Theoretical / Feminist Theory
Writing trash: Truth and the sexual outlaw's reinvention of lesbian identity
Abstract This article analyzes how Dorothy Allison's 'Trash' redefines lesbian identity in the context of the Feminist Sex Wars. Kennedy explores how sexual outlaws - including lesbians engaged in BDSM, sex work, and cross-class sexual relationships - challenge mainstream lesbian feminist sexual norms through 'truth' discourse. The article reveals complex intersections of class, sexual practices, and identity formation, and the significance of 'trash' aesthetics as a resistance strategy.
Kathleen Kennedy / Read paper