Lavender Menace the Phrase, the Group, the Controversy

The phrase lavender menace was  coined by NOW leader Betty Friedan, who used it at a NOW meeting in 1969, claiming  that outspoken lesbians were a threat to the feminist movement, arguing that the presence of these women distracted from the goals of gaining economic and social equality for women. The color lavender is associated with the  LGBT/gay rights  movement in general.  Ã‚   Ironically, this exclusion of and challenge to those questioning heterosexuality was a major impetus for the creation of lesbian feminist groups and a lesbian feminist identity.  Many feminists, not just Friedan, in the  National Organization for Women  (NOW) felt that lesbian issues were irrelevant to the majority of women and would hinder the feminist cause, and that identifying the movement with lesbians and their rights would make it harder to win feminist victories. Many lesbians had found a comfortable activism home within the rising feminist movement, and this exclusion stung.  It called into serious question for them the concept of sisterhood. If the personal is political how could sexual identity, women identifying with women and not with men,  not  be part of feminism? At the time, many feminists, and not only lesbians, criticized Friedan. Susan Brownmiller, a straight woman feminist and a theorist about rape and later pornography, wrote in an article in  Time  that  there was  A lavender herring, perhaps, but no clear and present danger.  This remark further infuriated many lesbian feminists, as they saw it as minimizing their importance. A few lesbian feminists, agreeing that association of the movement with lesbians  could delay the fights to win other womens rights, stayed with the mainstream feminist movement.  Many lesbian feminists left NOW and other general feminist groups and formed their own groups. Lavender Menace: the Group The Lavender Menace was one of the groups created as backlash to this exclusion of lesbians.The group formed in 1970, with many members involved in the Gay Liberation Front and the National Organization for Women. The group, including Rita Mae Brown who resigned from a NOW staff job,  disrupted the 1970 Second Congress to Unite Women, sponsored by NOW.  The congress had excluded any lesbian rights issues from the agenda.  The activists cut the lights at the conference, and when the lights came on they had shirts with the name lavender menace on them.  They handed out a manifesto they called the Woman-Identified Woman. Other members included  Lois Hart, Karla Jay,Barbara Love, Artemis March and Ellen Shumsky. NOW Comes Around In 1971, NOW included lesbian rights among its policies, and eventually lesbian rights became one of the six key issues NOW addressed. In 1977, at the National Womens Conference in Houston, Texas, Betty Friedan apologized for her promotion of exclusion of lesbians as disrupters of the womens movement, and supported actively a resolution against sexual preference discrimination.  (When this passed, the Mississippi delegation hoisted signs saying Keep Them in the Closet.) In 1991, newly-elected NOW president Patricia Ireland stated her intention to live with a female partner. She remained president of the organization for ten years.  NOW sponsored a Lesbian Rights Summit in 1999. Pronunciation: ˈla-vÉ™n-dÉ™r ˈ men-us Memoir: Tales of the Lavender Menace In 1999, Karla Jay published a memoir she titled  Tales of the Lavender Menace.  In her book, she tells the story of radical feminism and lesbian feminism in New York and California, 1968 through 1972. She was part of the Columbia student uprising, several radical feminist, lesbian liberation, and lesbian feminist groups, and the takeover by women of The Ladies Home Journal, among her activities at the time.  Jay was later a co-founder of the Lesbian Herstory Archives and worked with that institution for 25 years.

