Lesbian FeminismPapers

This essay analyzes Dorothy Allison's short story collection 'Trash' to explore how 'sexual outlaws' use truth discourse to establish legitimate subject positions within lesbian feminism. Kennedy examines how sexually radical lesbians challenge cultural feminism's normative definitions of lesbian identity and the complex intersections of class, sexuality, and truth.

This influential essay critiques exclusionary practices within the feminist movement, arguing that using the tools and methods of oppressive systems to fight oppression is doomed to fail. Lorde calls for recognizing and embracing difference as a source of strength, emphasizing that true liberation requires creating entirely new frameworks rather than seeking reform within existing power structures.

This paper challenges the assumption that heterosexuality is the 'natural' sexual orientation for women, arguing that heterosexuality is a political institution imposed upon women.