From: Albert-Lunde@nwu.edu (Albert Lunde)
Subject: Re: Hetero/bi/homophobia (Was: Lesbian denial)
Followup-To: soc.bi
Originator: lunde@casbah.acns.nwu.edu
Reply-To: Albert-Lunde@nwu.edu (Albert Lunde)
Organization: Ministry of Silly Walks
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 1992 13:38:17 GMT

In article <1992Jul30.164628.842@HQ.Ileaf.COM> mhk@HQ.Ileaf.COM 
(Mark Kaepplein x1517) writes:
>So, imagine identity hell: A born and raised fundie who's having strong
>homoerotic feelings, who God, the church, all his friends and family,
>and the 700 club have said are *wrong*. Does he give up his religion
>because he's been lead to believe that Christianity and homosexuality
>are incompatible?  You know the picture.
>
>Now picture the lesbian who has struggled so hard to come to terms with
>and establish an identity as a lesbian, complete with a community of
>friends and "family". She's having heteroerotic feelings. Does she
>give up her identity and risk losing her friends and family?  Its
>a lot like the fundie's scenerio, except she's probably already
>given up the fundie church and her friends are a bit more accepting.
>
>The fundie's identity is the only one he's known, while the lesbian's
>was hard earned. In either case, giving up the current identity is
>hard. If the lesbian community was more inclusive of bi women, adding
>shades of grey, then that community's identity would be less clear.
>That weakens it. Without homophobia or aids, there would be less for
>the gay community to rally around and there wouldn't even be an act-up.
>Real or imagined enemyies give groups strength. Khomeni's was the US,
>the US's was the USSR, Hitler's was the jews, Greenpeace's is polluters
>and whalers, and many have straight white men. Our's is intolerance.

I'd suggest that many people would gladly trade their "strength"
for the absence of their enemies.  Jews (IMHO) wish Hitler never
was born (strange how he gets into debates on USENET ;).  I was in the
gay community before AIDS was publicly known -- I'd trade ACT-UP
and Queer Nation for no AIDS in a flash.

Now it's true, we don't always have these choices. BUT -- the lesbian
community *DOES* have a choice if they treat bisexuals as a group
as enemies or allies and IMHO it is more a self-fullfilling prophecy,
than a reflection of bisexual's real behavior.  We serve as a 
scapegoat for ideologs unwilling to spend the energy to think about
the differences between ethical and unethical behavior in bisexuals.

Also, what the lesbian community has done is make "enemies" of
its members.  The exclusion of bisexuals practically requires
a "double think" to cover up facts that don't fit.  (Indeed, *I'm*
tempted to compare the bis to the Jews instead of Hitler, but
I don't want to take this too far.)

>Which all bring me to another point: I don't think bi's will ever have
>a community as strong as gay communities. The identity is not as
>focused, and the enimies are less clear - who is "us" and who is "them"?
>Even speaking with a bisupremist attitude, I think bi's do dilute
>gay communities. Ironicly, its tolerance that defocuses group identity.
>A strong group identity depends on individual identies kept in line.

I don't necessarally "want" a strong group identity.  I regard this as
a tactic for organizing, which I hope to ultimately make obsolete.

I am aiming for "no boxes" for sexuality, not three boxes instead of two.

Your analogy with fundamentalism is suggestive.  I would suggest that
this self-centered, defensive mind-set is not the only way for a group
to develop/exhibit strength.  In the specific case of the gay and lesbian
communities, there are pockets of support and understanding for
bisexuals, and I don't see these people or groups falling apart or
losing their identity because of their alliance with bis.

I think it is possible to appreciate, rather than merely, tolerate diversity.

-- 
 Albert Lunde         | Interfaith  |     *Y*Y*      "A branch on the
 Albert-Lunde@nwu.edu |  Bisexual   |      *Y*        tree of life"
 alunde@nuacvm.bitnet |  Feminist   |.......|.........................
Newsgroups: soc.bi