Amber Hollibaugh writes that the gay liberation movement has turned into a “tame civil rights challenge.” Amber’s main point focuses on how the gay liberation movement was once a rebellion against the current systems and norms in place regarding gender and sexuality. The gay movement since then has turned into a movement who’s only visible representatives are gay men who subscribe to typical gender norms and try to show everyone that queer people are normal. This only shows one side of the story and, although successful in winning court cases such as gay marriage, it does not challenge the social norms of gender and sexuality as the movement once did. This can result in some members of the LGBTQ+ community feeling left without a voice.
Riki Wilchins writes, “white American culture tends to be one of the few that splits sexual orientation from gender.” Wilchins also argues however, that those who are transgender and cross gender lines and those who visibility and publicly display their sexual orientation often align due to the related problems problems that they face. I have encounter this in my own life as well. Those who may be more ambiguous in their gender and those who may be visibly queer often face similar issues with passing and being accepted within our societies norms.
I find the language as a real tool the most productive as it points out that language only allows for us to put people into boxes of boyish or girlish, however, gender and sexuality are so much more complex than that. We struggle with the appropriate words for what people may identify as and in a way it may make it feel less real. Wilchins argues that binaries create hierarchies, however, I’m confused where those that do not fit into the binary would fit.
–PV