THE FEMININE VIEWPOINT

by and about women

The problem of meeting people

Janet stopped in the doorway of the bar and glanced at the clientele. At the bar stood a few slender women with extremely short haircuts and wearing levis. Laughing boisterously, one of the women punched another playfully. Several buxom girls in tight nylon sweaters, their hair long frizzy-ended mops, shrieked at a pantomime presented by a stocky girl in a man's suit. There were solitary people staring moodily into their drinks and a few couples who were absorbed in one another. Janet turned her back on the bar and walked to the drugstore. She purchased several magazines.

"Guess these will help me pass the night," she remarked to the clerk.

Janet is typical of many homosexual women. Living in a large city, she has knowledge of a few night clubs and bars that are hang-outs for lesbians; from loneliness for companions with whom she can be herself. occasionally Janet patronizes these places. But perhaps Janet does not enjoy drinking, or her interests are not the same as those of the bar habitues. Then how does Janet meet congenial people?

This problem exists even if Janet is living with a friend. They would

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by Alice F. Horvath

like to mix socially with other pairs of women. Many couples who would be very congenial would not be caught dead in bar which is a lesbian hang-out or maybe they just haven't heard of such places.

So whether Janet is looking for a a possible mate or just for a congenial group of friends, the bars seem to be inadequate for the simple reason that Janet won't, for the most part. meet friends of her own kind with personalities, interests, and yes, even "safe" appearances there.

Among the people with whom Janét works, there are two girls who appear as if they just might be the sort Janet is looking for. What can she do? Ask them point-blank? Hardly. The most she can do is to invite them to her home and become better acquainted with them. If her first impression of them remains the same. Janet can make a few comments to test them. Perhaps this might grow into a friendship on a truthful basis, perhaps not. At any rate, if Janet isn't indiscreet. she hasn't lost anything.

Too frequently Janet is afraid to broach the subject with people of whom she is not sure. They must wear a sign around their necks reading "I

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