Letter to Meredith

RECENTLY IN THE LADDER THERE APPEARED A PIECE DEALING WITH A PROBLEM THAT HAS CAUSED A KIND OF SUBTLE "COLD WAR" BETWEEN YOU AND

THE GENERAL THEME IS BI-SEXUALITY, AND THE SPECIFIC ONE, THE CASE OF THE HETEROSEXUALLY MARRIED LESBIAN.

ME.

❘ ADDRESS THIS LETTER TO YOU, NEREDITH, IN THE HOPE THAT IT WILL EVOKE A REBUTTAL, TO BRING INTO THE OPEN THOSE FEELINGS WHICH THUS FAR HAVE BEEN MANIFESTED ONLY BY STRANGELY SUBJECTIVE CRITICISM.

AS A CLEAR AND DECISIVE THINKER, YOU WILL HAVE TO ADMIT THAT YOU CANNOT NEGATE THE FACT OF BI-SEXUALITY BY CRITICIZING IT. IT EXISTS. AND SO ALSO EXIST THE MANY WOMEN WHO, BECAUSE OF SOME SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES, ENTERED INTO A HETEROSEXUAL MARRIAGE EITHER IN SPITE OF OR BECAUSE OF THEIR HOMOSEXUAL INCLINATIONS. THE SITUATIONS AND CIRCUMSTANCES ARE AS VARIED AS ARE THE PEOPLE WHO FIND THEMSELVES IN THIS PARTICULAR PREDICAMENT.

| HARDLY NEED ASSURE YOU, MEREDITH, THAT YOU ARE NOT ALONE IN YOUR CONDEMNATION. I DARESAY THAT THE PERCENTAGE OF HOMOSEXUALS WHO CENSURE THE BI-SEXUAL IS AS GREAT AS THE NUMBER OF HETEROSEXUALS WHO DENOUNCE THE HOMOSEXUAL. YET, THE HOMOSEXUAL, WHO WOULD WISH FOR MORE UNDERSTANDING AND RECOGNITION OF HIS NATURE, IS OFTEN THE MOST VEHEMENT IN HIS CRITICISM OF THE BI-SEXUAL.

ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ARGUMENTS IN OUR CRUSADE FOR FAIR AND JUST LEGISLATION FOR THE HOMOSEXUAL IS THE MATTER OF COMPLETE SEXUAL FREEDOM BETWEEN CONSENTING ADULTS. YOU, MEREDITH, AS A TIRELESS WORKER FOR THIS EVENTUALITY, MUST CONCEDE THAT, IN ORDER FOR SUCH LEGISLATION TO COME ABOUT, RELIGIOUS DICTUM REGARDING HOMOSEXUALITY HAS TO BE DISREGARDED. AND SINCE MORAL LAW, AS WE KNOW IT, IS BASED UPON RELIGIOUS DICTUM, THIS TOO MUST BE TAKEN OUT OF THE REALM OF LEGISLATION AND RELEGATED TO WHERE IT BELONGS... WITHIN THE CONSCIENCE OF EACH INDIVIDUAL. IF YOU GRANT THIS... AND I DO NOT SEE HOW YOU CAN FAIL TO DO SO... THEN IT IS NOT FOR YOU, OR FOR ANYONE, TO FROWN UPON WHATEVER ADJUSTMENT THE BI-SEXUAL MAKES WITHIN HER OWN PARTICULAR SITUATION.

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