Lesbian Health: A Complex Matter

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Lesbian Health A Complex Matter

• Jan Bridget

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Context

• Age young, old, in-between
• When identify/come out
• Bisexuality stage in coming out true bisexuals
  biphobia
• M-F Trans who identify as lesbian transphobia in
  lesbian communities
• Multi-oppression

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Outline

• Homophobia Multi-oppression
• Origins of Homophobia
• How does it manifest heterosexuals
• How does it manifest homosexuals
• Lesbian Health Inequalities

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HOMOPHOBIA What is it?
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Putting it another way

• Similar definitions for racism, sexism,
  disablism, ageism
• Two sides to coin oppression/privilege
• Works in similar way against all oppressed groups
  (although there are some important differences)

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What is Oppression?

• Victimisation
• Power imbalance
• Bullying
• Lack of Rights
• Discrimination
• Less eligibility
• Disempowerment
• Low self worth
• Lack of respect
• Alienation
• Being kept down
• Feeling of isolation
• Internalised oppression

• Being made to feel worthless and inferior
• Social control disguised as being 'for the good
  of society'
• Restrictions/barriers to freedom of behaviour,
  speech
• Can be overt and covert attitudes and behaviour
  that stops others from being themselves
• Brow-beaten into another's way of living
• Abuse/misuse of power
• Not being allowed to own views
• Effect of socialisation

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What is Privilege?

• PRIVILEGE The rights, advantages and immunities
  enjoyed by a small usually powerful group or
  class, especially to the disadvantage of others.
  

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What is Unearned Privilege?

• Privileges or advantages one gets just because
  one belongs to a valued group in society, not
  because of individual efforts which earned
  them, but simply because of involuntary
  membership in a privileged group.
• Example left-handed people
• Example heterosexual privilege

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Who is Oppressed? Privileged?

• BME Groups
• Disabled Groups
• LGBTs
• Old People
• Young People
• HIV People
• Women
• Lower Class

• Poor
• Learning Difficulties
• Size
• Travellers
• Drug users
• Unemployed
• Mental Health
• Some religious groups

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Where does homophobia come from?
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Creation Perpetuation of Homophobia

• Similar lists for all oppressed groups.
• Leads to internalised negative/bad (stigmatised)
  identity for oppressed, internalised
  positive/good identity for privileged.
• We are not born with these ideas
• Apart from language, what are the six main
  institutions that create and perpetuate
  homophobia?
• A historical over-view

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RELIGION Its a Sin

• Anglicanism homosexual genital acts fall short
  of the ideal
• Catholicism homosexuality is an aberrant
  deviation
• Judaism Late Lord Jakobovits abortion of
  foetus if homosexual
• Islam Late Dr Siddique elimination of gays

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Medicine Its a Sickness

• Homosexuality classed as sickness in Britain
  until 1993
• Causes arrested development, a phase, immature,
  parents fault too distant, too close
• We can help you change
• Excluded from strategies

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LAW Significant Changes

• Until recently
• illegal for gay men under 18/21 (lesbians
  invisible)
• section 28 no promotion of homosexuality
• sexual offences discriminatory
• discriminate in employment services
• marriage/partnership rights
• Still hierarchy of oppression

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MEDIA Its Entertainment

• Used to be invisible or negative images
  perverts, pansies, predatory still stereotypes
• Sensationalise lipstick lesbians (or
  pornography), camp gay men
• Allows homophobes to spread hatred ignorance
  in the interest of balance
• Allowed to say bad things against homosexuals as
  a group

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EDUCATION Its Invisible

• Omitted from curricula unless related to HIV/AIDS
• No/few visible role models
• Homophobic bullying goes unchallenged
• No books/information
• Creates homophobes of future

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FAMILY Its Heterosexual

• Brought up to be heterosexual
• Brought up with parents (usually negative) views
• No support when most need it coming out
• Either disown or dont want to know