4/1/2017 When lesbians were not women

labrys,tudesfministes

numrospcial,septembre2003

Whenlesbianswerenotwomen*

TeresadeLauretis

Therewasatime,indiscontinuousspaceaspace
dispersedacrossthecontinentswhenlesbianswerenotwomen.I
dontmeantosaythatnowlesbiansarewomen,althoughafewdo
thinkofthemselvesthatway,whileotherssaytheyarebutchor
femmemanyprefertocallthemselvesqueerortransgenderand
othersidentifywithfemalemasculinitytherearelotsofself
namingoptionsforlesbianstoday.Butduringthattime,what
lesbianswerewasthatonething:notwomen.Anditallseemed
soclear,atthattime.

twouldbeperhapsappropriate,onthishappyoccasion,
whenwearegatheredtocelebratetheworkofMoniqueWittig,to
tellyouastory,afictioninthestyleofLesgurillres,oran
allegoryafterParislaPolitique,oranepicpoemremadelikeVirgil,
non.Wittigherselfissomethingofalegendnow.ButIwillnottell
youastoryor,notexactlyastory.Imgoingtoreflect,looking
back,onwhatherworkmeantformeinthe1980swhenIwas
workinginfeministandlesbianstudies,andhowitstillintersects
withthecriticalquestionsthatconcernmenow.

nthe80s,itwasreadingWittig,andthefewbut
wonderfullyintenseconversationsIhadwithherinNorthern
California,thatfirststartedmeontheprojectofwritinglesbian
theoryasdistinctfromfeministtheory.Thedistinctionbecame
clearinmymindonlyafterIreadthreecrucialtexts:TheStraight
Mind,OneIsNotBornaWoman,andTheLesbianBody.In
retrospect,itseemstomethatanewfigureaconceptualfigure
emergedfromthoseworksandwasencapsulatedinthestatement
lesbiansarenotwomen.[1]Generallymisunderstoodand
criticizedfrommanyquarters,neverthelessthatstatementdidfire
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theimaginationandindeed,fromthevantagepointoftoday,has
provedtobeprophetic:asIsaidamomentago,todayslesbians
aremanyotherthingsandonlyrarelywomen.But,atthattime,
thestatementlesbiansarenotwomenhadthepowertoopenthe
mindandtomakevisibleandthinkableaconceptualspacethatuntil
thenhadbeenrenderedunthinkableby,precisely,thehegemonyof
thestraightmindasthespacecalledtheblindspotisrendered
invisibleinacarsrearviewmirrorbytheframeorchassisofthe
caritself.Wittigswritingopenedupaconceptual,virtualspacethat
wasforeclosedbyalldiscoursesandideologiesleftandright,
includingfeminism.

Inthatconceptualvirtualspace,adifferentkindofwoman
appearedtome,ifImaysaysoafterthetitleofabookwereadat
thattime.[2]Icalledhertheeccentricsubject.[3]For,if
lesbiansarenotwomen,andyetlesbiansare,likeme,fleshand
blood,thinkingandwritingbeingswholiveintheworldandwith
whomIinteracteveryday,thenlesbiansaresocialsubjectsand,in
alllikelihood,psychicsubjectsaswell.Icalledthatsubject
eccentricnotonlyinthesenseofdeviatingfromtheconventional,
normativepath,butalsoekcentricinthatitdidnotcenteritselfin
theinstitutionthatbothsupportsandproducesthestraightmind,
thatis,theinstitutionofheterosexuality.Indeed,thatinstitution
didnotforeseesuchasubjectandcouldnotcontemplateit,could
notenvisionit.

Whatcharacterizestheeccentricsubjectisadouble
displacement:first,thepsychicdisplacementoferoticenergyonto
afigurethatexceedsthecategoriesofsexandgender,thefigure
Wittigcalledthelesbiansecond,theselfdisplacementor
disidentificationofthesubjectfromtheculturalassumptionsand
socialpracticesattendantuponthecategoriesofgenderandsex.
HereishowWittigdefinedthatfigure:

LesbianistheonlyconceptIknowofwhichisbeyondthe
categoriesofsex(womanandman),becausethedesignatedsubject
(lesbian)isnotawoman,eithereconomically,orpolitically,or
ideologically.Forwhatmakesawomanisaspecificsocialrelation
toaman,arelationthatwehavepreviouslycalledservitude,a
relationwhichimpliespersonalandphysicalobligationaswellas
economicobligation(forcedresidence,domesticcorve,conjugal
duties,unlimitedproductionofchildren,etc.),arelationwhich
lesbiansescapebyrefusingtobecomeortostayheterosexual.(p.
20)
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Torefusetheheterosexualcontract,notonlyinones
practiceoflivingbutalsoinonespracticeofknowingwhatWittig
calledasubjective,cognitivepracticeconstitutesan
epistemologicalshiftinthatitchangestheconditionsofpossibilityof
bothknowingandknowledge,andthisconstitutesashiftin
historicalconsciousness.[4]

Consciousnessofoppression[Wittigwrote]isnotonlya
reactionto(fightagainst)oppression.Itisalsothewhole
conceptualreevaluationofthesocialworld,itswholereorganization
withnewconcepts,fromthepointofviewofoppression...callita
subjective,cognitivepractice.Themovementbackandforth
betweenthelevelsofreality(theconceptualrealityandthematerial
realityofoppression,whicharebothsocialrealities)isaccomplished
throughlanguage.(pp.1819)

Theworkoflanguageinthatmovementbackandforthis
inscribedintheverytitleofWittigs1981essay,Onnenatpas
femme.IfdeBeauvoirthephilosopherhadsaid,Oneisnotborn
butbecomesawoman(andso,inhisway,hadFreud),Wittigthe
writersaid:oneisnotbornawoman(emphasisadded).Almost
thesamewords,andyetsuchadifferenceinmeaningnottosay
suchasexualdifference.Inshiftingtheemphasisfromtheword
borntothewordwoman,WittigscitationofdeBeauvoirsphrase
invokedormimickedtheheterosexualdefinitionofwomanasthe
secondsex,atoncedestabilizingitsmeaninganddisplacingits
affect.

