An angry lil note to the Smithsonian magazine

[sasha_feather]

Just wrote an angry little note to the Smithsonian magazine, copying it here for my own records.



I got your November 2020 issue from a friend and today read an article "The Redemption of Rosa Bonheur." Bonheur was a lesbian. This is a fact and not a matter of opinion; she had long-term romantic relationships with women. Your article is homophobic, it seems to want to avoid calling her a lesbian for fear of making the straights uncomfortable. Please stop erasing us from history.

On p. 68-70, Brault is quoted as saying "A woman without a husband, a family, children, a lover--imagine!" Bonheur had a family, and she had lovers. "Family" does not mean "husband and children." "Lover" does not mean "man". Brault is apparently incapable of imagining lesbian lives.

Page 73 is even more enraging, quoting biographer Hewitt. "No human would ever witness what occurred between Rosa and Nathalie once their door had been pushed closed..." Do straight couples need witnesses to prove their love? Do people care if straight married couples have sex or not?

Also on p. 73, Sciolino writes, ""Bonheur herself preferred ambiguity to clarity. 'Had a been a man, I would have married her..."
What exactly is ambiguous about this statement? Bonheur told us who she was, yet your magazine insists upon erasing her identity.

Please address your homophobia.

Sincerely,
[me]



Bonheur was a French painter of animals and nature scenes.

Comments

[emceeaich]

Thank you.

When cynthia1960 and I saw a gallery of her sketches and paintings at the Orsay last year (in February) the exhibit made it clear that that she was queer and poly.

[sasha_feather]

Oh, that sounds so neat, seeing her work in person.

[longwhitecoats]

Thank you. <3

[sasha_feather]

When I first wrote this, I was confused, like, why are people thanking me? Because I felt like I was just venting my spleen. Took me a minute to realize I was speaking up for all of us. :)

[jesse_the_k]

Exactly so! I appreciate your ability to advocate so concisely!

[sasha_feather]

thanks! :D

[sovay]

'Had a been a man, I would have married her...'

That's about as unambiguous as it gets.

I hope they take your letter to heart.

[sasha_feather]

Right? haha

[celli]

What a perfect ending, there. JEEZ.

[sasha_feather]

thanks!

[starshipfox]

That is great, thank you.

Do straight couples need witnesses to prove their love? Do people care if straight married couples have sex or not?

It's such a good point. People think that Virginia and Leonard Woolf never had sex, but we don't argue that they weren't a couple.

[sasha_feather]

Right! Asexual couples exist, and probably plenty of married couples who just don't have sex for whatever reason.

[wordweaverlynn]

Thank you.

[sasha_feather]

Thanks for reading!

[bibliofile]

Oy. Good job.

[sasha_feather]

Thank you!