Working within my Community

Regular readers will be aware that I am Bisexual. I've started volunteering at Manchester's Lesbian and Gay Federation. I am loving it.

I have never been as involved in 'gay life' and 'the scene' before and it is quite a novelty to me as a result. There's so much going on, too!


First weekend in March there is 'Sugar and Spice', a celebration of International Women's Day. I plan to be there, with bells on (possibly quite literally).


Earlier this week I attended 'Stepping Stones' and learnt a lot as part of Gay History Month.
Bisexual history can be found here.



I also gave thought this week to who amongst the lesbian and female bisexual icons might have inspired me. It took me a while to come up with some names, but here's my list:

• Josephine Baker, a fabulous dancer from our earlier history
• Frida Kahlo, a talented Mexican artist whose works I am fascinated by, who was married to Diego Rivera, but numbered Josephine Baker amongst her female lovers
• Jodie Foster, a very talented actress
• Alice Walker, author of 'The Color Purple'
• Sarah Waters, author of 'Tipping the Velvet', 'Fingersmith' and a number of other fabulous period novels
• Jessie Blackwood, author of 'Per Ardua', 'Life Begins at Forty' and more; also my Best Friend!
• Margarethe Cammermeyer, the highest ranking US military official to come out while in the service and campaigner for gay rights in the military
• Angeline Jolie, actress and celebrity and very beautiful woman

The Wisdom of Others - The Need for Unity

I have been reading 'Trans Liberation: Beyond Pink or Blue', edited by Leslie Feinberg. This slim but very significant volume of Trans wisdom has been having a considerable effect on my thinking. I want to share some of what I have learned here.

The book's main message is that unity is the way forward in the fight for our rights as human beings. All non-mainstream societies need to work together to shift the balance of power away from a monopoly serving the majority to a society where people who are differenced and diversified are truly recognised, honoured, and imparted the same rights as the majority. The book whole-heartedly condemns the 'in-fighting' and condemnation of differenced people sometimes seen in LGBT society. I find myself agreeing with most of what is presented in this book.

Feinberg observes:

"All of us in this society are wounded. But we don't always know where each other's injuries are located. That means we may thoughtlessly hurt each other. Everyone who has been treated injustly or been disrespected in this society is full of justified anger. I believe we need to take care not to unleash that rage on each other" (p55)

"...None of us can ever be free while others are still in chains. That's the truth underlying the need for solidarity. Trans liberation is inextricably linked to other movements for equality and justice."(p48)

"..Non-one who has pitched in to build and defend women's and lesbian, gay, bi liberation is a 'traitor' because of who they love , or because they have transitioned..."

I'm not currently actively involved in my local LGBT community. I have never publicly identified as a Lesbian, though in my head I did in the past, for a brief period before working out it wasn't where I was at, so I won't be condemned for 'switching allegiances', at least not by that branch of our community. I;ve not contributed much either, though, so can I legitimately claim the rights others have unknowingly fought for on my behalf?

Feinberg quotes a Chinese proverb:

"The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person doing it" (p61)

I am increasingly drawn to becoming 'a person who does'. How I shall achieve this remains to be seen, but one way, I think, may be to become involved in developing an LGBT branch within the Equality and Diversity policy of my workplace. I have fears about doing so - whilst students may be given their liberties as a result of such action, staff may remain suppressed and vulnerable to attack. I do not know if I am prepared to take risks in this regard.

Recently though I have 'trail blazed' for another sector of my workplace community, those suffering work-related mental health issues. I didn't ask to be a trail blazer. All I wanted was to be allowed to work in peace and to the best of my ability. At times I have resented my role as guinea pig and ground breaker. I am told much has been achieved in this real because of me. If I can, then, do so much when not trying, how much more could I achieve on a battlefield of my own choosing? Yet too, I am cautioned by experience of the need to 'choose your battles carefully'. Thus, what I will eventually undertake to do for my community remains to be seen. What occurs shall be reported here, in time.
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