Reconstruction in America - 971 Words

The period of reconstruction in the south was a period of social reconstruction on a scale not previously seen in American history. The Reconstruction era occurred after the Civil War period, and lasted from 1864 to 1877. The Reconstruction period brought upon an era of Martial Law, a change of social consciousness towards slavery and the rights of African Americans, a New South with closer ties to the North. Emancipated Slaves, Northerners, and White Southerners all had different opinions towards the New South and the new found freedom of the emancipated slaves along with the various concepts of freedom. â€Å"We believe our present position is by no means so well understood among the loyal masses of the country, otherwise there would be†¦show more content†¦Provided that the provisions of this section shall not be so construed as to allow any freedman, free Negro, or mulatto to rent or lease any lands or tenements, except in incorporated town or cities in which places, th e corporate authorities shall control the same.† (The Civil Rights of Freedmen in Mississippi 414). Another example from the Black Codes providing the belief that Blacks had enough freedom was â€Å"Be it further enacted, That all freedmen, free Negroes, and mulattoes may intermarry with each other, in the same manner and under the same regulations that are provided by law for white persons: Provided, that the clerk of probate shall keep separate records of the same.† (414). During the period of reconstruction after the Civil War, The Reconstruction era occurred after the Civil War period, and lasted from 1864 to 1877. The Reconstruction period brought upon an era of Martial Law, a change of social consciousness towards slavery and the rights of African Americans, a New South with closer ties to the North. During the years of Reconstruction, AfricanShow MoreRelatedThe And Its Effects On America s Reconstruction866 Words   |  4 Pagestaxes for government aid programs . 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FinallyRead MoreThe Numerous Changes to America from Reconstruction to the New Deal1582 Words   |  7 PagesAmerica following Reconstruction was completely different from America during FDRs New Deal. In 1876, the government was based on the ideas of Laissez-faire which meant that government stayed out of the citizens lives. Society in 1876 was dominated by white men who ran the country w hile there were no rights for women, blacks, and immigrants. In 1876, Americans lived on farms in rural America. By the 1930s, America was a welfare state with government just starting to control different aspectsRead MoreThey Say: Ida B. Wells and the Reconstruction of Race, by James W. Davidson. Ida B. Wells as a parallel to African Americans trying to gain empowerment in post-emancipation America1409 Words   |  6 PagesLana Cox History 121 Professor Adejumobi November 7, 2008 Critical Book Review THEY SAY: IDA B. WELLS AND THE RECONSTRUCTION OF RACE By James West Davidson Ida B. 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Reconstruction in the United States is historically known as the time in America, shortly after the Civil War, in which the United States attempted to readdress the inequalities, especially of slavery and many other economic, social and politically issues including the poor relationship between the North and the South of America. These problems were highly significant in America, and a variety of groups in government tried to resolve these problems, but this only led

