Re
“Playing
our
parts
in
‘genderfuck’”
(op-ed
by
Meredith
Stepp,
July
15):
Jennifer
Vanasco’s
article
(“The
death
of
femme,”
op-ed,
June
17)
was
the
first
time
I’ve
heard
anyone
express
my
own
feelings
about
the
disappearance
of
femmes.
I
am
a
high
femme
and
very
lesbian,
and
have
now
started
to
feel
animosity
from
butch
or
tomboy
lesbians
because
I’m
not
fitting
the
mold.
I’ve
been
told
that
I’m
stuck
in
the
hetero
world
and
that
I’m
not
being
myself.
I
feel
quite
the
contrary.
Maybe
they’re
dealing
with
their
own
lack
of
confidence
for
having
fallen
into
what
the
stereotypical
lesbian
should
look
like.
I
feel
free
to
wear
make-up,
grow
my
long
hair,
wear
fake
nails,
and
my
butch
loves
it
all.
I
disagree
with
Meredith
Stepp;
Vanasco
wasn’t
saying
femmes
were
weak
and
butches
were
strong.
In
most
cases,
you
find
the
opposite.
Although
I
look
dainty,
I’m
a
butch
top
in
relationships
and
in
the
bed.
Maybe
we
should
all
stop
basing
judgments
on
the
labels
we
give
people.
What
happened
to
unconditional
acceptance
of
all
that
is
supposed
to
be
our
end
goal?
Re
“Study
suggests
bisexual
men
are
only
aroused
by
men”
(health
news,
July
8):
There
are
certainly
true
bisexual
guys
out
there.
I
should
know;
I’m
one.
I
identify
as
a
bi
male
even
though
I’ve
been
in
a
same-sex
relationship
almost
10
years
now.
Still,
I
can
be
aroused
while
looking
at
naked
girls
to
prove
it.
What
annoys
me
are
all
my
gay
friends
thinking
exactly
what
this
article
states.
It’s
taken
about
10
years
of
seeing
me
flirt
with
girls
and
renting
bi
porn,
but
I
think
they’ve
finally
come
round
to
seeing
that
I
am
the
real
thing
and
that
bisexuality
really
does
exist.
So
while
I’m
happy
for
a
study
that
will
likely
help
gay
guys
who
identify
as
bi
come
to
terms
with
their
true
sexuality,
it’s
certainly
not
going
to
make
life
any
easier
for
those
few
of
us
who
are
really
bi.
This
headline
is
highly
misleading.
In
other
places,
where
the
study
was
explained
in
greater
detail,
it
was
reported
that
75
percent
of
those
who
self-identified
as
bisexuals
showed
arousal
pattern
similar
to
gay
men,
while
the
remaining
25
percent
showed
patterns
similar
to
heterosexual
men.
This
statistic
does
not
translate
to
concluding
that
“many
self-proclaimed
bisexual
men
are
in
reality
gay
men
who
have
not
fully
accepted
their
sexual
orientation.”
I
am
a
gay
man,
and
would
like
nothing
better
than
greater
acceptance
of
homosexuality,
but
we
need
to
be
careful
about
overstating
the
implications
of
scientific
studies.
Re
“Straight-washing
of
Luther
Vandross”
(editorial
by
Chris
Crain,
July
8):
No
one
was
ever
under
the
impression
that
Luther
Vandross
was
straight.
Because
he
carried
himself
in
a
dignified
manner,
we
gave
him
respect
where
his
love
life
was
concerned.
Gay
people
have
sung
love
songs
to
and
for
heterosexuals
as
long
as
the
world
has
turned.
Who
in
the
world
do
you
think
is
sitting
behind
that
piano
and
belting
out
those
love
tunes
at
your
weddings?
A
straight
man
with
flair?
Honey,
no!
This
was
very
nicely
written.
As
an
African-American
female,
I
“sensed”
Luther
was
gay,
but
to
me
it
really
wouldn’t
have
mattered
because
his
music
was
so
powerful.
Still,
I
wish
I
could
have
known
the
truth.
Re
“Minister
won’t
apologize
for
anti-gay
sermon”
(news,
July
15):
When
are
people
going
to
realize
that
the
same
ideology
that
fuels
racism
also
fuels
anti-gay
remarks?
We’re
fighting
the
same
battle.
It’s
too
bad
Rev.
Willie
Wilson
can’t
see
past
his
blinding
homophobia.
Bravo,
Rev.
Wilson!
It
is
about
time
someone
was
honest.
You
wouldn’t
invite
drug
dealers,
pimps,
and
prostitutes
to
have
a
major
role
participating
in
the
Millions
More
Movement,
so
why
bother
with
the
gays?!
The
homosexual
lifestyle
isn’t
any
more
healthy
than
taking
crack
cocaine!
I
see
that
Rev.
Wilson
hasn’t
learned
much
about
Christian
love
since
he
achieved
notoriety
for
his
anti-Asian
racism.
The
Bible
lists
the
fruits
of
the
spirit,
and
virulent
bigotry
isn’t
one
of
them.
As
a
bi
woman
of
color,
I
now
know
that
Willie
Wilson
and
other
organizers
to
this
“so-called”
all-inclusive
Millions
More
Movement
were
paying
lip
service
to
our
community
by
leading
us
to
believe
that
we
would
be
welcomed
to
this
event.
Why
are
we
so
quick
to
want
to
extend
the
olive
branch
to
these
folks
when
all
they
want
to
do
is
beat
us
with
it?
So
if
your
son
can’t
get
a
date,
it
is
because
all
the
girls
in
his
school
are
lesbians?
If
a
woman
makes
more
money
than
a
man,
she
is
a
lesbian?
Somehow,
I
thought
the
word
of
God
was
about
love,
not
hate.
Note
to
Dad:
If
I
ever
discuss
troubles
with
my
love
life
with
you,
for
God’s
sake
don’t
consider
it
material
for
your
Sunday
sermon!
Wait,
I’m
a
lesbian.
So
if
we’re
about
to
take
over
the
world,
why
did
no
one
tell
me?
How
come
they
told
Wilson
instead?
