Reclaiming the L-Word

Justincox

Description

This brave and moving collection of stories by South African lesbian women from different backgrounds reminds us, again, that rights are never finally won in legislatures or in court rooms. They are won by people exercising them. The authors of the stories and poems in this book have done just that. They have stood up to celebrate the dignity of lesbian women in South Africa. Each contribution is different. And each intensely personal. And each one reminds us of the urgent need for us to stop hate crime and to create a safe society for all LGBT South Africans.

Sujets

• Littérature Africaine
• Littérature Africaine
• Romance
• Romance LGBT
• Collection

Informations

• Publié par: Modjaji Books
• Date de parution: 15 mai 2011
• Nombre de lectures: 23
• EAN13: 9781920397890
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 11 Mo

Extrait

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 As ï wrîe îs we are ceebraîng e 20 annîversary o e unbannîng o e ANC în 1990 and e subsequen reease o Neson Mandea. Wa a ruy remarkabe journey we ave made rom our dîm pas! We ceebrae, among many îngs, a Consîuîon a as been rîgy auded as one o e mos progressîve în e word. We ave, îndeed, come a ong way. And we soud never orge a. Bu we sî ave o rave urer on e road o a u democracy. he ong wak o reedom îs îndeed ong. Wîe orma rîgs are guaraneed în e Consîuîon, ere îs muc a sî needs o be acîeved. Rîgs mus be ransaed of e paper on wîc ey are wrîen. hey mus become par o e ground on wîc we wak. hey ave o be ceary undersood, and easîy accessed. As a emînîs, ï ave aways been prodded o pus e boundarîes o awareness and crîîque, o recognîse e urkîng oppressîons a conînue o be reegaed o e margîns. As a woman o aî, ï am conînuay compeed o ask în new and darîng ways, “Wo îs my neîgbour?”Réçàn é -wôr: sàô’ŝ dàuérŝ ou n arçàassîss me în îs ongoîng journey, expandîng my undersandîngs o “communîy” and “sîserood”. ï makes me apprecîae a ere are many permuaîons o “e woman-îdenîied woman”. ïn a îme o încreasîng undamenaîsm în every spere, and o narrowîng deinîîons o e Oer, we are consraîned o address agaîn our common umanîy and our connecedness. he srugge or uman dîgnîy, equaîy and jusîce îs neîer dîvîsîbe nor parîa. ï îs ceraîny no seecîve. We ave o acknowedge a our Consîuîon does no auomaîcay guaranee a cange în pubîc cuure and e mîndse o îndîvîduas and communîîes. hîs îs wy emînîs acîvîsm mus be ongoîng, and emînîs îneecua work a înersecs wî womanîsm and esbîanîsm îs vîay împoran. Wîe women’s groups ave oug or socîo-poîîca rîgs and

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-69,>69+

gender jusîce, we ave o conînue o ensure a ears and mînds are canged, especîay on maers o sexua orîenaîon. ï îs undamenay necessary o înk women’s concerns wî esbîan concerns. Apar rom srucura and economîc dîscrîmînaîon encounered by esbîans, we mus aso address e socîa and cuura sîgma a îs experîenced and endured. Suc sîgma îs no ony debîîaîng; î can aso, în some însances, be îe reaenîng. hîs coecîon îs ereore învauabe as î draws aenîon o e îved reaîîes and experîences o esbîans. ï reveas dîsquîeîng rus o e osîîy and vîoence agaîns esbîans. he sorîes remînd us agaîn and agaîn a e emînîs dîcum a persona îs poîîca îs îndeed rue. We need efors suc as îs o raîse conscîousness and on- goîng acîvîsm a a eves, so a omopobîa, among oer prejudîces, îs addressed. Movîng esbîanîsm away rom specace and e exoîc, e coecîon emerges rom e wesprîngs o îved experîence. ï es les and bood sorîes – sorîes o e vaues, oves, srugges and caenges o îvîng în a socîey a conînues o perpeuae many mys, myoogîes and mîsconcepîons abou esbîans. Movîng în eîr onesy, and brave în re-îmagînîng e word, ey e o îgy-wroug decîsîons o îve wî înegrîy and wî grace. hey remînd us o e grea dîversîy among women o our conînen and regîon, and e need or sensîîvîy and openearedness o e many aces o esbîan and ransgender experîences în our îme and pace. he oowîng poem by ebogang Masîe, în er coecîon, în à Rôn ô R, evokes e compeîng and redempîve power o eîng sorîes, o bearîng wîness:

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Ater ey’ve ed of o your memorîes Erased dreams rom your eyes Broken e seams o sanîy And gued wa’s et ogeer wî îes, Ater e coîces and voîces ave et you aone And sîence grows soîd Aderîng îke les o your bones

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hey’ve aways known your spîrî’s ome ay în your gene sway To îg and subsance Bu jaded mîrrors and ase propes ave a way O removîng you rom yourse You wo îves wî seven names You wo waks wî seven aces None can eîmînae your paîn

Te your sory e î nourîs you, Susaîn you And caîm you Te your sory e î eed you, Hea you And reease you. Te your sory e î wîs and remîx your saered ear Te your sory Unî your pas sops earîng your presen apar.

Réçàn é -wôr: sàô’ŝ dàuérŝ ou n arçàa îs “rîump o courage” a recaîmîng e voîces o ose wo ave ong endured beîng “sîser ousîders”.

dr déàràkŝànà (bé) gônén Senîor Researc Assocîae în e Facuy o Educaîon, Unîversîy o KwaZuu-Naa, Durban, Sou Arîca

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