The Lesbian Heresy

by Sheila Jeffreys

A critique of the lesbian sex industry's efforts to profit from women's oppression.

Genres: Feminism, Lesbian, Nonfiction, LGBT, Womens, Sexuality

208 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1993

About the author

Sheila Jeffreys writes and teaches in the areas of sexual politics, international gender politics, and lesbian and gay politics. She has written six books on the history and politics of sexuality. Originally from the UK, Sheila moved to Melbourne in 1991 to take up a position at the University of Melbourne. She has been actively involved in feminist and lesbian feminist politics, particularly around the issue of sexual violence, since 1973. She is involved with the international non-government organization, Coalition Against Trafficking in Women, in international organising.

She is the author of The Spinster and Her Enemies: Feminism and Sexuality, 1880-1930 (1985/1997) Anticlimax: A Feminist Perspective on the Sexual Revolution (1990), The Lesbian Heresy: A Feminist Perspective on the Lesbian Sexual Revolution (1993), The Idea of Prostitution (1997), Unpacking Queer Politics: a lesbian feminist perspective (2003) and Beauty and Misogyny: Harmful Cultural Practices in the West (2005).

Reviews

[Melinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what a book. Sheila Jeffreys takes on a broad spectrum of issues and pulls no punches. She tackles sexological essentialism, detailing its developments from the late 19th century through 1920s and the publication of The Well of Loneliness up until '90s; sadomachosism, its numerous manifestations and defenses; lesbian sex therapy and its relationship to heterosexuality; the lesbian sex industry, including pornography, prostitution, and sex toys; butch–femme roleplaying and its discourse ranging from Joan Nestle to Bev Jo; postmodern understandings of gender à la Judith Butler — and that's just the first half of the book. Her prose is clear, exact, and uncompromising, and her arguments are supported by an impressive wealth of examples and quotations such as magazines, novels, lesbian-feminist theory, and historical texts. Written in 1993, The Lesbian Heresy offers an accurate depiction and analysis of the direction of lesbian culture and feminist activism that still rings true today (although the picture now is notably bleaker). The book offers a cogent analysis of how sexuality under patriarchy is constructed, through the eroticization of male domination of women, to serve male interests and that this holds true even when enacted by lesbians. Despite this depressing state of affairs, Jeffreys ultimately presents a lesbian-affirming alternative, in which women turn away from male definitions of sexuality and create a powerful culture of love and respect.

Useful terms and concepts: heterosexual desire is the eroticization of inequality; "lesbianandgay" to describe the subsuming of lesbian interests into a male framework.

[Sofía · Rating 5 out of 5]

“las mujeres, aunque extremadamente visibles como seres sexuales, permanecen totalmente invisibles como seres sociales” y miles de frases que me gustaría citar

[Thoughtcrimes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm one of those lesbians who is fairly certain that she has indeed been homosexual since birth. Despite reading The Lesbian Heresy, I still cannot wrap my mind around the thought that there is absolutely nothing biological to sexuality - why, then, have I been in love with women since earliest childhood, why have I been attracted to them since I entered puberty, why have men always sexually repelled me, why was I unable to turn myself straight by choice ... all of this long before I even knew that lesbians exist, that same-sex love and attraction has a name and is experienced by other people, too?
Though I do believe that the concept of the political lesbian has its pitfalls (I have simply read and heard too many interviews with polilezs who renounced their lesbianism after finding "that one man" that proved to be "the one exception" to toxic masculinity and abuse), I think it is a valid concept. Why NOT choose to centre your life around loving women? I admire Sheila Jeffreys and this book was a true eye-opener on some of the problems in the lesbian community, or whatever remains thereof. Sadomasochism, fascism, infiltration by queer and male politics, incest, abuse, the strap-on obsession, toxic gender roles, the glorification of male interests, phallocentricity ... Jeffreys mentions it all. What a sad state today's lesbians are in! And how we must fight to drag ourselves out of the mud of the toxic malestream!

