Hopelessly/Helplessly?)To Labels That Rust, Paula and C
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
my sexuality is whole. I am not York: Simon and Schuster, 1996. You're a fence-sitter. We're all straight with men and lesbian Hutchins, Loraine and Lani waiting for you to come out with women; I am bisexual with Kaahumanu. Bi Any Other Name. come down. We're all waiting both. (qtd. in Pramagiorre and Los Angeles: Alyson Books, 1991. for you. (Carlton 14) Pramagiorre 161). Murphy, Marilyn. "Thinking About Bisexuality." Resourcesfor Feminist I guess, in retrospect, it's the notion So I am in a monogamous, com- Research 19 (314) (1990): 87-88. of this last opinion that I find the mitted relationshipwith a man. "Not Papazian, Ellen. "Woman on the most bitter pill to swallow, although muchofa bisexual yousay" (Yoshizaki Verge." Ms. Magazine (November1 I would be lying if I said it didn't qtd. in Hutchins etal. 25). However, December 1996): 38-45. resonate to some degree. for me I am. More than being about Pramagiorre, Donald E. and Maria the "au courant," bisexuality has Pramagiorre, eds. Representing Sometimes I think I'm only allowed me to better understand my Bisexualities. New York: New York bisexual in that "not lesbian potential. Even if I am still clutching University Press, 1996. enuf' kind of way. (Crago 15) (hopelessly/helplessly?)to labels that Rust, Paula and C. Rust. Bisexuality stay firmly "within the box," this andthe Challenge to Lesbian Politics. Conclusions? notion of bisexual "possibilities" has New York: New York University allowed me to understand that being Press, 1995. If only I had come to some bisexual can have more to do with Sinclair, April. Ain't Gonna Be the conclusions, I could articulate them potential than reality. Same Fool Twice. New York: Avon here in a clear and concisely written In all honesty, I don't know if Books, 1996. paragraph whose topic sentence bisexuality is a political "cop out" Tucker, Naomi, Liz Highleyrnan, and would begin with "Therefore, it has because it allows me to hide behind Rebecca Kaplan, eds. Bisexual become clear that blah blah freakin heterosexuality. Yes, there is definitely Politics: Theories, Queries, and blah." Instead, I find that I have some truth to this view. Still, I refute fiions. Harrington Park Press: come to no conclusions about the notion that bisexuals are safe from New York, 1995. bisexuality. The only belief which discrimination. After all, homo- has become clearer for me through phobia is sometimes nothing more the course of doing these readings is than the umbrella term that includes that bisexuality is a separate identity1 biphobia. I realize that I have failed orientation with a distinct political to prove that it is either easier or agenda and a separate sexual life. At harder for bisexuals. In all honesty, least for me, it is not two separate I'm still not sure. orientations: sometimes I live my life as a lesbian, sometimes as a het, but Shoshana Magnet is a third year Arts never as a bisexual. I cannot compart- and Science student at McMaster mentalize my life so neatly. While University. While she may draw her there may be an overlap between sex inspiration fiom her mother and their between two women and sex between mutual (brave, bold, courageous) two lesbians, it is clear that they are fiiendr, she owes her most radicalside to also different in a number of ways. the con$dence inspired by herpartner, Greta Christina says it best: aho a pretty fantastic feminist. So when you have sex with men, References you are straight, and when you have sex with women, you are a Carlton, Susan. "This Poem Can Be lesbian. As a bisexual woman, Put Off No Longer." BiAny Other this is what I hear; again and Name: Bisexual People Speak Out. again, this is what I hear. Your Eds. Loraine Hutchins and Lani sexuality comes in com- Kaahumanu. Boston: Alyson partments, like Tuppenvare, Publications, 1991. 14-16. your heart has two chambers Crago, Anna-Louise. "Queer & and you cannot feel with both; Young & So Much Else." Canadian your soul is like Berlin before Woman Studies/les cahiers de la the wall came down. And the femrne 16 (2) (1996): 15-17. truth of my experience is this: Garber, Marjorie. Kce Versa. New 411 VOLUME 20121, NUMBERS 117 .