What Do You Call a Lesbian Who's Only Slept with Men? Answer.
SUMMARY Lesbian, gay, lesbian-identified bisexual-what do we call women who have sex with other women? What about the character "Ellen," played by actor/comedian Ellen DeGeneres, who identifies as gay but has not (yet?) slept with a woman? Can she legitimately call herself gay? More significantly, what exactly is a "legitimate" lesbian? Further, what does the Ellen show tell the millions who viewed the "coming out episodes" about lesbianism? Ellen provides an interesting, and highly public, test-case for these questions. This essay will examine three texts: (1) the three "coming-out" episodes, (2) the coverage in the popular press, and (3) the coverage in the queer press. We critique the ways in which the straight and gay communities interpret lesbian identity via their representation of the character "Ellen."
K
K
Yescavage
J
J
Alexander