Queer women have a responsibility to speak out against the erasure of our lesbian sisters.

**This post is not intended to be controversial or to create division.**<br><br>I have been a part of the queer community for 7 years, starting with the label 'bi' and later becoming more comfortable saying 'lesbian'. I have been witness to a very disturbing trend, often justified with the phrase "bi erasure." This is when queer women pretend that they don't exist, and that every woman attracted to a woman is, in fact, gay. These women define 'gay' as attraction to women. They argue that the distinction between bi and gay is irrelevant and that it erases bisexual women.<br><br>I have been told that I am not special for being gay, and that it's easy for me, because I'm "basically straight". But I am not straight, I am not bi. I am 100% gay, and it's not easy for me. I am not welcome in the straight community because I am gay, and I am not welcome here either because I don't want to play straight. I am told that I refuse to conform because I won't date men when in reality I am simply conforming to my own sexuality.<br><br>There are many women in this sub who have been told that they are not "gay enough" to be lesbians, or that lesbian is "too exclusive" of a label for them. These women are often encouraged to date men, because when you date men, it doesn't matter if you're gay or not. These women are often told that they are not real lesbians, and that we are exclusionists for defining 'lesbian' as exclusive to women.<br><br>If you are gay, please speak out against this. We need to stand up for our right to exist, and for our right to call ourselves lesbians. We need to stand up for the rights of our lesbian sisters to exist in our community. We don't need to be attacked for being gay, just for being ourselves. If you love us, stand up for us, even if it's difficult.<br><br>This is a call to action. I am calling on every queer woman who loves and cares for me to help me fight for my existence. I am calling on every queer woman who wants to protect our lesbians to speak up and fight with us. We will only be believed if there are many of us speaking out.