By: Riese

In reply to S.

“Emojis aren’t lesbian specific, it’s a joke article about queer culture.”

Is it though? Because “queer culture” also includes men. And the adjective “queer” tends to be used in a much different context when describing things or culture rather than people… like it’s more about something being edgy and counterculture and representing a wide variety of genders and not-straight sexual orientations than it is specifically about women who are dating other women.

here we’re using lesbian as an adjective about elements of lady-specific queer culture. And like queer girl explained, our choices are limited, and we do our best to spread the love. and SEO does matter, there is no “but…” to that.

and i think “lesbian culture” includes a lot of things that are beloved or relatable to people who identify otherwise. And I like the word lesbian and I like lesbian culture and I like talking about it. Lesbians may not be the oppressed group within LGBTQ female culture, but lesbians are still an oppressed group within the culture at large, and dismissing the term as inherently exclusionary/problematic really rubs me the wrong way. many lesbians do not identify as queer and don’t feel included when we use that word.

“Autostraddle often presents itself as a website for queer women in general. But it doesn’t feel like that with articles like this.”

why is it okay for us to write articles specifically for bisexual women —?which we do —?but it’s not okay for us to write articles that use the word “lesbian”? i find this logic puzzling.

(also “ranked by lesbianism” is literally the name of this particular series!)

DONALD TRUMP IS OUR PRESIDENT-ELECT !!! YOU KNOW???