In Glasgow a safe drug consumption room has opened. I supported it as I believed it could save lives, we do have a serious problem with drug deaths. However,I have heard that accessing rehab services is very difficult. Sure you can continue taking drugs but we won't help you get off them? Seems crazy.
Ann, we call these places 'safe-injecting rooms’ and both Sydney and Melbourne have them. They are successful but sometimes controversial. You need a range of other services to back them up. They do save lives. Not all lives, but some.
In Aotearoa (NZ) we have had a group of lesbians performing ... called Drag Kings ... who I always really enjoyed watching. Most of their items, from my point of view, were making fun of male stereotypes. Some of the performers didn't see it like that. They, too, are into gender ideology nowadays.
They also don't understand why I oppose drag shows (mainly males) at public libraries for kids considering I enjoyed their Drag King shows ... even though the drag kings are women making fun of male stereotypes (which I am pretty happy with) and not drag queens which are often men making fun of women (which I am not happy with). PLUS, the Drag King shows were for adults - not for kids like the Drag Story Time at libraries are.
Kathleen, I can absolutely testify that the dating app algorithms throw straight women my way. Basically, once you've gone through the (often limited) number of lesbians, rather than the app indicating the list has been exhausted then the straights start appearing. Match is dreadful for it.
Entertaining as usual, but like 1 or 2 women who posted, I did see drag king shows in the 90s that were fun and sometimes mocking of masculinity or just so spot on as imitations of the men they were imitating - often musicians. I agree that taking oneself seriously or literalizing as Kathleen said, ruined it all.
As for safe consumption sites (so-called in Canada), it's much more complicated and nuanced than whether it's wrong or right, like most things. And I have argued different sides of this topic.
Harm reduction, including safe drugs / alcohol is only one of several pillars to deal with addiction and death from substances. The others include prevention, treatment and more, which are all widely underfunded. But you have to look at places where decriminalization and safe drugs were very successful in saving lives, like Portugal.
You can't access treatment or healing if you've already died from drinking cleaning products or injecting a mixture of toxic drugs. Also if you get off the street and into a safe site, you are making contact with health care workers which can be a first step for some people. Many lives have been saved and medical research/stats backs that up.
In Canada alcohol kills more people than other drugs by a long shot and there are also managed alcohol programs for those who are drinking terrible toxic products.
It's true that people in the downtown eastside are tossed away by most including our government, but if people are treated with attention and respect in safe sites - it can be the first time people are cared for and given other medical treatment. I say this knowing a good number of women, including lezzers, who work or have worked in those areas (and personal experience in my family).
In Australia, alcohol misuse is directly responsible for more deaths than any other drug (over 1,700). And in an incredible number of cases (well over 4,000) alcohol plays a contributing role in deaths. It is the most affordable and available mood-changing drug as well. Alcohol use is so much part of our culture that it's hard to avoid
In the 60's, 70's and 80's alcohol used to be the most problematic drug in lesbian/gay male communities but multi-drug use was becoming increasingly common in the 80's, 90's and onwards. As an lesbian elder now (can we perhaps be called 'Elderlezzers' or 'Lezzelders'?) I am out of touch apart from published official data. I believe younger people in this country are drinking less but that could be because other drugs are so easily available.
Decriminalisation and tighter regulation would require a huge legal and cultural shift in this country and I'm not sure that it would be possible. Prevention and support in other ways is always good and there are a number of approaches. A friend and I started a lesbian alcohol recovery group in the early '80s. It ran for 5 years and provided support for at least 50 women in that time. The group worked through education and mutual support. It was a joy for me to be involved.
In that period also a group of us, in co-operation with some good men, successfully worked to make local AA groups more open and inclusive of all women, not only lesbians. Nowadays, there are a number of strong women's groups, gay and lesbian groups and even a couple of trans groups. We had a lot of fun and some of my best friends come from that era ('80s and '90s). I later worked in the AOD field and mental health for 17 years.
