ADVOCATES FOR YOUTH

Feature: Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Women in History

(From the GLBTQ Initiative Newsletter)

March is Women’s History month, and in an effort to celebrate the “HerStory” of women, we have decided to honor those lesbian, bisexual and transgender women who have impacted our lives over time. We will take a look at some of the most memorable queer women in our history and their valuable contributions to our culture

We'wha (1849 – 1896)

"She was a remarkable woman, a fine blanket and sash maker, an excellent cook, an adept in all the work of her sex, and yet strange to say, she was a man."[1]

We'wha was what anthropologists call a berdache and what the Zuni people call a lhamana (an individual, usually male, who combines male and female work and social roles and often dressed in women's clothing). The French explorers in the "New World" applied the name "berdache" to those men in the tribes they encountered who defied their Western conception of "normal" sexuality and gender.

We’wha was a strong, intelligent child, a favorite in the tribe. She began to use female expressions and kinship terms at a young age, and sometimes wore her shirt out in imitation of the petticoats of the girls. At puberty, an elaborate ceremony made We’wha officially an Ihamana; from there on she dressed entirely as a woman and was part of the inner circle of the women of the clan. We'wha was held in high esteem by her people, becoming a princess and eventually an ambassador for the Zuni people.

In 1885, We'wha lived in Washington D.C. for six months. She mingled with the Speaker of the House, John Carlisle; other dignitaries and socialites befriended her. She returned to her people and forged an alliance with the greatly superior forces of the “new nation.” She helped forge a strong treaty between the United States and the Zuni people.[1]

Barbara Jordan (1936 – 1996)

An honors graduate from Texas Southern University, she earned her law degree from Boston University in 1959. Barbara Jordan was the first African American woman elected to the Texas Senate, winning the election in 1966. She also became the first African American to preside over a legislative body in the United States when she was elected president pro-tempore of the Texas Senate in 1972. When she was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1972, she was the first African American woman to be elected to that body from a Southern state.

Ms. Jordan became the first woman to deliver a keynote address at a political convention in the U.S. when gave the keynote address to the Democratic National Convention in 1976. She was also successful in her efforts to expand the Voting Rights Act to include non-English speakers. When she retired from politics in 1979, she continued to teach at the University of Texas until her death in 1996.

She met her partner Nancy Earl on a camping trip in the 1960s. The two were together for more than 20 years. Jordan never came out publicly, but her obituary in the Houston Chronicle called Earl her long-time companion. Ms. Jordan was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest award for a civilian, in 1994.[2]

Gladys Bentley (1907-1960)

Gladys Bentley was a popular Blues singer during The Harlem Renaissance. In the 1920s Harlem was an open and accepting place for gays and lesbians. Bentley began singing at "rent parties" (where party guests payed a small entrance fee toward raising rent money for the hosts) in the 1920s. She was famous for reworking the lyrics of popular songs to be raunchier. Bentley eventually began working at the famous speakeasies of the era. She attracted gay, straight, black and white audiences.

Bentley almost always dressed in her trademark tuxedo and top hat. She flaunted her sexual orientation and reputation as lesbian. She openly flirted with women in the audience. Bentley was often the subject of gossip columnists, who were intrigued by her race and open lesbian sexuality. Her 'marriage' to a woman from New Jersey was widely publicized. In the 1930s, she headlined at Harlem's Ubangi Club with a chorus of drag performers.

Bentley moved to Los Angeles in 1937. There she was harassed by police for wearing men's clothing. She gained a small following in the clubs that catered to a gay clientele. Bentley began a long recording career, but her recordings did not include her bawdy lyrics and references to lesbianism.

In the 1950s McCarthyism swept the United States. It was no longer safe to be an "out and proud" lesbian. Bentley tried to conceal her lesbianism to save her career, and in 1952 she published an article in Ebony magazine claiming, "I am a woman again." She claimed she was cured her lesbianism by taking female hormones and was married to a man.[3]

Living as an out lesbian was hard for a black woman at that time, but Gladys Bentley did it with pizzazz. She was a trail blazer, tearing down stereotypes and forcing people to SEE her. She died of influenza in 1960.

Del Martin (1921- )

Del met Phyllis Lyon in 1950 in Seattle. In 1952, the two became lovers and have been together ever since. In 1955, with Phyllis and several other women, Del Martin formed Daughters of Bilitis (DOB), the first national organization for lesbians in the United States. DOB was formed because the women felt that their issues were being neglected by the male-dominated gay rights groups of the time. DOB created a space for lesbians to meet outside of the bars and work for equality.

With her partner Phyllis Lyon, Del Martin wrote Lesbian/Woman in 1972. The book documents the history of the lesbian movement and calls for equal rights for lesbians. Martin also was active in the feminist movement and wrote Battered Woman, an expose of domestic violence and the societal forces that contribute to it..

In addition to working for lesbian rights, Del Martin has been a leader in feminist and civil rights causes. She was the first out lesbian elected to the leadership of the National Organization for Women (NOW). She is a founding member of the Alice B. Toklas Lesbian/Gay Democratic Club. She is also the founder of Old Lesbians Organizing for Change, an organization that fights homophobia and ageism.

Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon became the first gay couple in San Francisco to legally marry on February 12, 2004.

We thank Del for being an icon for Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender women everywhere![4]

References

1. Lansberry, Laura. “We'wha: Zuni Man/Woman.” aztriad.com. 16 February 2007.
2. Belge, Kathy. “Barbara Jordan.” About.com. 16 February 2007
3. Belge, Kathy. “Gladys Bentley: Bulldagger who Sang the Blues.” About.com. 16 February 2007
4. Belge, Kathy. “Del Martin.” About.com. 16 February 2007