GSWS 096 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Closing Argument, Backtracking, Heterosexuality
3 Jul 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Riche: Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence
-portrays lesbianism as an extension of feminism
-Riche sees lesbian existence as an act of resistance to this institution
-female sexual bonding is the only way that women experience women identification
-Riche proposes that all women should separate themselves from men and engage in
some form of lesbian relationship, whether it leads to a mere lesbian expression at one
time or another or an identified lesbian sexuality. Only then, will it be possible for a
woman to truly decide if heterosexuality is the right thing for her.
-Riche thinks of the word lesbian as meaning more than a sexual attraction and physical
act, but an emotional and strong bond that women can share as they go through the
same experiences.
-lesbian continuum vs. lesbian existence ***
-Her closing argument is very ironic. She is ends it basically backtracking all of her
words, saying she is just writing all of this controversial stuff as an exploratory piece,
and she’s not trying to create a revolution against hetersexuality.
The Straight Mind
● Porn demonstrates the oppression of women
● Representative of “the straight mind” because it does what straight men usually
do - which is universalize their ideals and making it “true” for everyone
● Marriage Economy
○ Literally giving heterosexual couples an economic advantage
○ Lesbianism: to refuse heterosexuality is to give up the economic,
ideological, and political power of a man or being married to a man
Don’t understand “feminine writing??”
One is Not Born a Woman
● A “woman” is what a man says a woman is, but this ideal isn’t natural, and
nobody is born this way
● Femininity is created by society
○ What does this have to do with abortion, birth control, porn, and
homosexuality?
○ She says lesbians can’t be accepted in society as “women”
Document Summary
Riche sees lesbian existence as an act of resistance to this institution. Female sexual bonding is the only way that women experience women identification. Riche proposes that all women should separate themselves from men and engage in some form of lesbian relationship, whether it leads to a mere lesbian expression at one time or another or an identified lesbian sexuality. Only then, will it be possible for a woman to truly decide if heterosexuality is the right thing for her. Riche thinks of the word lesbian as meaning more than a sexual attraction and physical act, but an emotional and strong bond that women can share as they go through the same experiences. She is ends it basically backtracking all of her words, saying she is just writing all of this controversial stuff as an exploratory piece, and she"s not trying to create a revolution against hetersexuality.
