Author Archives: Bev Jo

About Bev Jo

I’ve been a Lesbian from my earliest memories and am proud to be a Lesbian. Lesbians are my people and my blood. My life’s work has defending Lesbians and our culture and existence against those who oppress us. Working-class, ex-catholic, mostly European-descent (with some First Nations, probably Shawnee, ancestry), from poverty class culture. I’m a Lifelong Lesbian, born near Cincinnati, Ohio in 1950. I became lovers with my first lover in 1968, became part of a Lesbian community in 1970, and became a Dyke Separatist in 1972. I helped create Radical Lesbian Feminist and Separatist community and worked on some of the earliest Lesbian Feminist projects, such as the Lesbian Feminist Conference in Berkeley in 1972, the newspaper “Dykes and Gorgons” in 1973, the women’s bookstore, Lesbian coffeehouse, and taught self defense to women and girls for ten years. I’ve been published in journals and anthologies, including “For Lesbians Only,” “Finding the Lesbians,” “Lesbian Friendships,” “Amazones d’Hier, Lesbiennes Aujourd’hui,” “Mehr als das Herz Gebrochen,” the Journal for Lesbian Studies, Lesbian Ethics, Sinister Wisdom, Trivia, and Rain and Thunder. With Linda Strega and Ruston, I co-wrote our book, “Dykes-Loving-Dykes: Dyke Separatist Politics for Lesbians Only” in 1990. Our book and my more recent articles have been updated at my blog https://bevjoradicallesbian.wordpress.com/ I’ve been disabled since 1981 with ME/CFIDS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis) and MCS (Multiple Chemical Sensitivity.) I love nature and plants and animals — and especially the animals who are feared and hated and killed by people who don’t even know them, just as Lesbians are. I’ve learned to love rats especially, who I do not consider inferior to humans. I’m a spiritual atheist, but I’ve found out that there is definitely life after death because a little rat returned from the dead for three days to comfort us. These hated little animals are so kind and loving, and willing to die for someone they love. I say, in our fight to protect the earth — distrust all “truths” we are taught by patriarchy. The true truth is often the opposite.

When Is a Lesbian Not a Lesbian?

When Is a Lesbian Not a Lesbian? Bev Jo Recognizing who is actually a Lesbian and who is an imposter is crucial for us, our Lesbian communities, relationships, and sanity. Lesbians are harmed by women who choose to not be … Continue reading

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Part Two — Lesbians: “Born this Way” or Making a Choice of Pride?

Part Two Lesbians: “Born this Way” or Making a Choice of Pride? Bev Jo Once upon a time, not that long ago, women and certainly Lesbians knew the difference between females and males. But too many Lesbians gave up or … Continue reading

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Sonia Johnson and Why Lesbians Should Stop Worshipping Women Who Hate Us

             Sonia Johnson and Why Lesbians Should Stop                         Worshipping Women Who Hate Us                                                                     … Continue reading

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Lesbians: “Born this Way” or Making a Choice of Pride?

                                      Lesbians: “Born this Way” or Making a Choice of Pride?                                          Bev Jo Both. Of course loving other females feels natural to us because it is. And of course we are naturally born to love our own kind passionately. … Continue reading

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“Transgender” Simplified by Bev Jo

“Transgender” Simplified Bev Jo Did we ever think we would be in Lesbian communities where heterosexual men have succeeded in getting Lesbians to name-call and even physically attack other Lesbians for saying “no” to the men?

Posted in Additional Radical Lesbian Feminist writings, Dykes-Loving-Dykes: Dyke Separatist Politics, Our book 25 years later with extensive additions, Lesbian Separatist politics, Radical Lesbian Feminism, Radical Lesbian Feminist politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Slander (is the weapon of cowards)

Slander (is the weapon of cowards) Bev Jo I’ve seen some bizarre speculations about me online where I can’t answer, so I’d like to say, instead of slandering me, why not just ask me if something you’re read or heard … Continue reading

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The Mystery of Classism, Part II,

          The Mystery of Classism                                       Part II                                        Bev Jo (Part I:  https://bevjoradicallesbian.wordpress.com/2017/08/27/classism/) Class is about survival … Continue reading

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The Opioid “Crisis” or Business As Usual

The Opioid “Crisis” or Business As Usual Bev Jo This is dedicated to everyone who is suffering and those who have committed suicide from has being denied pain relief, and the few caring doctors who are being punished for helping … Continue reading

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UNFORTUNATELY, WE NEED AIR TO BREATHE

UNFORTUNATELY, WE NEED AIR TO BREATHE Support Women’s Health, Not the Chemical Industry  Bev Jo I want an end to patriarchy and all oppression. But sometimes, I just want to smell clean air. Well, not really clean air, which is … Continue reading

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Lesbianism Is Revolution by Bev Jo

Lesbianism Is Revolution Bev Jo When I found the Lesbian Feminist community in 1970, I felt I’d come home. I had been searching my entire life, from my earliest memories of loving other girls and fantasizing about being in a … Continue reading

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Introduction to Dykes-Loving-Dykes: Dyke Separatist Politics, 25 years update

  Dykes-Loving-Dykes: Dyke Separatist Politics Bev Jo, Linda Strega, Ruston 1990 – 2015 Why We Wrote This Book I’ve put our entire updated book at the heading of my blog, so all the chapters can easily be seen and linked to, … Continue reading

