Heike Schader
Konstruktionen weiblicher Homosexualität in Zeitschriften homosexueller Frauen in den 1920er Jahren

Constructions of female homosexuality in homosexual women's magazines of the 1920s

English abstract

The author examines images of female homosexuality in magazines by and for homosexual women in the Berlin of the 1920s. At the core of the analysis is the concept of virility – as the single most detailed and outstanding image – and the construction of sexuality. The image of the virile homosexual woman was formulated on various levels such as clothing and "essence". Again and again "virile" was related to "masculine" and parallels between the gender characteristics of the homosexual woman and the man were emphasized. With this conception it was possible to claim a position within the main society as well as to view one selves as a group. The concept of virility was not claimed for all women as a kind of emancipatory critique of society in general, but mostly referred to the "man-like character" of the homosexual women and thus reinforced the existing hierarchical gender relations. The concept of virility remained uncriticized as a position facing society; criticized were the formulations of the "essence of the viriles" as part of a conception of relationships. The right to an own, distinct sexuality played a marginal role in the discussion on societal approvement. The importance of sexuality as a criterion for homosexuality remained mainly dependent on subjectively, individually additional criteria.




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