Looking into the Eyes of the Apocalyptic Medusa

Some people like appellations; they think that names have the power to frame identities. I abhor appellations and I think that identities call forth names. I hate designations, surnames, titles, subtitles… Is it fear of being called or is it fear of being given a title when called? I am who I am with no name, and no title. After all, we are all human beings and this is the most reasonable appellation. To cast the confusion for some who have begun mixing up things and pretending to have knowledge about what escapes their capacity of comprehension, I am giving forth a selection of definitions.

A homosexual is someone, regardless of being a man or a woman, who is gripped to people of the same sex and not to others of opposite sex. Homosexuality (Methlia – in Arabic- Kifi- in our Tunisian dialect-) (The term is not widely used), is a sexual tendency that includes both women and men. I like the English expression “the love that dare not speak its name” for this idiom explains that what we feel is, first and foremost, love and coveys the oppression we are subjected to in almost all societies.

A “gay” person, which is an informal appellation, refers to any homosexual regardless of the gender. Sometimes, “gay” refers only to men, as when we speak of the “Lesbian and Gay Community”. The “gay” appellation is derived from the widely used “gay” adjective, which means “happy and contented”. Auspiciously, the gay community has always shown a penchant to the celebration of the self, merriment, joy, and satisfaction. The Gay Liberation Movement of the late 1960’s set up to question the stereotyped ideas that many folks had about homosexuals.

A lesbian, and this is definitely my case, is a woman who is sexually attracted only to other women. In this context, I would like to scoff all those who refuse to acknowledge the existence of lesbianism because denying a reality is the utmost of stupidity. I would like also to express gratitude to all feminists, including third world feminists, for their strength of mind and fortitude.

A bisexual person, regardless of gender, is attracted to both the feminine and the masculine. Bisexuality is not part of homosexuality and is not necessarily, as many people think, related to it.

A transsexual is a person, notably a man, who feels that he/she should have been the opposite sex, and consequently he/she dresses like a member of that gender. A transsexual is also a person who has had a medical intervention to change his/her sex.

An androgynous is a hermaphrodite, asexual, and genderless person who is not clearly feminine or masculine. It is also a person who has both genders’ features. The androgynous, thought as having double knowledge and being born from sun and earth, was considered as a sacred being in classical civilisations, notably the Greek one.

What counts, in all this, are the difference and the diversity. I think difference should be celebrated by all those who stand outside the structures because of their sexual background. The difference should be perceived as a connection, a link and a source of power. If I am writing today, I am doing it to celebrate the ostracized and the unpopular. Thus, the aim is to give voice to the silenced Me and the voiceless faith who abhors patriarchal ideology.

I am a Medusa, the most dreadful creature who transforms whoever looks into her eyes into rock. I am a woman to whom patriarchy has turned the back to since the era of Eve. I am a woman who has been oppressed by all those who do not yearn to see me strong, determined and resolute and escape my eyes for fear of finding the supremacy and strength they lack. Worse than that, I am a Medusa who wants to look into the eyes of a Medusa and is destined to love but her regardless of the sipping serpents that make people turn into stone from fear. I am lesbian and I am proud. In front of all the Medusas in the world, all women, all ladies, I bend over in glorification and deification. The Medusa is beautiful but is also strong and firm; lucky is the one who sees her beauty and damned is the one who fears her power. Look into her eyes and you will know if you are lucky or damned.

-Faithinlove-