Radicalesbians.pdf

The Radicalesbians was a short-lived but important group in the history of the lesbian and feminist movements, formed in New York in 1970. Originally called the Lavender Menace, the group was created in reaction to a remark by Betty Friedan, president of the National Organization for Women (NOW), that lesbians constituted a "lavender menace" to the progress of the women's rights movement. The group's collectively-written manifesto, "The Woman-Identified Woman," challenged feminists to reconsider their conception of lesbians and lesbianism, asserting that both homosexuality and heterosexuality are categories created by a male-dominated culture. The Radicalesbians staged a dramatic event at the Second Congress to Unite Women, where they distributed their manifesto and invited others to join them in discussing lesbian issues. The group's actions brought greater visibility to lesbians in the feminist movement, and their manifesto is considered a classic document in lesbian-feminist history. Despite their short existence, the Radicalesbians have a "mythical stature" due to their bold action, and their legacy continues to be felt in the feminist and lesbian movements.