Another Mother
Tongue: Gay Words,
G ay Worlds
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ANOTHER MOTHER TONGUE: GAY
WORDS. GAY WORLDS, by JudyGrahn.
Beacon Press. 1984.
If Judy Grahns book. Another Mother
Tonqne. Gay Word. Gay Worlds, sat in the
produce section of a grocery store instead of
on the shelves of most bookstores nowadays,
it would resemble a pomegranite. Like the
fruit. Grahns book reguires one to participate
fully in the proces of eating — taking time
and thought to explore the worlds within.
Grahn s personal accounts and stories, in
termittently mixed with her historical data of
Gay people, are both delightful and bitter,
amusing as well as uncomfortable, not unlike
the pomegranate’s thin bitter linings that
separate the kernels. Another similarity is that
both the pomegranate and the book are dis
tinctive from other shelf inhabitants, literary
and edible. Grahn s style of writing as well as
her research methods are unigue, and re
freshing in that difference. Other affinities
aside, however. Another Mother Tonqne is
clearly full of the power, boldness, and plea
sure of the pomegranate's rich juices.
Gay people, according to Grahn. serve the
function of mediator between worlds,
making the crossover between the distinct
subcultures of men and women. This is the
role of the shaman in any society, the one
who “ crosses the abyss." Hence, a draq
queen of the 1960s screaminq thronqh
downtown Manhattan and risking beinq
hloLen aivaq bq a shotqun full of anti-
faqqot raqe was performing a loaded, sha-
manic act. He was leading men into the
dangerous world of women: he was cross
ing the abgss between the sexes, (p.44)
Similarly, Gay people have been trans
formers. pathbreakers in making acceptable
certain forms of behavior that were formerly
confined to one sex. In ancient times, it was
the men in drag who were let into women s
sacred rites. These men led the way in the
transformation of women's knowledge —
agriculture science, astrology, midwifery —
into mens’ domain. Now, when men have
been in exclusive control of the sciences and
have denied women access to them, that
direction must be reversed. According to
Grahn, this process was and is being led by
Lesbians, women who enter the men's world
of behavior and knowledge, and pave the way
for other women to follow.
But, Gay characteristics, Grahn empha
sizes, are not mere limitations of the domi
nant heterosexual culture. For example, a
drag queen (a man dressed in female attire)
is not trying to be a woman. In his blatant
Gayness a drag queen is the orthodox practi
tioner whose core position helps sustain Gay
culture. Grahn traces the term drag queen,
queen of the fairies, to its roots in the ancient
customs of the fairy people who inhabited the
British Isles before the Celts. Ceremonial
cross-dressing and homosexual rites were
features of the Old Religion of the fairies.
They were ruled by the queen, the king being
secondary in power. Similarly, the contempo
rary fairy queen is frequently a social focal
noint among Gay men. an organiser and a
doer, a person to go to for adrice and aid.
the one who knows about people and
crents. (p. 87)
In the same way. the roles of butch and
femme are offices or life-roles within specifi
cally Lesbian circles, and are not limitations
of heterosexual roles. "If the taking on of
butch/femme roles were merely the imita
tion of male/female roles, we could expect
the partner of a femme to be an homme.'
which is french for man'." (p. 147) Instead,
however, butch probably derives from the
French word bouc. or goat, a sacred animal
to the ancient tribal peoples of Europe, a link
which again refers to the shamanic/priestly
role performed most likely by Gay individu
als.
In using slang words and contemporary
Gay attributes as her springboard. Grahn pre
sents a unique way of doing historical re
search. Her pathways are based on the
assumption that our present societal beliefs
have roots in the experiences of the cultures
from which we came. For instance, "fairy" is
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,
a derogatory term (in the dominant culture)
because of the destruction of the fairy tribes
by the Romans. Not only were most fairies
killed or forced into hiding, but they them
selves. in survival necessity, condemned their
own customs. Grahns style of research con
nects us to our past. and. just as strongly,
presents a model for breaking several as
sumptions upon which we blindly conduct
our lives.
Grahn s research method is at the core of
her unpretentious writing style as well. Her
opinions frequently dot her historical accounts.
M'.mowpr Another Mr>th, T. unnie is a dedi
cation to Grahn s first lover. Von. to whom
Grahn addresses personal notes throughout
the book. She often includes conversations
and stories others shared with her alongside
well-documented historical data. Although I
sometimes found Grahn s letters to Von and
her use of personal accounts as choppy and
uncomfortably over-vulnerable. I liked the
freshness and the boldness of her work.
In Chapter 7. "Riding with the Amazons."
Grahn deftly braids her own experiences in
the (J.S. army in the 1950s with the stories of
women warriors throughout history. As a vic-
itm of the military Gay witch-hunts of the
'50s. the consequent social and family dis
grace she endured was horrific enough for
Grahn to hide much of her writing behind
anonymous pen-names and/or file drawers
for years. Another Mother Tongue is a con
scious and courageous step in Grahn s pro
cess of claiming her role in this world as a
Gay-Amazon-Poet-Woman. Grahn states that
"this book is a spear from my good right arm,
fiery arrow from my well-earned bow, and
shield, and horse, and tent, and blanket." (p.
170) Although Grahn s military battle experi
ences were held within office walls, her en
emies being of her same nationality. Grahn s
book is not a retaliatory message to her com
manding officers who discharged her for be
ing Gay. Rather, it is a positive affirmation of
her own life. Grahn wrote this book for her
self. in order to find her roots and her family
members, as well as to validate her own ex
periences. Another Mother Tongue is
Grahn s spear, and because of that. I can use
it to find my sword. After reading her book I
now carry the strength and encouragement
of her words with me in seeking my place in
the ancient line of warriors.
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