Julie, I love and admire your laugh, your mind and your work ethic. What is Negroni by the way? Sounds classy. Wine and beer were the people's drinks in my olden times. One of my friends used to call her home Chateau Collapso. She was a cask wine drinker. I was a vodka girl. Many decades ago now, thank the Goddesses.
Was thinking about networking back in the day before the internet - and reminiscing about sending (and receiving) actual letters to women via the Spare Rib personal ads. How we ever managed to arrange to meet up in different cities is beyond me, but we did.
Anyway, thinking about setting up a gc lesbian feminist women's social group when I retire - might call it Bindel's Babes to keep the riff raff out.
There's nothing wrong with being a lesbian. In fact, in societies where women are oppressed
to be lesbian is a sign of mental health. I used to be heterosexual (50 years ago when I was 18) but I don't think heterosexuality is very healthy for women.
Most of my lesbian friends think and feel that they were 'born this way'. I don't. I think we BECOME lesbian cos of our life's experiences. This starts as soon as we are born (or from even before we are born) and it could well become obvious very early in life - or not. So, I don't think it is a choice necessarily.
I’m in my late 20s and fairly involved in lesbian fandom culture online and offline so this might be of interest;
In 2020 something called the ‘Am I A Lesbian Masterdoc’ was making the rounds on twitter/tumblr/tiktok/whatever, and i know a good number of people who read it and came to the conclusion they were lesbian.
Some time later, one of the authors came out as bisexual and admitted she had sexual trauma from men. I actually think this was very brave of her. I think it’s very annoying how the masterdoc ruined the term ‘compulsory heterosexuality’ but admitting you were wrong about your identity IS brave.
The Masterdoc is interesting, if not kind of sad, to read with this context. There’s a lot of ‘you fantasise about men but the idea of actually dating one scares you’ and ‘if you dislike your attraction to men you’re a lesbian’.
But, I can draw a direct line between the masterdoc and the weird ways ‘lesbian’ fandom ends up justifying attraction to men. Jokingly (or not so jokingly) calling males they like butch lesbians. writing PIV sex - not even in a trans women, just inexplicably giving a woman a penis. and if you try to point this out, that they may actually be attacted to men and that’s fine? dear lord. good luck
Had to stop watching this as-ever great pod to mention a brilliant Drag King show that I saw in 2000 in Vancouver (Canada) as part of the big Saturday night after the Dyke Parade and before the Pride March. My god it was fun, it was so lesbian, and it was sexy. We laughed with them - no trans talk, plenty of breasts being showcased and lots of kissing dykes 💜🎶 🚺
What a shame if we’ve all lost that joyful playful part of being lesbian, loving women, and celebrating women’s bodies in different ways 🥰
In the U.S. ‘packing’ also references a different kind of concealed carry – a Glock 9, for example. Both reflecting different versions of lethality, pleasure, whatever.
I ventured into a drag king event at Exeter Pride a few years ago and all the entrants were women stripping. One even did the twirling tit tassels in opposite directions trick. The whole thing was weird!
Jackie Forster and Gill Hanscombe wrote Rocking the Cradle: Lesbian Mothers - A Challenge in Family Living (1981). Jackie had a found a doctor who was willing to give artificial insemination to lesbians, and I think Gill was the first lesbian to become a mother this way. Then it hit the tabloids ...
In Glasgow a safe drug consumption room has opened. I supported it as I believed it could save lives, we do have a serious problem with drug deaths. However,I have heard that accessing rehab services is very difficult. Sure you can continue taking drugs but we won't help you get off them? Seems crazy.