Othello As A Tragic Hero Essay Research free essay sample

Othello As A Tragic Hero Essay, Research Paper Othello In Shakespeare # 8217 ; s Othello, Othello can be considered a tragic hero because he follows Aristotle # 8217 ; s six elements of a calamity. Another tragic hero who follows the same six elements of a calamity is Oedipus from Oedipus the King. Based on Aristotle # 8217 ; s six elements of a calamity, place, defect, prognostication, acknowledgment, calamity, and reversal, the character Othello from Shakespeare # 8217 ; s Othello can be considered a tragic hero. The first component of calamity is place, which lets the reader know the place, or position, that the hero is in. In Othello, Othello is the leader of the Italian ground forces and is really of import to the people of Italy. # 8220 ; Valiant Othello, we must straight employ you against the general enemy Ottoman ( 11 ) . # 8221 ; This quotation mark shows how of import Othello is to the ground forces and to the war. The same sort of place can be seen in Oedipus the King because Oedipus is king and is respected by the people of Thebes. We will write a custom essay sample on Othello As A Tragic Hero Essay Research or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page # 8220 ; King Oedipus, the crowned head of our land ( Sophocles 5 ) . # 8221 ; This quotation mark shows the importance of Oedipus to Thebes, merely like Othello is of import to Venice. When Othello is chosen to take the ground forces over seas, he besides makes Brabantio mad by get marrieding his girl, Desdemona, without his permission. # 8220 ; And, baronial signor, if virtue no delighted beauty deficiency, your son- in-law is far more far than black ( 17 ) . # 8221 ; This quotation mark shows that Othello is so well-thought-of that the Duke of Venice can see through the colour of Othello # 8217 ; s tegument and gives him congratulations. The 2nd component of calamity is prophecy, which can be seen when Othello is stating Desdemona the narrative about when he received the hankie. # 8220 ; She told me her, while she kept it # 8216 ; T would do her good-humored and subdue my male parent wholly to her love, but if she lost it or made a gift of it, my male parent # 8217 ; s oculus should keep her loathed and his liquors should run after new illusions ( 56 ) . # 8221 ; This quotation mark lets the reader know that the hankie is non merely of import to Othello and Desdemona but it is besides of import to the drama because it # 8217 ; s the ground why Othello gets covetous. The same type of prognostication can be seen in Oedipus the King when Oedipus foremost meets the unsighted net income, Tiresias. # 8221 ; detected in his very bosom of place: his kids # 8217 ; s male parent and their brother, boy and hubby to his female parent, bed-rival to his male parent and assassin. # 8221 ; Both prognostications are the same non merely because they pertain to household, but besides because both quotation marks are really important to the dramas because they both lead to the ruin of the tragic hero. Another incident where prognostication occurred in the drama was when Desdemona tells the narrative of Barbara, Desdemona # 8217 ; s female parent # 8217 ; s amah, who sang a vocal of # 8220 ; willow # 8221 ; . # 8220 ; An old thing # 8216 ; T was, but it express # 8217 ; d her luck, and she died singing it: that vocal to-night will non travel from my head ( 75 ) . # 8221 ; This quotation mark is an illustration of prognostication because it # 8217 ; s boding that Desdemona will decease because she won # 8217 ; t allow the vocal go from her head. The 3rd component of a calamity is flaw. Defect can be either hubris or anger. # 8220 ; By Eden, that should be my hankie ( 64 ) ! # 8221 ; This quotation mark shows the green-eyed monster that Othello has over the fact that Desdemona is being unfaithful to him. In Oedipus the male monarch choler can be seen when Tiresias tells Oedipus that he is the evil tha T haunts the town. â€Å"Good elimination excessively! You’re nil but a nuisance here, and one I can make without.† This is an illustration of how powerful choler can be because of the choler that Othello feels, he can’t even stand to look at the adult female that he loves. Once Othello finds out that Desdemona is being unfaithful to him, he approaches her looking for an account. â€Å"O devil, devil! If that the Earth could pullulate with woman’s cryings, each bead she falls would turn out a crocodile. Out of my sight ( 67 ) ! † This quotation mark shows how Othello’s green-eyed monster has turned into fury, a signifier of choler. The 3rd component of a calamity is acknowledgment, which can be seen when Emilia hears Othello references the hankie, after he killed Desdemona. # 8221 ; with that recognisance and pledge of love which I foremost gave her ; I saw it in his manus: It was a hankie, an old-timer item my male parent gave my female parent ( 87 ) . # 8221 ; Once Othello says this, Emilia knows that Iago is the individual who set up Desdemona and Othello isn # 8217 ; t the one to fault. Recognition can besides be seen in Oedipus the King after the shepherd tells the narrative of the babe. # 8220 ; For if you are the 1 he says you are, make no error: you are a doom-born adult male ( Sophocles 67 ) . # 8221 ; At this point in the drama, Oedipus knows that he is the 1 who is doing the jobs in Thebes because the Tiresias was right. The forth component of a calamity is calamity, which can be seen when Othello dies. # 8220 ; I kiss # 8217 ; d thee ere I kill # 8217 ; d thee: no manner but this, killing myself, to decease upon a buss ( 91 ) . # 8221 ; This is the last thing that Othello says before he dies which is the calamity in the drama. Oedipus # 8217 ; calamity happens when Jocasta kills herself after she finds out that the prophesier of Oedipus was true. # 8220 ; He frees the noose and lays the deplorable adult female down, so rips from off her frock the aureate broachs she was have oning ( Sophocles 70 ) . # 8221 ; This quotation mark shows the badness of the fact that Jocasta kills herself because it leads right into reversal. The forth component of a calamity is reversal which can be seen when Desdemona kills herself. # 8220 ; Whip me, ye Satans, from the ownership of this celestial sight! Blow me about in the air currents! Roast me in sulfur! Wash me down in steep-down gulfs of fire! O Desdemona! Desdemona! Dead! Oh! Oh! Oh ( 88 ) ! # 8221 ; This quotation mark shows the hurting that Othello felt when everything turned bad. In Oedipus the King, Oedipus went through the same sort of hurting when he went through reversal. # 8220 ; Aah! A nightmare mist has fallen adamantine black on me-abomination shutting. Cry, call, oh call once more ( Sophocles 72 ) ! # 8221 ; Oedipus and Othello are in so much hurting and agony that they both inflict sever lesions upon themselves. When Othello finds out that Desdemona was being faithful to him, he asks for forgiveness. # 8220 ; I do believe it, and I ask your forgiveness. Will you, I pray, demi-devil why he hath therefore enslaved my psyche and organic structure ( 90 ) ? This quotation mark shows that Othello is in so much hurting that he feels enslaved in his ain organic structure. Othello can be seen as a tragic hero because he follows all of Aristotle # 8217 ; s six elements of tragic hero. These are the same six elements that define Oedipus as a tragic hero. The six elements of a calamity can be seen throughout the dramas Othello and Oedipus the King. That is why Othello is seen as a tragic hero through the eyes of the reader. 338