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Ain't I A Woman? newspapers, June 1970-July 1971

1970-09-11 "Ain't I a Woman?" Page 11

What the hell am I supposed to do with such a feeling?

I can't call it love
because of what society has done to our
relationships with each other
in the name of it.

I can't listen to records
and revel in the feeling
the way I used to.
Because of the silver linings
and only you's
that I see now.

And if that isn't enough
I worry about it not being
collective.
This feeling I have and
the collective I live in
are both meaningful to me,
but what is the place of each in each?

[photo] 

That's not even considering sex.

For that one add about
ten tons of guilt
acquired over the years.
If my puritan soul isn't chastising
myself for being too consumed with
matters of the flesh

you can go around touching
anyone you please, but the minute
you think you care for someone,
Touching them gets escalated into a
Matter of the Flesh.

Then I'm worried about the physical gesture
of affection being taken
as some carnal advance.

(Two comments I've heard today remind me that people think the only thing gay people care about is MEAT.)

[photo of woman to left]

And when I realize that while I'm occupied
with these thoughts
This country is continuing its
extermination of the Third World,

I feel ashamed.

My problem does not inflict pain on me
like America does
to my far away sisters.
So who am I to call such
luxury a problem?

yet neither of them will go away:
The Third World
or my feelings.

Besides
it's unproductive
to b thinking about
this person all the time
when my mind should be on the struggle.

[hand drawing of 2 women]

[photo of woman and child]

There's no basis anymore
for anything 
Women's liberation has questioned it all.
But when will come the answers?

And then comes the latest
It Ain't Me Babe
which reflects the controversy
in the movement so well
that the paper almost falls apart
in my hands.

The Word (temporary I'm sure) from the Berkeley Gay Women's Liberation
is that you should merely
walk up to the person and say:
"I care for you and feel physically attracted to you"
Well fine.

but it's so hard

It's a good idea though
We both thought so
as we made a joke of it
(for protection):
We could all carry around copies of the
It Ain''t Me Babe
and when the time was right
point to the article and say:
"paragraph three"

And that would mean about the feeling.

But neither of us did.

A WOMAN?  September 11, 
1970           11

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What the hell am I supposed to do with such a feeling? I can't call it love because of what society has done to our relationships with each other in the name of it. I can't listen to records and revel in the feeling the way I used to. Because of the silver linings and only you's that I see now. And if that isn't enough I worry about it not being collective. This feeling I have and the collective I live in are both meaningful to me, but what is the place of each in each? [photo] That's not even considering sex. For that one add about ten tons of guilt acquired over the years. If my puritan soul isn't chastising myself for being too consumed with matters of the flesh you can go around touching anyone you please, but the minute you think you care for someone, Touching them gets escalated into a Matter of the Flesh. Then I'm worried about the physical gesture of affection being taken as some carnal advance. (Two comments I've heard today remind me that people think the only thing gay people care about is MEAT.) [photo of woman to left] And when I realize that while I'm occupied with these thoughts This country is continuing its extermination of the Third World, I feel ashamed. My problem does not inflict pain on me like America does to my far away sisters. So who am I to call such luxury a problem? yet neither of them will go away: The Third World or my feelings. Besides it's unproductive to b thinking about this person all the time when my mind should be on the struggle. [hand drawing of 2 women] [photo of woman and child] There's no basis anymore for anything Women's liberation has questioned it all. But when will come the answers? And then comes the latest It Ain't Me Babe which reflects the controversy in the movement so well that the paper almost falls apart in my hands. The Word (temporary I'm sure) from the Berkeley Gay Women's Liberation is that you should merely walk up to the person and say: "I care for you and feel physically attracted to you" Well fine. but it's so hard It's a good idea though We both thought so as we made a joke of it (for protection): We could all carry around copies of the It Ain''t Me Babe and when the time was right point to the article and say: "paragraph three" And that would mean about the feeling. But neither of us did. A WOMAN? September 11, 1970 11