Lesbian Locality.

- Mary Beth


          According to the most recent census, approximately 1.5% of the population identifies themselves as homosexual. This does not account for those who refrain from stating their sexual preference, yet, even taking these individuals into account, heterosexuals greatly outnumber them. Thus, American culture is highly heterosexualized. The chapter entitled "And She Told Two Friends," written by Tamar Rothenberg,  illustrates how homosexuals, specifically, lesbians, go about creating lesbian communities that cater to their lifestyles. The article focuses particularly on Park Slope, a Brooklyn, New York community with an exceptionally large lesbian population. In fact, Park Slope has the heaviest concentration of lesbians in the US, second only to that of San Francisco (p. 169).
             Although Park Slope is not marketed as a lesbian community, many of it's residents were aware of it's reputation, and recognized it as one of the reasons they decided to move there. Unsurprisingly, the Prospect Park Women's Softball League, based in Park Slope, is approximately 95% lesbian (p. 173). These are the type of statistics that make Park Slope so attractive to homosexual women. It is a place where they can relate to others like themselves, who share the same struggles and hardships of being less than 1.5% of the population. Having friends that share the same values and sexual ideology becomes all the more important under such circumstances. Heterosexual Americans often take that for granted. The idea, is that with such an increase lesbian population, the number and diversity of lesbian spaces with grow as well, and potentially come to include lesbian bars, coffee houses, businesses, and political organization centers (p. 172).
          What makes Park Slope so incredible is that it is one of the very few existing lesbian communities. Gay communities are common within the US, specifically in metropolises such as New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Yet, lesbian communities are much harder to come by for a few reasons, the most important being income. Sadly, income still correlates with gender in today's society. Statistically, males have higher income than women, even when performing the same jobs. The less income, the more restrictive housing choices become. Thus, the reason for a lack of lesbian communities may be rooted in the old school ideology of gender-based wages (p.167).
         Another interesting hypothesis to consider is that women have been given a greater sense of acceptability when it comes to same-sex sexual relations than men. Men often encourage women to perform sexual acts with each other in social settings, and these sexual acts generate a positive response. Yet, this is generally not so for males. As a society, we have not graduated to a place where homosexual male acts are positively reinforced. "Therefore, gay males feel more of a need for their own territory, a safe haven" (p.167). Thus, they establish communities for themselves.
        I found this article to be very enlightening. I'm interested to venture to Park Slope and observe the general population I may find. To walk into the shops, the businesses, the eateries, and to people-watch. I wonder if perhaps I will absorb a sense of lesbian culture different from outlying locations.