Out Rage: Dykes and Bis Resist Homophobia

Janet Money, formerly the sports editor of the Woodstock Daily
Sentinel-Review, is a freelance writer and editor in London, Ontario.

Beth Brant’s “This Place,” a story about a young gay Native man
who goes home to his blood family to die of AIDS, is alone worth the
price of this new anthology of prose and poetry; this beautiful, moving
piece is a quiet model of acts of resistance.

Other highlights of the collection include “Roads,” a playful piece
by Pam McArthur about isolation and memories; Susan J. Friedman’s “A
Small Lie,” which addresses the dreaded heterosexual envy phenomenon;
and Ingrid MacDonald’s “Tip of My Tongue,” a smoothly written tale
about a lesbian Anglican priest. Some stories seem to tell instead of
show the reader what the point is, and the poetry is of widely varying
quality. “Where Will You Be?” (by the late Pat Parker) is probably
the best of the poetry selections.

It must be acknowledged that most readers of this volume will already
be in agreement with its antihomophobic sentiments. These stories were
written by a particular community for a particular community, although
many deserve a much broader audience. Nevertheless, it’s encouraging
to see the publication of more and more lesbian anthologies; Women’s
Press is to be commended for undertaking such projects.