The Emergence of Lesbian Theory of Law
Why and How the Lesbian Theory of Law Has Been Developed
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46282/blr.2024.8.1.513Keywords:
Lesbianism, Lesbian Jurisprudence, Heterosexism, Lesbian Theory of LawAbstract
In the late eighties of the 20th century, the methodological reflection of lesbian identity arose within the framework of feminist jurisprudence. Although the original intention was to include lesbian identity in a woman's identity, in a relatively short period there was a sudden break. Lesbian identity became a distinct identity considered to be the central position of lesbian jurisprudence. This study presents the peculiar features of lesbian legal theory. It tries to point out the historical and ideological determinants that led lesbianism to enter (legal) feminism. Lesbian separatism also took part in this development. It turned out to be the main reason for the separation of lesbian legal scholars from the feminist jurisprudence. The study presents the core ideological assumptions that constitute the theoretical nature of the lesbian theory of law, which is based on lesbian (legal) experiences.
References
Arriola, E. R.. (1994). Gendered Inequality: Lesbians, Gays, and Feminist Legal Theory. Berkeley Women´s Law Journal, 9(1), 103-143.
Arriola, E. R.. (2005). Encuentro en el Ambiente de la Teoria: Latina Lesbians and Ruthann Robson's Lesbian Legal Theory. New York City Law Review, 8(2), 519-541, https://doi.org/10.31641/clr080225
Atkinson, T-G. (1974a). Lesbianism and Feminism: Justice For Women as „Unnatural“. In: Atkinson, T-G. Amazon Odyssey (pp. 131-134). New York: Putnam Pub Group.
Atkinson, T-G. (1974b). Strategy and Tactics. In: Atkinson, T-G. Amazon Odyssey (pp. 135-189). New York: Putnam Pub Group.
Bunch, C. (1975). Lesbians in Revolt. In: Myron, N., Bunch, Ch., (eds.), Lesbianism and the Women´s Movement (pp. 29-37). Baltimore: Diana Press.
Cain, P. A. (1989-1990). Feminist Jurisprudence: Grounding the Theories. Berkeley Women’s Law Journal, 4, 191-214.
Cain, P. A. (1994). Lesbian Perspective, Lesbian Experience, and the Risk of Essentialism. Virginia Journal of Social Policy and the Law, 2(1), 191-214.
Calhoun, C. (1994). Separating Lesbian Theory from Feminist Theory. Ethics, 104(3), 558-581, https://doi.org/10.1086/293630
Calhoun, C. (2002). Feminism, the Family, and the Politics of the Closet: Lesbian and Gay Displacement. New York: Oxford University Press, https://doi.org/10.1093/0199257663.001.0001
Carter, C. and Noble, J. (1996). Butch, Femme, and the Woman-Identified Woman: Menage-a-trois of the '90s? Canadian Woman Studies, 16(2), 24-29.
Clarke, C. (1983). Lesbianism: an Act of Resistance. In: Moraga, Ch., Anzaldúa, G. (eds.). This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color (pp. 128-137). New York: Kitchen Table: Women of Color Press.
Crawley, S. (2001). Are Butch and Fem Working-Class and Antifeminist? Gender & Society, 15(2), 175-196.
Davis, F. (1991). Moving The Mountain The Women's Movement in America since 1960. London - New York - Singapore - Sydney - Toronto: Simon & Schuster.
Denissen, A. M. and Saguy, A. C. (2013). Gendered Homophobia and the Contradictions of Workplace Discrimination for Women in the Building Trades. Gender & Society, 28(2), 1-23, https://doi.org/10.1177/0891243213510781
Eaton, M. (1994). At the Intersection of Gender and Sexual Orientation: Toward Lesbian Jurisprudence. Southern California Review of Law & Women´s Studies, 3(2), 183-218.
Echols, A. (2019). Daring to Be Bad: Radical Feminism in America 1967 ‒ 1975. London – Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, https://doi.org/10.5749/j.ctvqmp26c
Elliott and Robson, R. (1993). Un-Domesticated Lesbian Legal Theory: A conversation with Ruthann Robson, author of Lesbian (Out)Law: Survival Under the Rule of Law (Interview). Off Our Backs, 23(10), 10-13.
Eskridge, W. N. Jr. (1994). Gaylegal Narratives. Stanford Law Review, 46(3), 607-646, https://doi.org/10.2307/1229103
Finnis, J. (2011). Natural Law and Natural Rights. Oxford – New York: Oxford University Press.
Finley, L. M. (1989). Breaking Women's Silence in Law: The Dilemma of the Gendered Nature of Legal Reasoning Nature of Legal Reasoning. Notre Dame Law Review, 64, 886- 910.
Franklin, K. and Chinn, S. E. (1999). Lesbians, Legal Theory and Other Superheroes. N. Y. U. Review of Law & Social Change, 25(2), 301-330, https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4188092
Gauntlett, D. (2008) Media, Gender and Identity: An Introduction. London: Routledge.
George, R. P. (2004). In Defense of Natural Law. Oxford – New York: Oxford University Press.
