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Restricted Access: Lesbians on Disability
Jan. 14th, 2008 09:29 pmedited by Victoria A. Brownworth and Susan Raffo (1999)
An anthology exploring -- well the technical term is 'intersectionality,' though no one ever actually uses that word. Pretty solid throughout, with obviously careful editing and selection. Standouts for me were Nicola Griffith's (yes, that Nicola Griffith, who is apparently both a dyke and a gimp) erudite and clever essay on the history of female art with sidetrips to disability and the modern conservative movement, and Sharon Wachsler's clever essay on retaining her femme identity after CFIDS and MCS stole lipstick and dancing and all her other personal marks of femme-ness. Victoria Brownworth offers a fascinating (and deeply problematic) recollection of early life in a convent school before she was disabled, with layers of commentary on women, disability, and Catholic imagery of mortification of the flesh.
It's not a perfect anthology -- I skipped a few bizarre or just annoying entries -- but generally solid. Definite flavor of its time, though, or possibly just the editors's available cohort. It took me several essays of confusion to realize why everyone was forever going on about particular lesbian community issues that we just don't worry much about anymore. I mean, we certainly still talk about health care, but a lesbian is much less likely these days to refuse psychological treatment for fear of institutionalization for her sexuality, and the entire flavor of the community response to AIDS has changed in less than a decade.
Worthwhile, for those with an interest in the niche.
An anthology exploring -- well the technical term is 'intersectionality,' though no one ever actually uses that word. Pretty solid throughout, with obviously careful editing and selection. Standouts for me were Nicola Griffith's (yes, that Nicola Griffith, who is apparently both a dyke and a gimp) erudite and clever essay on the history of female art with sidetrips to disability and the modern conservative movement, and Sharon Wachsler's clever essay on retaining her femme identity after CFIDS and MCS stole lipstick and dancing and all her other personal marks of femme-ness. Victoria Brownworth offers a fascinating (and deeply problematic) recollection of early life in a convent school before she was disabled, with layers of commentary on women, disability, and Catholic imagery of mortification of the flesh.
It's not a perfect anthology -- I skipped a few bizarre or just annoying entries -- but generally solid. Definite flavor of its time, though, or possibly just the editors's available cohort. It took me several essays of confusion to realize why everyone was forever going on about particular lesbian community issues that we just don't worry much about anymore. I mean, we certainly still talk about health care, but a lesbian is much less likely these days to refuse psychological treatment for fear of institutionalization for her sexuality, and the entire flavor of the community response to AIDS has changed in less than a decade.
Worthwhile, for those with an interest in the niche.
