g3 Magazine October 2009

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Human beings don’t tend to lend
themselves to having a descriptive title
slapped on them in the same way as a tin
of beans does. Indeed, trying to apply the
$9+%
‘right’ label can mean opening a real
can… of worms. The names we use to
defi ne ourselves as women-loving associated with a long history of abuse loving woman. The word ‘dyke’ often
women can be a truly incendiary issue. and discrimination and attempting to refers to a more masculine kind of lady-
Whilst the majority of us commonly reinvent them as positive ways to identify lover. ‘Queer’ is generally associated with
refer to ourselves as ‘lesbians’ or ‘bisexuals’, is not always easy. It’s defi nitely a bone of activist types, and often goes hand-in-
there are also many other terms which contention in the LGBT community, and hand with other idiosyncratic
are used to describe women who are some people believe it makes us a laughing characteristics. ‘Queer’ also less rigidly
attracted to women. Considerably more, stock rather than empowering us. defi nes a person’s sexuality, as it is usually
indeed, than there are to describe our If they don’t choose to reclaim an seen as permissible for someone who is
29
straight counterparts. So why are we insult, or use the more common ‘lesbian’ attracted to both men and women to
faced with so much choice? or ‘bisexual,’ most women call themselves use it. Within the main labels there is also
The main reason for this surfeit of ‘gay’. The word is more often used to a wealth of sub-labels, such as ‘lipstick
descriptions is, of course, that many of describe men, but many women feel that lesbian’ and ‘diesel dyke’. Terms such as
them, most notably ‘dyke’ and ‘queer’, a greater sense of gender equality is ‘femme’ and ‘boi’ also describe the
originated as insults. Some sections of the achieved if they also refer to themselves external gender representation of the
lesbian community have taken it upon as gay. Janine, 23, a veterinary nurse, says: subject within an established lesbian
themselves to reclaim these names, just as “I don’t want to use a different word than context. Other labels go so far as to cast
some black people have with the word my gay male friends do. I like the same light on someone’s specifi c sexual
‘nigger,’ and they use them freely to gender, just like they do. I’m gay, that’s what practices, such as ‘stone butch’ and ‘leather
describe themselves and others. Other it means. Why use more names than we dyke’. These names are usually used only
women still strongly associate them with need to?” ‘Homosexual’ is the other non- within the LGB community, however –
discriminatory attitudes, and are fi rmly controversial alternative but, in reality, it the straight world doesn’t tend to be
opposed to their use. isn’t widely used in everyday speech, familiar with them.
Jennifer, 18, a college student, says: “I being seen as a rather old-fashioned and Unfortunately, the choice of
would never call myself a dyke. I think it’s a technical term. commonly used terms just about ends
horrible word – it’s what the bullies I went Some people interpret different with ‘bisexual’ or ‘queer’ for women who
to school with called me.” Taking words names to mean specifi c kinds of woman- are attracted to both genders. This is a
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