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Womyn

Monique Wittig is a French author best known for her works Les Guérillères and The Lesbian Body. One which is not as well-known and is quite hard to find (unfortunately) is Lesbian Peoples, Material for a Dictionary with Sande Zeig.


Her writing is difficult to label, living somewhere between and amidst poetry and prose. What is evident throughout her works is a view of Lesbians as strong, capable womyn. One can also see a questing towards new meanings and views, beyond that which has been given to us in traditional society.

Here's a small sample from Les Guérillères:

They say that they leap like the young horses beside the Eurotas. Stamping the ground they speed their movements. They shake their hair like the bacchantes who love to agitate their thyrsi. They say, quickly now, fasten your floating hair with a bandeau and stamp the ground. Stamp it like a doe, beat out the rhythm needed for the dance, homage to warlike Minerva the warrior, bravest of the goddesses...
They say that they foster disorder in all its forms. confusion troubles violent debates upsets disturbances irregularities divergences complications disagreements discords clashes polemics discussions contentions brawls disputes conflicts routs débâcles cataclysms disturbances quarrels agitation turbulence conflagrations chaos anarchy.

Quoted from: Les Guérillères by Monique Wittig Translated by David Le Vay Beacon Press, 1985


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