Posted on by Women's Declaration

The Lesbian Caucus of WDI USA has added its voice to that of many other lesbians to protest the inclusion of men in the nominally lesbian journal Sinister Wisdom. Read our letter below!

To the Board of Directors and Editor of Sinister Wisdom:

The Lesbian Caucus of WDI USA urges Sinister Wisdom to return to its lesbian-feminist roots and recognize that same-sex attraction is based on SEX. 

Women’s Declaration International is focused on promoting the Declaration on Women’s Sex-Based Rights worldwide. The first article of the Declaration reminds us that “the rights of women are based upon sex.” That is, women, including lesbians, are discriminated against and oppressed because of our female sex – our bodies. 

According to the Lesbian Bill of Rights, a lesbian is defined as “a human female homosexual; or, a woman or girl who is exclusively same-sex attracted.” Notably, homosexuality cannot exist without a recognition of sex – our biology, our bodies, the fact that our reproductive system is organized around the production of large, immobile gametes. 

Men cannot be lesbians, no matter what they claim. To allow men to participate in lesbian spaces and journals is a violation. We hope that Sinister Wisdom will reconsider its policy on including male voices, perspectives, and anatomies in a space that proclaims itself lesbian.

Sincerely, 

The Lesbian Caucus of WDI USA

Lauren Levey, coordinator

Dana Stanley

Katherine Kinney

Arla Hile

Heather Scalzi
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8 thoughts on “Lesbian Caucus Letter to the Journal Sinister Wisdom”

  1. I still live in Lincoln, NE, two blocks from the house where SW was being published at the time. I remember the good times with those wild and very creative womyn and it infuriates me with what SW has become. A womon hating rag where we’re expected to tolerate/celebrate the fetishes and misogyny of men.

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  2. Thankyou for standing up!! Sinister Wisdom used to be quite a radical journal BY AND FOR LESBIANS!!!

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  4. Thank you for fighting back against our Lesbian erasure. I stopped subscribing to Sinister Wisdom years ago. Julie Enszer printed Kosilek, the man who almost decapitated his wife when he murdered her. Kitty Robinson wrote a wonderful letter, but Enszer didn’t care. So I hadn’t known I was slandered in a particularly disgusting way by Mr. Susan Stryker, who was quoting the man who has been stalking me since I was 17. Friends sent me the relevant pages, so I wrote a response in my defense and defense of all Lesbians harmed by these vile lies. They just will not accept us saying no to them. Of course Enszer refused to print my rebuttal, so I started a substack and recently writer Eva Kurilova worked with me to write more of my history with fighting that man and the entire trans cult. Please contact me if you want any more information.

    Truth Versus Lies — Countering Lesbian-hating lies with the truth
    Lesbians for Lesbians | Bev Jo | Substack
    bevjo.substack.com

    https://www.evakurilova.com/p/gender-wars-history-series-bev-jo

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  5. Thank you for standing up for women in this letter to Sinister Wisdom. I was on the verge of subscribing but then became aware of the new SW policy. Never again. It is appalling that SW has turned its back on lesbian concerns and perspectives.

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  6. Thank you for expressing our worries. As a lesbian, this is outrageous to see what they are doing to our severely ruined comunity.

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  7. As a lesbian my isolation and loneliness are so overwhelming because the reality that men have taken over my past spaces, festivals, marches and voice and now I’m a hated and threatened bigot is the most disgusting feeling I never thought about in all my 70 years. Please stop the madness!

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    1. I’m so so sorry Sister. In this small town and even many big cities Lesbians been entirely coopted and queerified!!
      – Artemis

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