[Millaray]

Nota: volver a leer este libro con ojo crítico. Cuando lo leí estaba "recién" estudiando sobre feminismo en teoría y siento que me dejé arrastrar mucho por la posición académica de la autora

[Doreen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sheila Jeffrey is a remarkable woman. Her writing is pure genius. I have loved her books for more than thirty years. People who call themselves progressive love to hate radical feminists, lesbian feminists or anyone they mockingly call 70's feminists. Does it matter that we understood male dominance or male supremacy for what it was and for what it does? Professor Jeffreys has been a powerful voice (never to be silenced by small, narrow minds) for revolutionary change. Read her words and if you allow yourself to listen, you will find your own heretic inside.

[MontseMH · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un ensayo sorprendente y necesario para toda aquella interesada en el feminismo, porque no solo plantea teorías acerca del lesbianismo y como este puede ser una opción política. Si no, también deconstruye el planteamiento heteropatriarcal de las relaciones intimas ofreciendo aspectos que nos llevan a reflexionar acerca de cuan intoxicados están los géneros y roles por la visión masculina.

[Nanahachi · Rating 5 out of 5]

El primer libro que leo de esta autora y me ha roto la cabeza. No sabía nada de la historia de las lesbianas ni de sus luchas intestinas y me ha parecido super interesante. Está escrito en 1993 y en él ya hay pinceladas de la que se nos venía con la teoría queer. Algunos movimientos van de innovadores y rompedores y en cuanto rascas un poco te das cuenta que son terriblemente carcas y conservadores.

Hay muchas reflexiones sobre cómo se entiende la sexualidad homosexual que me han parecido super interesantes, cosas que no sabía o en las que nunca había parado a pensar. Muy recomendable leerlo.

[Valen Grazulevicius · Rating 5 out of 5]

Te amo, Sheila

[Dr. Iman ALGHAFARI · Rating 4 out of 5]

In The Lesbian Heresy (1999), Sheila Jeffreys states that there is much in her book "which might make lesbians despair for the future of our community." Having re-read her book in 2021, I can well say that the author had a prophetic vision about the future of the lesbian community in the twenty first century. The book sheds light on the negative impact of some postmodernist perceptions of gender on the lesbian theory. Jeffreys reveals that "the struggles which theorists like Butler and Fuss are having with concepts like gender, identity, and essence arise from the works of their male authorities." The book concludes with an inspiring note, "lesbianism will continue to be a heresy until the world has been changed to suit a feminist vision." (p. 170).

[Snorch · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is a game changer. at so many points I found myself nodding or laughing or coming close to (or actually) crying. if it hadn't been for the brilliant readability of jeffreys' writing I'd have taken the time to bookmark and highlight the best bits, but then that probably would have amounted to most of my copy being scribbled over.

as a young lesbian feminist I've seen criticism, and sometimes even rejection, about the need for us to revisit texts like The Lesbian Heresy. there is doubt in 2021 of how relevant these writings are. I can say that the doubt is harmful. in reading the philosophies, theories, and politics of lesbian feminists like Jeffreys, there is a shed load of comfort and warmth to feel, and even more to learn from. nice one Sheila!

[Catherine Nieto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Que librazo! Lo devoré, aunque Sheila habla de un fenómeno muy concreto: la escisión de la comunidad lesbiana en los 80 y 90 de USA y Europa muchos de sus postulados pueden aplicarse a la realidad del movimiento feminista actual en muchas partes del mundo.
la actualidad que se percibe cuando habla del separatismo, la importancia del radicalismo y el movimiento antipornografía, asusta, ella ya veía venir muchas cosas que vemos actualmente.
Un básico de la biblioteca feminista, lleno de otras autoras que seguro buscaré también para integrarlas a mi biblioteca.