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Chapter One — The Crimes of Mankind

Chapter One The Crimes of Mankind Bev Jo                      (Based on the Original Version by Bev with Ruston and Linda) (This chapter was originally the beginning of Chapter Two, Heterosexuality/Selling Out Is Not Compulsory, in our book, Dykes-Loving-Dykes, 1990.) All males … Continue reading

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Chapter Two: Heterosexuality/Selling Out Is Not Compulsory

                                                  Chapter Two How Patriarchy Uses Heterosexual and Bisexual Women against Lesbians           … Continue reading

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Chapter Three — Heterosexism Among Lesbians Is Lesbian-hating

                                                              Chapter Three               … Continue reading

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Chapter Four — 2015 Update, 25 Years Later — SUPPORTING BUTCHES SUPPORTS ALL LESBIANS

 Chapter Four 2015 Update, 25 Years Later SUPPORTING BUTCHES SUPPORTS ALL LESBIANS  Bev Jo (My update is the introduction for our edited original chapter on Butch oppression,  BUTCH-HATRED IS LESBIAN-HATRED, published in 1990. That three-part chapter follows this section.) We … Continue reading

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Chapter Five — Lesbians for Lesbians — Dyke Separatism

Chapter Five  Lesbians for Lesbians                                    Dyke Separatism Means Loving Dykes                           … Continue reading

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Chapter Six: Kink = Leather = S/M = BDSM — It’s All Still Sadism and Masochism

 Kink = Leather = S/M = BDSM — It’s All Still Sadism and Masochism Bev Jo (This is an update of our chapter against sado-masochism from our book, Dykes-Loving-Dykes, which I co-wrote with Linda Strega and Ruston, and which we published … Continue reading

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Chapter Seven: Motherhood: The Ultimate Feminine Role

Chapter Seven:  Motherhood: The Ultimate Feminine Role Bev Jo Linda Strega Ruston (Originally published in 1990, I, Bev, have updated this to share online.) Radical Feminism is about questioning everything we are taught is sacred and unquestionable in patriarchy, from … Continue reading

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Chapter Eight — PATRIARCHY IS ONE BIG UNHAPPY FAMILY

                                               Chapter Eight                  PATRIARCHY IS ONE BIG UNHAPPY FAMILY   … Continue reading

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Chapter Nine — Hidden Disability by Bev Jo and Linda Strega

 Chapter Nine   Hidden Disability by Bev Jo and Linda Strega Part 1 OPPRESSION IS SICKENING                                                   … Continue reading

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Chapter Ten IF LOOKS COULD KILL Looksism: The Most Personal Oppression Bev Jo Men teach us that there are intrinsic standards of beauty (“aesthetics”) that apply to people, but these standards are political and manipulated, and aren’t an innate part of … Continue reading

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Please, if You Love Lesbians and Other Females, Think About This….

This is an update to previous work at my blog. Part One should fit onto one double-sided leaflet for distributing and sharing. Part Two is an explanation of the brief questions and comments in Part One, with many links to … Continue reading

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DEFINING LESBIANS OUT OF EXISTENCE — “TRANSWOMEN” ARE SIMPLY MEN (And over 80% don’t even have surgery)

DEFINING LESBIANS OUT OF EXISTENCE    Bev Jo                                                                 … Continue reading

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“Transmen Are Still Women” — part 2 of The Pretenders — Defining Lesbians Out of Existence

Defining Lesbians Out of Existence PART TWO Better to Be Anything than a Lesbian: “Transmen” Are Still Women Shouldn’t anyone be able to do what they want? Too many women seem to have lost touch with reality in this liberal/right … Continue reading

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CLASSISM

CLASSISM Bev Jo Class is a subject we are forbidden to talk or even think about. It’s like a big dirty secret in our US culture, and the punishment is severe for breaking the rules of silence and obedience.  That’s … Continue reading

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Working Class Radical Feminism: Telling the Truth for a Change

Working Class Radical Feminism: Telling the Truth for a Change Bev Jo This is a new blog I’ve started that has shorter, more condensed and ongoing articles. I’m posting here to spread the word…. https://keepingreallesbianfeminismsimple.wordpress.com/ This space is for women-born-women … Continue reading

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Radical Feminism Is Real Feminism by Bev Jo

Radical Feminism Is Real Feminism Bev Jo Part 1 We shouldn’t even have to call our culture and politics “Radical Feminism” when it once was simply feminism.  Real Feminism.

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A CHANCE TO SURVIVE CANCER — Doctors Are Not God

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A CHANCE TO SURVIVE CANCER Doctors Are Not God   Bev Jo I am dedicating this to my best friend, who has inspired women with her choices in  dealing with cancer. She had three unrelated cancers, starting in 1993,  for … Continue reading

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Who Does Lying about Voting Benefit?

Who Does Lying about Voting Benefit? Bev Jo I I usually don’t focus on the US or US politics, but we are in a crisis and what happens with the US, unfortunately, affects the rest of the world.

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Ageism – A Radical Lesbian Feminist Perspective

Ageism A Radical Lesbian Feminist Perspective  Bev Jo This article is updated, 5 years later, 2017…. A good way to not “other” or marginalize women is to not call them something you would never want to be called. In terms … Continue reading

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