R eaching the S ummit
Hundreds gather in the nation's capital to ponder lesbian rights at an
event sponsored by the National Organization (or Women by Bob Roehr
A
n estimated 800 people, includ
ing a handful of Oregonians,
recently gathered in Washing
ton, D.C., for the Lesbian Rights
Summit sponsored by the
National Organization for Women.
Workshops addressed an array of issues,
including anti-gay military policies, health care,
the politics of aging, and the trans and bisexual
communities.
Strategy working groups discussed possible
lesbian-related resolutions to be considered by
NOW members slated to attend the organiza
tion’s national conference in Los Angeles in
July-
“Given that we are at the Lesbian Rights
Summit, and that the foundation of the struggle
for lesbian rights is a struggle for sexual libera
tion and freedom, it is stunning that there were
no workshops on, about, or primarily dealing
with sex at this summit,” said Deke Law of the
Portland-based Lesbian Community Project. “It
marginalizes all who advocate for it and work to
create a pro-sex culture in an anti-sex country.”
presentation of the Women of Courage awards
to Del Martin, 77, and Phyllis Lyon, 74.
The San Francisco couple have been togeth
er for 46 years, and in 1955 founded the lesbian
organization Daughters of Bilitis.
Martin recalled how the duos “couples
membership” to NOW was rejected in 1967.
“We were told that lesbians would destroy
the organization,” she noted.
At the first meeting of NOW ’s San Francis
co chapter, Martin said, heterosexual women
“vented their anger against men so vehemently
and so visibly” that she and Lyon found them
selves defending men.
“And we were supposed to be the man-
haters. But then, we didn’t have to live with
them,” she quipped.
Patricia Ireland, NOW ’s president, intro
duced U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, an openly les
bian Democrat from Wisconsin.
“She takes something from her life and uses
it to help people understand issues. She talks
about her family, she talks about herself, and in
that way, 1 think, brings the notion of Congress
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PHOTO BY BOB ROEHR
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Law called for the inclusion of sex workshops
at the NOW national conference.
Meanwhile, Ruth Harlow of the Lambda
Legal Defense and Education Fund said the
community needs to make explicit the connec
tions among sex discrimination, sexual orienta
tion discrimination and discrimination against
trans people.
Offering her analysis, Kerry Lobel, executive
director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task
Force, said: “The best kept secret of the queer
movement is that it is led by lesbian feminists—
and the best kept secret of the feminist move
ment is that it is led by queers.”
She believes the queer movement is leading
the pack “on pushing the limits of gender iden
tity and gender expression (and) the feminist
movement has to catch up.”
Lobel also urged for greater acknowledgment
of bisexuality.
“We don’t have a gcxxJ sense of history and
passing it on,” said Willa Taylor, chair of the
National Black Lesbian and Gay Leadership
Forum. “And we continually reinvent the wheel
because we don’t know how it was done to begin
with.”
Taylor added she was pleased to see many
generations participating in the summit.
The sentimental high point came with the
to people in a way that they can see how it
touches their lives,” said Ireland.
Baldwin said her openness debunks the
widely held notion that politicians are cow
ards.
“By being out, we clearly demonstrate our
integrity. We prove that we make decisions
based on what is right and what is honest. We
shatter the cynicism that people hold of politi
cians,” she said.
Baldwin added: “There are two things that
keep us oppressed: them and us. We are half of
the equation. There will not be a magic day
when we wake up and it is suddenly OK to
express ourselves publicly. We make that day.
So if you dream of a world in which you can
put your partner’s photograph on your desk at
work, then put her photo on your desk and you
will live in such a world.
“If you dream of a world where you walk
down the street holding your lover’s hand, then
hold her hand and you will live in such a
world. If you dream of a world where there are
more openly gay and lesbian people in public
office, then run for office and you will live in
such a world."
The event, held in late-April, concluded
with a march around the Capitol and a rally in
front of the Supreme Court.
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