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LOVE ON TUBE

Recently Barbara Love, author of Sapho Was a Right-On Woman, appeared on the interview program Woman hosted by Saundra Elkins on WVIX TV. Love, who might be described as a "moderate" activist, skillfully outlined the current problems of lesbians and gays in general.

When asked to single out the leading adversity faced by lesbians, she replied, "guilt...i.e. the inability of women to accept and feel good about their homosexuality." She indicated that the fear of being "discovered" drives many gay women into a secretive and insecure existence which tends to undermine their self-esteem as well as their respect for other lesbians. According to Love, "we can never know if society's attitudes toward gays are changing unless they are tested by those who are open about their sexual orientation, nor can public opinion be rechanneled unless gays confront society with their openness and asserttiveness." She feels that although lesbians risk discrimination in employment or housing by admitting to their sexual preference, it is well worth the hazzard in the long run because it increases the straight public's awareness of confident, independent gay women.

But even more importantly, openness is essential to a lesbian's

HIGH GEAR

psychological well-adjustment and sense of genuine worth. She admonished all gays not to hesitate to aspire to any position in the "system" and not to be intimidated by fear of straight-imposed "failure." Love herself succeeded in working her way up to a prominent position in a large publishing firm without concealing her lesbianism from her colleagues. She has also been evicted from an apartment because of her homosexuality and urged her sisters not to be goaded. back into sexual anonymity in the face of such personal setbacks. When asked whether she felt lesbians had it tougher than gay men in a heterosexual environment, Love replied, "Gay men and women are persecuted in different ways. It is easier for women to show affection for each other in public than

men.

My lover and I went to zap a nongay dance, thinking we would draw attention to our lesbianism by dancing with each other. We arrived only to find some girls already dancing with each other, and no one paid any attention to us." Gay men, on the other hand, noted Love, "are free to participate in the benefits of male supremacy, including better job opportunities and higher wages. A gay man with no family to support can have a far better time with his pay check than can his lesbian

By LEON STEVENS

peer with hers." In a response to a question about the Women's Liberation Movement, she argued that "gay liberation must come first before women's liberation can be completely successful," explaining that homosexuals can more effectively destroy traditional sex roles and emerge as individuals with the most spontaneous human responses and traits in the forefront. In her opinion, straight women find it difficult to isolate what is distinctly feminine and then pose it against what they consider to be masculine. "Some radical women look askance at lesbians because they are assertive, ambitious and strongly independent. They see lesbians as manifesting male attributes rather than simply being themselves and exhibiting ordinary human inclinations."

While Love admits to being a proud activist, she does not call herself a "radical." Her rapport with her family and friends (all of whom know she is gay) is excellent as it

is, of course, with gay men and lesbian friends. In closing let me say that I profoundly enjoyed this interview with Barbara Love. She is

plainly a person who has her head together and is a refreshingly elegant spokesperson for people who are gay and like it.

August, 197!

and of! sequined in a voice-Full of elation and surprise surface! ano

ahflation

dare you! delegate a liffle Of you to me and deviate from the

norm -Jonna

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