailorMoon2020 1 insightful - 4 fun1 insightful - 3 fun2 insightful - 4 fun -  (6 children)

As I said then and I'll say now just because homosexual women didn't steal the word, it doesn't give us the right to claim it as ours. But again, no one wants to talk about that.

I also disagree with people not being able to stopped saying lesbians if we choose to not use it.

Numerous racial and ethic groups constantly change what they want to be called throughout the decades and generation, and the public abides. Even trans people got people to change the way they're addressed and have succeeded. In fact, almost everyone in the queer community but homosexual women are demanding how people interact with them, what people call them, and are winning.

The above you gave is no excuse and just makes it seem as if we're weak.

[–]Jillyjanejan 10 insightful - 1 fun10 insightful - 0 fun11 insightful - 1 fun -  (5 children)

Ok. So how come the Lesbians/Lesbosians haven't been able to claim Lesbian back if it's so easy to just choose what people are called? They must be weak. Oh well. That's their fault for being weak and not fighting hard enough then, right?

Also, thanks to straight people (the majority), homosexual women and men are called queer by the public now whether we like it or not (and research shows that most of us don't). We (the minority) don't have as much say in these matters as you think.

[–]ColoredTwice 8 insightful - 1 fun8 insightful - 0 fun9 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Word "queer" is still used as a slur where I live against gay men, so when people want to troll or attack LGB person they can say "LGBTQueer community" and it can be already insulting.

It is mostly heterosexual men who are deciding how everyone is called in LGBT+, not LGB themselves.

[–]Jillyjanejan 4 insightful - 2 fun4 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

It is mostly heterosexual men who are deciding how everyone is called in LGBT+

we can't give them all the credit. Heterosexual women also love to call lesbians and gays "queer". They love calling themselves queer too. So many straight women calling themselves queer that I just translate it automatically to "straight" in my mind now.

[–]SailorMoon2020 1 insightful - 4 fun1 insightful - 3 fun2 insightful - 4 fun -  (2 children)

able to claim Lesbian back if it's so easy to just choose what people are called? They must be weak. Oh well. That's their fault for being weak and not fighting hard enough then, right?

If that's how you feel towards them then I can't control that. However, America is a powerful country and what we do, many developing countries follow. The island of Lesbos is small and their voices aren't as loud as a result. They desire to have that word and there are organizations trying for it.

I understand their plight and once I came upon their movement, I agreed with it. Considering how "woke" the queer community has become and how hostile they come toward that one word, 'lesbian' as a result of the history behind it, I think there's a chance.

[–]Jillyjanejan 10 insightful - 1 fun10 insightful - 0 fun11 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

I don't think you understood my point. I was trying to show you that minorities (such as people from Lesbos and homosexual women) don't have much influence in these matters, it's has nothing to do with being weak. If you want to rally the woke crowd and get them to help give Lesbian back to the people from Lesbos, go for it. That's more productive than whining.

[–]SailorMoon2020 1 insightful - 5 fun1 insightful - 4 fun2 insightful - 5 fun -  (0 children)

I did not understand that point, that is correct.

The type of crowd does not matter. I'm already apart of a few Mediterranean and Nordic LGBT organizations that tackle this subject. So yes, hopefully we are being productive. Time will tell!