Sinclair gives a self-description as a "chivalrous kinky writer, queer butch top" at the top of this page, but just a few generations ago the only labels anyone would have let someone like that have were words like "crazy" and "deviant".

Don't you think it would be interesting to see what the femme lesbians thought of my piece and to see if their thoughts were completely different to yours or the same…

Just a thought…

[I am the only one who writes this site, though I do occasionally have guest posts, and I identify as butch. There are many, many different readers and commenters here at this site, in all sorts of configurations of gender, and many of the commenters who left notes on this post do identify as femme, and have the same perspective I do. - ss]

Thank you all so much for your comments and criticisms – they are all very interesting!

I will say one thing… I don't think the article can be said to be right or wrong, correct or incorrect…

I am a lesbian, and not a femme one, and not a butch one.. somewhere inbetween and I am also very proud to be a lesbian!

I think that any writer, lesbian of course given this subject matter and 2,500 words to fill it would all write something completely different.

My take on lesbian stereotypes was simply my take and yours would be yours…

[Of course, I would never attempt to say that you aren't proud to be a lesbian. The difference between my perspective and yours, however, is that your perspective invalidates, marginalizes, and stereotypes my perspective, and I don't think my perspective does that to yours. You are welcome to reject butch/femme roles *for yourself* all you like, I don't care about that. It doesn't work for some - or even most - people, and that's fine! But invalidating my own experience is discounting a whole different level of analysis of gender and agency. - ss]

plus, i've never (that i can recall) heard someone use "dyke" as an insult in real life. i can't say the same for "nigger." also, perhaps, i'm in no position to reclaim the latter. i might feel differently if i were – i've always been much more sensitive about insults to others than to myself.

I kept thinking "If you replaced 'Dyke' with 'Nigger' You'd be offended "(meaning me myself). I grew up being called that hateful word but no one ever really shouted "Dyke" at me. I was always blatantly a masculine Queer (under any type of title). But that was never something in my area people focused on. They were homophobic but focused more on their racism where I was raised.

I have never EVER agreed with the reclaiming of the word Nigger or any spelling you choose to validate the use of it. So why is it I felt/feel okay using Dyke, and reclaiming that word? If I replaced all the stereotypes for lesbians with ones for a black person, and changed a few of her comments in the article, to deal with Racism instead of homophobia would I agree with her?

I think I would, and I am wondering now why I never had these thoughts when I first started embracing my queerness? Why is it Dyke is okay with me but not Nigger? they have both historically been hateful words that people now use casually. Could the argument be made that her comments on "well known lesbian stereotypes" be made about well known Black (or minority) stereotypes and how they reinforce racism? (ie. things like self hate and imagery… do we really want all of these hair styles or are we still hating on ourselves because of the comments made about our natural hair?).

This is just some stuff I've been thinking about while working, since I first read what SB posted this morning. Anyone have comments or thoughts?

I'm not saying her article was right/wrong, nothing's that black and white, but it got me to thinking.

"And also, a word about labels: where we are in our cultural identity history, right now, in the West in the early 21st century, we reject labels. Pretty much entirely. Constantly, people are saying “don’t box me in,” “don’t restrict me,” “I’m bigger than that box,” “I’m more than a label,” et cetera. We are not addicted and accustomed to labels."

This reminds me of all the arguments over the use of the word "chubby chaser" on the BBW sites: some people love it, some people hate it. But the truth is, we have to call it something just so we can find one another. For a long time I didn't know how to search for or articulate what I wanted because I had no idea what it was called. Words go both ways: it was extremly empowering when I discovered the "language of fetish" because for the first time I could articulate what I wanted, no matter the politics involved.

the (other) thing that bothers me about the article is that it’s drawing a completely arbitrary line between “good (or okay) labels” and “bad labels.” sure, the way it’s written seems to say that all labels are bad – i won’t go into that because i think you summed it up fantastically. in reality, it says “lesbian” is the only acceptable label for a, well, lesbian. yes, label. ’cause if femme is just a “breed” of lesbian, lesbian is just a “breed” of woman.

also, i really hate the word lesbian. i said something referring to myself as such recently, and jamie pointed out to me that she’d never heard me say that before. she thought it was because maybe i didn’t identify that way (knowing my history and wishy-washiness with regard to definitions). nope, it’s mostly ’cause i feel exactly like you do about the linguistics of it.

[Agreed on the term 'lesbian' ... it's not my favorite. I'll use queer/dyke/lesbian, usually in that order, but I rarely use 'lesbian' to describe myself. Reminds me, though, of the Deep Lez movement, which I've recently heard of: " 'lesbian' is resurrected as a potential site of radical identification, rather than one of de-politicized apathy (or worse, shame)." - ss]

oh god. i want to die.

that article was from a publication based in the city i currently live in!

i *know* virtually all the women in the photos used to illustrate it.

when i regain my composure, something must be done.

is that author actually a dyke? (or as it seems she would prefer, a 'lesbian') has she ever been part of the, or a, queer community in any way?

is she british? they 'get' butch/femme/queer a lot less over here.

i wholeheartedly (and this was one occasion where i can say that truthfully, as my heart filled as i read what you wrote) agree with your analysis of the article, have you sent any kind of response?