Today, September 23rd, is Bi Visibility Day. The fact that many of you reading this mightn't know this is probably why this day needs to exist. (Also, look at how pretty our flag is, we need a day dedicated to waving it unashamedly.) We often refer to ourselves as the silent B within LGBT discourse (the silent T often practically invisible), as it is important to remember that bisexual, pansexual, Trans* people, and anybody else under the LGBT+ umbrella often face issues that are separate from each other, and from those experienced by Lesbian and Gay people. All too often LGBT is used as a synonym for Lesbian and Gay, and whilst bi people obviously experience homophobia, we also experience biphobia, often facing discrimination from both within and outside of the LGBT+ community. The fact is, whilst we are a part of LGBT+ history and culture as a whole, us bisexuals have our own history, experiences, and issues that should be treated with as much respect and understanding. If you want to find out more please visit the following links. Otherwise, we'll get right on to talking about the total bae that is Aphra Behn.
http://www.bivisibilityday.com/
http://www.bisexualweek.com/about/
http://www.glaad.org/bisexual/bierasure
http://robynochs.com/biphobia/
Evan Rachel Wood on being bisexual
First of all, you should know that Aphra Behn was a badass. Interest in her literary works has recently reached new heights within academia, and rightly so! You see, there's this misconception that only rich men were writing popular fiction and poetry back in the day, largely because academia has chosen to dismiss the popular labouring class and women writers of the period (I could get into this more deeply, but if I get into a discussion about sexism within academia we might be here a while...)
So cutting to the chase, we don't know much about Aphra Behn's early life. We know that she was baptised on the 14th December 1640, spent some of her youth in the West Indies, was married in 1664 but divorced not long after, and she was a British SPY in Antwerp,1766 (her codename was Astrea. We definitely need a film about this.) It was imprisonment for debt, that she got herself into because the King wouldn't pay for her to come home, so she had to borrow money, that led her to start writing for an income. She also had a lover at one point named John Hoyle who was openly bisexual.
Aphra Behn wrote novellas, poetry, and plays, and her best known work is Oroonoko, the story of an enslaved African prince, and an important text in the history of the modern British novel. A personal favourite poem of mine by Aphra Behn, that I'm sure you'll love, is called 'The Disappointment', in which a woman in left sexually unsatisfied due to her partner's premature ejaculation. In fact, with all of the excitement, he cums in his pants.
In vain th' enraged Youth assaid
To call his fleeting Vigour back,
No motion 'twill from Motion take,
Excess of Love his Love betray'd ;
In vain he Toils, in vain Commands,
Th' Insensible fell weeping in his Hands.
Great stuff isn't it? You can read the full text HERE.
Aphra Behn was an early feminist icon, and argued fervently through her writings for a woman's right to sexual pleasure. She talked frankly about sex, including sex with other women (see below, and also The Dream), and about having multiple lovers (On Her Loving Two Equally)
To the Fair Clarinda, who made love to me, imagined more than woman
Fair lovely Maid, or if that Title be
Too weak, too Feminine for Nobler thee,
Permit a Name that more Approaches Truth:
And let me call thee, Lovely Charming Youth.
This last will justifie my soft complaint,
While that may serve to lessen my constraint;
And without Blushes I the Youth persue,
When so much beauteous Woman is in view.
Against thy Charms we struggle but in vain
With thy deluding Form thou giv'st us pain,
While the bright Nymph betrays us to the Swain.
In pity to our Sex sure thou wer't sent,
That we might Love, and yet be Innocent:
For sure no Crime with thee we can commit;
Or if we shou'd - thy Form excuses it.
For who, that gathers fairest Flowers believes
A Snake lies hid beneath the Fragrant Leaves.
Though beauteous Wonder of a different kind,
Soft Cloris with the dear Alexis join'd;
When e'er the Manly part of thee, wou'd plead
Though tempts us with the Image of the Maid,
While we the noblest Passions do extend
The Love to Hermes, Aphrodite the Friend.
If you want to find out more about Aphra Behn, you can do so at the following links:
http://www.poetry-archive.com/b/behn_aphra.html (includes links to more poems)
http://www.uark.edu/campus-resources/lbrothe/shoup1.html
http://www.sappho.com/poetry/a_behn.html
http://writersinspire.podcasts.ox.ac.uk/content/aphra-behn
https://dramadaily.wordpress.com/2009/12/20/before-gaga-there-was-behn-or-liz-duffy-adams-bisexual-bombshell/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIWqH8CYKuM
Do you have a favourite bisexual writer? Let me know in the comments below :) Also, if you're doing anything today to celebrate Bi Visibility Day, let me know what you're up to!
No comments:
Post a Comment