[Lina Ahrens · Rating 1 out of 5]

only read the first few pages during which the author outed herself as a TERF, goodbye

[guao!a · Rating 5 out of 5]

Este libro tiene multitud de ideas muy interesante y definitivamente tengo que releer las partes que resalté como para poder darle un cierre real pero me gusto bastante. Toca temas bastante sensibles y la gran mayoría aplicables a la actualidad. Definitivamente voy a leer más libros de Sheila Jeffreys.

[leah ☁️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

fantastic book, super in-depth insight into lesbian feminism and stereotypes of butch and femme “genders”, unfortunately, the author presents herself as transphobic in several moments of this book and her other book Gender Hurts. However, her general discussion of lesbianism as a fetishised idea is very interesting.

[Mariana Bucio · Rating 3 out of 5]

El recorrido histórico de la lucha feminista radical y lesbofeminismo, creo que es importante establecer debate político de situaciones del entorno privado

[yasmim · Rating 3 out of 5]

"There is no chance for women to be free while women's subordination remains sexy"

Sheila Jeffreys can definitely be defined as irreverent and subversive.

I am very interested in books that take this perspective of political and historical analysis of lesbian existence, especially by authors like Sheila who are widely criticized and dismissed by queer theory today (I need to read it to know whether I agree or not, obviously).

The author provides an interesting historical overview, presenting facts that I was unaware of and conflicting perspectives from different authors over time, which greatly contributes to the construction of her argument. But honestly, there is no denying the partial aspect of her analysis, structuring her criticism based on a rigid and somewhat unfair opinion of the lesbian history we know.

What personally bothered me a lot were her criticisms of the historicity of butch/femme experiences as if they were one and the same and entirely artifices of patriarchy. Where is the place of historical lesbian survival? Where is the recognition of affection?

Another criticism is the main point of the book, the dynamism of lesbian sexuality within heterosexual logic. She brings up many arguments that I agreed with, but she also ends up falling into the same rigidity of rules that sometimes limits desire more than it allows for it.

Overall, it was a very rich read, and I highlighted several passages that I will definitely take with me! But we can never stop maintaining our own criticism, especially considering the current context, which does not fit so well with sometimes outdated perspectives.

[Nemesis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! Sheila don't mince her words and I admire her for that.
This book is essential for all women. You'll learn a lot about the history of lesbians in England and how they have created community, specially in the 80s. She puts special emphasis on sadomasochism and how it has made a lot of dammage in lesbian relationships and how it affects the ethics we want to carry out, specially if we are women who love other women. She also criticize sexologist and gay theories about the supposed "innate atraction" women have for men (spoiler: there is no such thing, you can choose to love women, always). She has GREAT arguments against them. I love her sense of humor, btw.
I have learned a lot about radical feminist thanks to Sheila, who actually lived in a separatist commune some years ago (you can watch "angry wimmin" documentary if you wanna know more about it). She is a genious, for sure, belittled for obvious reasons, even nowadays.
I wanna thank her for her courage and never giving up. It gives me hopes for the future of women.

[Ross Williamson]

[02192020] reason stricken: sheila jeffreys is a terf.

[RAS · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Los varones proyectan sobre las mujeres sus propias deficiencias [...] atribuyéndoles una serie de peculiaridades y costumbres femeninas se invención masculina que sugieren dependencia, debilidad, sumisión y una disponibilidad general para el coito"

[N · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a hate read—very bad.

[Yurimayra Mendoza · Rating 3 out of 5]

No pude

[B G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sin palabras. Maravilloso. Ojalá más mujeres supieran de este libro.

[Atuyugular · Rating 5 out of 5]

La revolución

[BeeQuiet · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dreadful. I can see many young impressionable minds being swayed by it unfortunately. I'd struggle to pick out one point above any other, but the twisting of other people's words and beliefs for the purpose of creating something fitting their politics better ranks pretty highly. Hateful piece which has been well deconstructed by many feminists already.
Ugh.

[edenstephen]

Kindle.