Giuffre, P., Dellinger, K. and Williams, C., L. (2008). ‘No Retribution for Being Gay?’: Inequality in Gay-Friendly Workplaces. Sociological Spectrum, 28(3), 254-277, https://doi.org/10.1080/02732170801898380
Hesford, V. (2013). Feeling Women's Liberation. Durham – London: Duke University Press, https://doi.org/10.1215/9780822397519
Hinojosa, T.J. and Medina, C. (2016). Lesbian Narratives: An Investigation of Identity and Expression. Journal of Counselor Practice, 7(1), 21–40, https://doi.org/10.22229/lnt738024
Jefferson, T. R. (1998). Toward a Black Lesbian Jurisprudence. Boston College Third World Law Journal, 18(2), 263-291.
King, K. (1994). Theory in Its Feminist Travels: Conversations in U. S. Women's Movements. Bloomington – Indianapolis: Indiana University Press.
McBean, S. (2021). Feminist diagrams. Feminist Theory, 22(2), 206-225, https://doi.org/10.1177/1464700121997182
Radicalesbians (1970). The Woman-Identified Woman. Pittsburgh: Know, Inc..
Radner, H. (2008). Compulsory Sexuality and the Desiring Woman. Sexualities, 11(1-2), 94-100, https://doi.org/10.1177/13634607080110010304
Rich, A. C. (1980). Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence. Signs, Women: Sex and Sexuality, 5(4), 631-660.
Rich, A. C. (2003). Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence. Journal of Women's History, 15(3), 11-48, https://doi.org/10.1353/jowh.2003.0079
Robson, R. (1990). Lesbian Jurisprudence? Law & Inequality, 8(3), 443-468.
Robson, R. (1992). Lesbian (Out)Law: Survival Under the Rule of Law. New York: Firebrand Books.
Robson, R. (1993). The Specter of a Lesbian Supreme Court Justice: Problems of Identity in Lesbian Legal Theorizing. St. Thomas Law Review, 5, 433-458.
Robson, R. (1994). Resisting the Family: Repositioning Lesbians in Legal Theory. Signs, 19(5), 975-996, https://doi.org/10.1086/494947
Robson, R. (1998). Sappho Goes to Law School. New York: Columbia University Press.
Robson, R. (2000). The Politics of the Possible: Personal Reflections on a Decade at the City University of New York School of Law. New York City Law Review, 3(2), 245-257, https://doi.org/10.31641/clr030210
Robson, R. and Valentine, S. E. (1990). Lov(H)ers: Lesbians as Intimate Partners and Lesbian Legal Theory. Temple Law Review, 63, 511-542.
Sala, A. and De la Mata Benítez, M. L. (2016). The narrative construction of Lesbian identity: A study using Bruner’s self-indicators. Culture & Psychology, 0(0), 1-20, https://doi.org/10.1177/1354067X16650831
Scales, A. C. (2009). Poststructuralism on Trial. In: Albertson Fineman, M., Jackson, J. E., Romero, A. P., (eds.). Feminist and Queer Legal Theory: Intimate Encounters, Uncomfortable Conversations (pp. 395-410). Burlington, USA – Farnham, UK: Ashgate.
Schulman, S. M. (author), Cogswell, K. J., Simo, A. M. (eds.). (1993). The Lesbian Avenger Handbook: A Handy Guide to Homemade Revolution. New York: The Lesbian Avengers.
Solum, L. B. (1997). Indeterminacy and Equality. In: Griffin, S. M. and Moffat, R. C. (eds.), Radical Critiques of the Law (p. 44-66). Kansas: University Press of Kansas.
Šoltys, D. (2022). Identita v právnej vede – právo pohľadom politík identít. In: Bröstl, A., Breichová Lapčáková, M. (eds.), Spravodlivosť, spoločenstvo, sloboda: Zborník zo Zasadnutia slovenskej sekcie IVR pred 30. svetovým kongresom (pp. 123-148). Košice: ŠafárikPress.
Taylor, M., Hodges, S. D. and Kohányi, A. (2002). The Illusion of Independent Agency: Do Adult Fiction Writers Experience Their characters as having minds of their own? Imagination Cognition and Personality, 22(4), 361-379.
Valdes, F. (2000). Sex and Race in Queer Legal Culture: Ruminations on Identities & Interconnectivities. In: Delgado, R., Stefancic, J. (eds.). Critical Race Theory: The Cutting Edge (pp. 334-339). Philadelphia: Temple University Press.
West, R. (1988). Jurisprudence and Gender. The University of Chicago Law Review, 55(1), 1-72.
Wittig, M. (1992). The Straight Mind. In: Wittig, M. The Straight Mind: And Other Essays (pp. 21-32). Boston: Beacon Press.
Zimmerman, B. (ed.). (2000). Encyclopedia of Lesbian Histories and Cultures: Volume 1. London – New York: Garland Publishing Inc., https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203825532
Iniciatíva Inakosť (2017). Celoslovenský LGBT Prieskum: Správa o výsledkoch [online]. Available at: https://inakost.sk/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Celoslovensky-LGBT-prieskum-2017-sprava.pdf (accessed on 2023-11-13).
Downloads
Published
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Bratislava Law Review
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
The Author(s) transfers copyright to the Article to the Publisher of the Journal by the Licence Agreement.
The Author(s) retains rights specified in the Licence Agreement.
The readers may read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of all of the Article of the Journal and use them for any other lawful purpose under specified Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0).