Ann, we call these places 'safe-injecting rooms’ and both Sydney and Melbourne have them. They are successful but sometimes controversial. You need a range of other services to back them up. They do save lives. Not all lives, but some.
https://adf.org.au/reducing-risk/supervised-injecting-facilities/benefits-to-the-community/#:~:text=SIFs%20are%20an%20effective%20and%20efficient%20use%20of%20public%20health%20care%20resources.&text=Resources%20and%20money%20are%20saved,less%20emergency%20department%20admissions
In Aotearoa (NZ) we have had a group of lesbians performing ... called Drag Kings ... who I always really enjoyed watching. Most of their items, from my point of view, were making fun of male stereotypes. Some of the performers didn't see it like that. They, too, are into gender ideology nowadays.
They also don't understand why I oppose drag shows (mainly males) at public libraries for kids considering I enjoyed their Drag King shows ... even though the drag kings are women making fun of male stereotypes (which I am pretty happy with) and not drag queens which are often men making fun of women (which I am not happy with). PLUS, the Drag King shows were for adults - not for kids like the Drag Story Time at libraries are.
Interrupting my viewing of this to say that I did not know what "packing" is!! And I'm glad I didn't know.
Kathleen, I can absolutely testify that the dating app algorithms throw straight women my way. Basically, once you've gone through the (often limited) number of lesbians, rather than the app indicating the list has been exhausted then the straights start appearing. Match is dreadful for it.
Entertaining as usual, but like 1 or 2 women who posted, I did see drag king shows in the 90s that were fun and sometimes mocking of masculinity or just so spot on as imitations of the men they were imitating - often musicians. I agree that taking oneself seriously or literalizing as Kathleen said, ruined it all.
As for safe consumption sites (so-called in Canada), it's much more complicated and nuanced than whether it's wrong or right, like most things. And I have argued different sides of this topic.
Harm reduction, including safe drugs / alcohol is only one of several pillars to deal with addiction and death from substances. The others include prevention, treatment and more, which are all widely underfunded. But you have to look at places where decriminalization and safe drugs were very successful in saving lives, like Portugal.
You can't access treatment or healing if you've already died from drinking cleaning products or injecting a mixture of toxic drugs. Also if you get off the street and into a safe site, you are making contact with health care workers which can be a first step for some people. Many lives have been saved and medical research/stats backs that up.
In Canada alcohol kills more people than other drugs by a long shot and there are also managed alcohol programs for those who are drinking terrible toxic products.
It's true that people in the downtown eastside are tossed away by most including our government, but if people are treated with attention and respect in safe sites - it can be the first time people are cared for and given other medical treatment. I say this knowing a good number of women, including lezzers, who work or have worked in those areas (and personal experience in my family).
Sorry for the long post!
Love the show - thanks Julie and Kathleen.
In Australia, alcohol misuse is directly responsible for more deaths than any other drug (over 1,700). And in an incredible number of cases (well over 4,000) alcohol plays a contributing role in deaths. It is the most affordable and available mood-changing drug as well. Alcohol use is so much part of our culture that it's hard to avoid
In the 60's, 70's and 80's alcohol used to be the most problematic drug in lesbian/gay male communities but multi-drug use was becoming increasingly common in the 80's, 90's and onwards. As an lesbian elder now (can we perhaps be called 'Elderlezzers' or 'Lezzelders'?) I am out of touch apart from published official data. I believe younger people in this country are drinking less but that could be because other drugs are so easily available.
Decriminalisation and tighter regulation would require a huge legal and cultural shift in this country and I'm not sure that it would be possible. Prevention and support in other ways is always good and there are a number of approaches. A friend and I started a lesbian alcohol recovery group in the early '80s. It ran for 5 years and provided support for at least 50 women in that time. The group worked through education and mutual support. It was a joy for me to be involved.
In that period also a group of us, in co-operation with some good men, successfully worked to make local AA groups more open and inclusive of all women, not only lesbians. Nowadays, there are a number of strong women's groups, gay and lesbian groups and even a couple of trans groups. We had a lot of fun and some of my best friends come from that era ('80s and '90s). I later worked in the AOD field and mental health for 17 years.
