thebitterbabe

http://www.onscenity.org/conf1/?p=336

The institution of marriage is possibly itself past its sell-by date: why, therefore, at this point in its evolution are gay activists demanding to be included and are states prepared to listen? Marriage is mostly about tax advantages and benefits.

Why are such elements of state prescription focussed on this one institution? Most local societies would benefit more if individuals were able to share the benefits they were entitled to around the community, rather than such benefits being restricted to immediate family.

And:

Once upon a time, we died young: now we have increasingly elongated lifespans, and there is a social myth being promulgated – particularly around lesbian parenting – that “sticking it out” is virtuous. That even if the natural span of a relationship is no more than a few years, there is much pressure to put up with all the badness and down side that is there. Putting up and shutting up – a stoical acceptance of the down side of relationships – is seen as a good thing.

And:

The majority of women over 40 are not in a relationship with anyone, not least because men of that age are tending to date women much younger. So what is now “normal” in regards of relationships. The truth is that although around half women of menopausal age identify as heterosexual, that is not reality on the ground.

We are failing to ask questions about what women want: sexual research is often based on what men think are valid questions about what women want. Deconstructing existing research suggests increasingly that women are far more flexible in their orientation and desires than men. However, this is not much researched. This means that academics are ignoring an entire new world.

At the end of the day, there are different sorts of power and not all power is embodied in the male. There are different sorts of power embodied in the female, in the Queen – and this is what Gaga feminism is about accessing.