Facebook feminist groups and LGBT

I wouldn't say queer theory is part of the range of feminist theory. IMO it is a theory in its own right.

I will ask about woman-centric groups as I know some women who probably have suggestions.

Gah ... triple posting, sorry ... but, FWIW, some people I know object to 'queer' and 'lesbian' being used synonymously.

I'm curious how the term 'queer' seems to have expanded its range hugely. I have mates in the US who use 'queer' to characterise anyone from someone who is gay, to someone bisexual, to someone who acts in a way that doesn't fit with the gender they were born. It's very inclusive but I'm not comfortable with it for myself. Not acting in a feminine way doens't make me 'gender queer', its part of my feminism. But for others it would be part of being 'gender queer'.

I'm curious now! I'll ask around a few women about uni feminist groups as I'd not been aware this was perhaps the case. I'm thinking more about advocacy and campaigning groups that I have more contact with, and feminist academics and researchers covering issues as wide as they are long.

Btw, I agree it's interesting.

I don't know that they see it that way? I'm only going on what's been said to me.

But I know at least one person who finds it insulting to be seen primarily as 'a lesbian' and she frequently identifies as 'a feminist'. I think it is a difference between an identity you're born with, and everyone should accept without comment, and a political ideology you choose.

Of course, not everyone will feel like that, but I can see her point.

I wouldn't know enough about black feminism/womanism though I would like to.

LRD, it's interesting how you describe the Lesbian feminists that you know - that half see themselves as feminists primarily and half see themselves as Lesbian/queer.

My question would be really why should they feel compelled to make a choice between two intrinsic aspects of their identity? I'm not saying that you specifically do that, but I just find it interesting that you put it that way.

The issue sort of mirrors alot of comments I've heard recently from Black feminists/womanists about feeling compelled by (predominately white) feminists to prioritise their identity as women over other aspects of their identity.

Mmm. It's the lack of multi-tasking that bothers me. That 'exclusion of women suffering' that annie mentions. Not on facebook, but at a university feminist group I've seen people really not want to discuss anything except a particular range of issues. Of course that is fine - free country - but I am curious too about why and how this happens.

Facebook isn't the world and Facebook certainly isn't the be all and end all of feminism.

If it's like most discussion boards, mailing lists and real-life gatherings of people in any way, folks discuss issues that are topical. That doesn't mean that they aren't interested in or also working on other issues that aren't being discussed at the time.

Marriage equality is very much a current political issue in the US and in the UK, and one that will impact on many women, so I'm not terribly surprised that this is being discussed. Also, because the rights of Lesbian, bisexual and trans* women were not included in the Agreed Conclusions of the most recent UN Commission on the Status of Women, some will be discussing that omission.

The interesting thing is so often, those who oppose feminism in any form often resort to that old chestnut of, "Why are you spending so much time blethering on about X when clearly, there is this other issue over here that is so much more important that you are ignoring." The response generally given is that feminists are able to multi-task. I think the same answer applies to your question as well! :)

I think there's something of an age difference. Broadly, younger women I know (in their 20s) are often keen to get into what I would call queer theory/gender studies rather than feminism. Though obviously there is often a lot of overlap, and obviously some women in their 20s (mostly that I know from MN) are into feminism as well.

I have quite often come across the attitude that feminism has mostly succeeded, and therefore it's time for women to concentrate on the issues where there is still a lot to do. I don't agree this is true, btw.

Incidentally, the lesbian feminists I know myself seem to be split pretty evenly between those who are feminists first and foremost, and those who're interested in queer theory (ie., including 'gender queer' and trans as well as 'queer' issues). I don't know much about it but a mate of mine who is a lesbian is really not keen on being associated with queer theory.