It feels like a fever dream that I need to explain that lesbians are not politically identical. The fact that we have to remind LGBT people not to be authoritarian about their political beliefs is wild. Alas, we must persist in spelling out these fundamentally common-sense and crucial truths.
Sexual orientation is not a choice. Not even a political one. There’s another truth for you. We do not ask to be born homosexual either (I totally would if we had the option though). Humans are born diverse. We don’t always know why. That’s alright.
The expectation that lesbians be politically identical has led to our sexual orientation being conflated with politics. Political “lesbians”–women who identify as lesbians for feminism, not due to being female homosexuals–do so because they perceive lesbianism as girl power rather than a diverse class of people united ONLY by being female homosexuals. That’s homophobia. Homophobia is not alright.
The “queer” community is just as guilty of expecting political uniformity from lesbians. If a lesbian does not comply with a very strict set of “progressive” beliefs, then they’re displaced from their lesbianism. They’re accused of being assimilationist boot-lickers… if they don’t lick the boots of the mob-like bullies witch-hunting anyone who steps out of the political line.
Let’s talk about what assimilation actually means. The Cambridge Dictionary defines assimilation as “the process of becoming a part, or making someone become a part, of a group, country, society, etc.” and an assimilationist as being “a person who supports the idea that different cultural groups or races in a country, society, etc. should become a part of the country, society, etc. in which they live.”
Homosexual people are expected to assimilate into heteropatriarchal society by pretending to be straight. But, like homosexuality, heterosexuality isn’t a set of political beliefs. The way society–especially its religions–denies the naturalness of homosexuality means children are prevented from growing up knowing it’s something acceptable that they might be. Gay and lesbian people are perceived as perverted deviants who should be kept away from children altogether. This is why so many homosexuals come out later in life, after trying to pass for straight by having sex they don’t want with the opposite sex until they can’t take it anymore.
The expectation for homosexuals to assimilate essentially leads to the mass-raping of homosexual people. Bisexual people do not experience the expectation to assimilate by forcing themselves to have sex they don’t want with the opposite sex because they are attracted to both sexes. Homosexual people cannot oppress bisexual people on the axis of sexual orientation. However, bisexual people identifying as homosexual is an example of homosexual oppression.
What is not assimilation? Lesbians having different political beliefs. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love for the entire world to unite against billionaires because extreme wealth disparity is a serious issue. But I’m not about to take away a female homosexual’s lesbian card because she’s pro-capitalism. I know this might shock some of you, but I wouldn’t even take away a female homosexual’s lesbian card if she were rich! And I don’t mean the Adrienne kind.
Why? Because lesbianism is not a politics-based identity. It just means female homosexual. Capitalising on the vulnerability of lesbians by equating their sexual orientation with an expected set of politics–and even letting non-lesbians appropriate the lesbian identity if they DO fit your idea of political purity–is predatory. Forcing lesbians to conform to your political agenda or else they lose community is predatory. Who do you think you are, the mafia? Sit down.
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