Julie, I love and admire your laugh, your mind and your work ethic. What is Negroni by the way? Sounds classy. Wine and beer were the people's drinks in my olden times. One of my friends used to call her home Chateau Collapso. She was a cask wine drinker. I was a vodka girl. Many decades ago now, thank the Goddesses.
Was thinking about networking back in the day before the internet - and reminiscing about sending (and receiving) actual letters to women via the Spare Rib personal ads. How we ever managed to arrange to meet up in different cities is beyond me, but we did.
Anyway, thinking about setting up a gc lesbian feminist women's social group when I retire - might call it Bindel's Babes to keep the riff raff out.
There's nothing wrong with being a lesbian. In fact, in societies where women are oppressed
to be lesbian is a sign of mental health. I used to be heterosexual (50 years ago when I was 18) but I don't think heterosexuality is very healthy for women.
Most of my lesbian friends think and feel that they were 'born this way'. I don't. I think we BECOME lesbian cos of our life's experiences. This starts as soon as we are born (or from even before we are born) and it could well become obvious very early in life - or not. So, I don't think it is a choice necessarily.
I’m in my late 20s and fairly involved in lesbian fandom culture online and offline so this might be of interest;
In 2020 something called the ‘Am I A Lesbian Masterdoc’ was making the rounds on twitter/tumblr/tiktok/whatever, and i know a good number of people who read it and came to the conclusion they were lesbian.
Some time later, one of the authors came out as bisexual and admitted she had sexual trauma from men. I actually think this was very brave of her. I think it’s very annoying how the masterdoc ruined the term ‘compulsory heterosexuality’ but admitting you were wrong about your identity IS brave.
The Masterdoc is interesting, if not kind of sad, to read with this context. There’s a lot of ‘you fantasise about men but the idea of actually dating one scares you’ and ‘if you dislike your attraction to men you’re a lesbian’.
But, I can draw a direct line between the masterdoc and the weird ways ‘lesbian’ fandom ends up justifying attraction to men. Jokingly (or not so jokingly) calling males they like butch lesbians. writing PIV sex - not even in a trans women, just inexplicably giving a woman a penis. and if you try to point this out, that they may actually be attacted to men and that’s fine? dear lord. good luck
And the memorial David Lynch ‘Mystery Blue Key Award’ goes to …
Julie Bindel for Episode 68 of the Lesbian Project Podcast.
Finding out that Mulholland Drive’s Betty and Rita were not real; gorgeous and loved up.
Very disappointing!
Finding out that Kathleen Stock is really Kathleen Bindel-Murray.
Stay away from behind that Winkies 🫣
Had to stop watching this as-ever great pod to mention a brilliant Drag King show that I saw in 2000 in Vancouver (Canada) as part of the big Saturday night after the Dyke Parade and before the Pride March. My god it was fun, it was so lesbian, and it was sexy. We laughed with them - no trans talk, plenty of breasts being showcased and lots of kissing dykes 💜🎶 🚺
What a shame if we’ve all lost that joyful playful part of being lesbian, loving women, and celebrating women’s bodies in different ways 🥰
In the U.S. ‘packing’ also references a different kind of concealed carry – a Glock 9, for example. Both reflecting different versions of lethality, pleasure, whatever.
Lily Tomlin's Tommy Velour was my favourite drag king. Look him up serenading Elizabeth Taylor.
I ventured into a drag king event at Exeter Pride a few years ago and all the entrants were women stripping. One even did the twirling tit tassels in opposite directions trick. The whole thing was weird!
Jackie Forster and Gill Hanscombe wrote Rocking the Cradle: Lesbian Mothers - A Challenge in Family Living (1981). Jackie had a found a doctor who was willing to give artificial insemination to lesbians, and I think Gill was the first lesbian to become a mother this way. Then it hit the tabloids ...
Julie even straight women know what packing is of course if you’re in the US it could mean you’re carrying a gun or that you’re carrying a penis😂😂😂