What do you do when a movement you’re a part of fears your existence and potential influence on society, politics, and the youth of tomorrow? You protest and disrupt the system!
Born out of fear and fragility from the 2nd wave of the feminist movement, the Lavender Menace was an action lead by radical lesbians. They formed the action to protest the exclusion of lesbians and lesbian issues from the feminist movement during the Second Congress to Unite Women in New York City on May 1, 1970. But how did it all start?
Back to the Start
As all great political movements do, Lavender Menace grew from apprehensions about the masses’ dangerous perceptions. Betty Friedan, the National Organization for Women (NOW) president, worried that the feminist movement would not achieve political change due to feminists being pegged as man-hating women and lesbians. Believing the movement was under threat of lesbianism, she coincidently coined the phrase “Lavender Menace” during one of NOW's meetings. The organization distanced itself from lesbian causes and activists, including removing lesbian-focused issues, speakers, and organizations from sponsored lists, including the Second Congress to Unite Women’s event. As a result, a prominent lesbian women-rights activist at the time, Lesbian Feminist Rita Mae Brown resigning from her administrative position at NOW. Heterosexual feminist, author, and journalist Susan Brownmiller wrote a piece for the New York Times Sisterhood is Powerful and the need to rid the lavender menace’s movement or lavender herring, and commended Friedan on her leadership and bravery.
Little did they know that the women would soon reclaim the name and fight back.
Raising Hell, One Lavender and Manifesto at a Time
Most of the lesbian activist of Lavender Menace members like Karla Jay, Martha Shelley, Rita Mae Brown, Lois Hart, Barbara Love, Ellen Shumsky, Artemis March, Cynthia Funk, Linda Rhodes, Arlene Kushner, Ellen Broidy, and Michela Griffo was also part of the Gay Liberation Front and the NOW. They assembled with other organizations and decided the Second Congress to Unite Women would be the best place to “unite” and engage in lesbian-focused discourse. They wrote a 10-page manifesto, “The Woman-Identified Woman,” to pass around during the event. On May 1, 1970, the activists turned off the lights, took off their jackets, and had shirts that read “Lavender Menace.” Activist Martha Shelley went on stage and proclaimed that NOW should include lesbian issues on the floor. Forty other NOW and Lavender Menace members joined her on stage while 20 other members, dotted amongst the general audience, shouted their support.
Lavender Menace’s members held firm, taking over the floor for three hours, speaking on inclusion, discrimination, and their right to be there. NOW passed a resolution that acknowledged the visibility of lesbians in the feminist movement, including how lesbians faced double the oppression. Although the resolution passed in 1970, Friedan would not recognize the group's participation or influence in the movement until 1977.
Fighting to increase visibility and bring awareness of lesbian issues nationally
The Lavender Menace helped fight against patriarchal, social, and sexual norms during the 1970s. Because of their brave actions, they broke through the predominantly straight, white, middle to upper-class women’s identity that the second-wave feminist movement focused and was founded on. The Lavender Menace action opened a dialogue on lesbian related issues and led to a more intersectional feminist discourse. Women in the organization engaged in an open dialogue on racism, classism, and the need for better representation and equality in a movement born from inequality.
Why We Amplify
During the Second Congress to Unite Women, 17 women stood proudly with shirts that read ‘Lavender Menace.’ They stood proudly amongst 400+ women and held signs saying, “Women’s Liberation is a lesbian plot.” They stood proudly in the middle of a movement that they helped create to demand visibility, awareness, and recognition.
We amplify them because they raised their voices and demanded to be heard.
They wanted NOW to understand that lesbian rights and issues were women’s rights and women’s issues. You cannot separate the two. Their actions left a lasting impact on many feminist organizations, who, shortly after, began including issues faced by lesbian and women-identifying-individuals in their agendas.
Two Fun and Not So Fun Facts About Lavender Menace and The Feminist Movement
● The Lavender Menace became the second group (after Stonewall) to focus on lesbian issues.
● NOW sponsored a Lesbian Rights Summit in 1999
● As inclusive as the Lavender Menace wanted the feminist movement to be, they were exclusionary to their support for bisexuality. Many members viewed bisexuality as an issue that worked against their cause; some opposed heterosexuals and gay men. Not to say everyone was biphobic, but biphobia and their lack of inclusivity lead to their full disbandment in 1971.
● There’s always been a disconnect between the feminist movement at-large and issues on women of lower SES, WOCs, particularly Black, Trans, and Lesbian Women.
○ In 1977, the NOW Mississippi Delegation had signs that read “Keep Them in The Closet.”
○ The Lavender Menace, other actions, and organizations are doing their part to diversify, include, and globalize all women issues.
More information about the Lavender Menace and Other Amplifying Information
● Check out Activist Karla Jay’s memoir, Tales of the Lavender Menace: A Memoir of Liberation, about what happened during the 1970s and beyond.
● Want to know more about the GLT Liberation? Check out Karla Jay and Allen Young’s, Out of the Closets: Voices of Gay Liberation anthropology filled with manifestos, affirmation, and much more.
● Archives, Exhibits and Collections of Lesbian Activism from the 1970s to the Present
● History of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Social Movements
● Interested in other Lesbian and Queer Activists who rebelled and created actions of their own? Check out Rebel Girls: This Is What A Lavender Menace Looks Like
● Check out the Documentary; She’s Beautiful When She’s Angry, the documentary dives into the 2nd wave of the feminist movement, their march in 1970, the emergence of Lavender Menace, the movements move for inclusion, and so much more. *On Netflix*
Joycelyn lives in Cypress, Texas. She’s the daughter of immigrants and did not go to Law School, but received three degrees (BA, MA, MPH) and is happily freelancing and working in the nonprofit world. She enjoys writing about healthcare recruitment and even worked as a Healthcare Organizer. When she’s not writing, she’s transcribing, developing community toolkits, and researching womxn’s history. Which is why she’s excited about writing for AMPLIFY. On her off days, she spends her time on Twitter reminding everyone to drink water and enabling others to watch more dramas. Follow her on Twitter: @jg_humanitarian