Hiding Our Dirty Laundry
why dykes have hard time recognizing domestic violence in our communities
Forum: TechnoDyke.com
Date: 12/11/2001
I'll respond directly to this question:
<< Betty pointed out that domestic violence among dykes is sad but true, and that there are a lot of dykes who have a hard time accepting that this happens at all. >>
Because many of the said dykes have the *vested interest* in keeping the myth that dykes cannot possibly attain or exercise power and control over other dykes. If we admit that a dyke could abuse another dyke, it also forces us to acknowledge that white dykes can and often do act out racism against dykes of color, despite their lack of male privilege, for example.
Even dykes who work within anti-domestic violence shelters have the vested interest in maintaining the pretense that women cannot abuse other women, because it masks the rampant abuse of clients by service providers (e.g. shelters).
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