Suchashiftentailsadisplacementandaself
displacement:leavingorgivingupaplacethatisknown,thatis
homephysically,emotionally,linguistically,epistemologically
foranotherplacethatisunknown,thatisnotonlyemotionallybut
conceptuallyunfamiliaraplacefromwhichspeakingandthinking
areatbesttentative,uncertain,unauthorized.Buttheleavingis
notachoice,sinceonecouldnotlivethereinthefirstplace.Thus
allaspectsofthedisplacement,fromthegeopoliticaltothe
epistemologicalandtheaffective,arepainfulandrisky,forthey
entailaconstantcrossingbackandforth,aremappingofboundaries
betweenbodiesanddiscourses,identitiesandcommunities.Atthe
sametime,however,theyenableareconceptualizationofthe
subject,oftherelationsofsubjectivitytosocialreality,anda
positionofresistanceandagencythatisnotoutsidebutrather
eccentrictothesocioculturalapparatioftheheterosexualinstitution.

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Irememberthinking,atthattime,thatthepossibilityto
imagineaneccentricsubjectconstitutedthroughdisidentification
anddisplacementwassomehowrelatedtoonesgeographical,
linguisticandculturaldislocationWittigs,fromFrancetothe
UnitedStatesmyown,fromItalytotheUnitedStates.Onlylater
didIfindthatasimilarconceptionofthesubjectwasemergingin
postcolonialtheoryandwouldbesubsequentlyarticulatedinHomi
Bhabhasnotionofculturalhybridityandtherecentstudiesonthe
transnationalsubject.[5]However,alreadybackthen,inthe80s,
InotedthekinshipofWittigslesbianwithotherfiguresof
eccentricsubjectsthatemergedfromthewritingsofwomenor
lesbiansofcolor,suchasTrinhT.Minhha,GloriaAnzalda,Barbara
Smith,andChandraMohanty.Iwouldargue,therefore,that
Wittigscriticalwritingsanticipatedsomeoftheemphasesoftodays
postcolonialfeminism.

WithdeBeauvoirandwithotherfeministsofour
generationinFrance,Italy,BritainandtheAmericas,Wittigshared
thepremisethatwomenarenotanaturalgroupwhoseoppression
wouldbeaconsequenceoftheirphysicalnature,butratherasocial
andpoliticalcategory,anideologicalconstructandtheproductofan
economicrelation.Mostofus,atthattime,sharedaMarxist
understandingofclassandamaterialistanalysisofexploitation,
althoughinEuropethatunderstandingprecededfeminismwhereas
inAnglophoneAmericaitoftenfollowedandresultedfromthe
feministanalysisofgender.Ineednottellyouaboutthetheoryof
materialistfeminism,sincesomeofthosewhoarticulateditmost
clearlyarepresentinthisroom.[6]Iwillonlysaythatthe
definitionofgenderoppressionasapoliticalandsubjectivecategory
onethatisarrivedatfromthespecificstandpointofthe
oppressed,inthestruggle,andasaformofconsciousnesswas
distinctfromtheeconomic,objectivecategoryofexploitation.And
thatredefinitionwasalsosharedbyothersinNorthAmerica,such
astheblackfeministgroupTheCombaheeRiverCollective,for
whomgenderoppressionwasindissociablefromracistdomination.
[7]

ButWittigwentfurther:ifwomenareasocialclasswhose
specificconditionofexistenceisgenderoppression,andwhose
politicalconsciousnessaffordsthemastandpoint,apositionof
struggle,andanepistemologicalperspectivebasedinlived
experience,thenwhatWittigsawasthegoaloffeminismwasthe
disappearanceofwomen(asaclass).Acuriousparadoxhas
occurredinthehistoryoffeminismoverthepast30yearsinrelation
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tothisidea.Iwillcomebacktoitinamoment,butfirstallowme
tocontinuewithmyaccountoftheargument.

Inordertoimaginewhatfemalepeoplewouldbelikein
suchaclassless(i.e.,genderless)society,Wittigdidnotoffera
mythorafictionbutreferredtotheactualexistenceofalesbian
societywhich,howevermarginally,didfunctioninacertainway
autonomouslyfromheterosexualinstitutions.Inthissense,she
claimed,lesbiansarenotwomen:therefusaltobecome(orto
remain)heterosexualalwaysmeanttorefusetobecomeamanora
woman,consciouslyornot.Foralesbianthisgoesfurtherthanthe
refusaloftherolewoman.Itistherefusaloftheeconomic,
ideological,andpoliticalpowerofaman.[8]Well,thephrase
lesbiansocietyhadeveryoneinanuproar.Theytookittobe
descriptiveofatypeofsocialorganization,orablueprintfora
futuristic,utopianordystopiansocietyliketheamazonsofLes
GurillresorliketheallfemalecommunitiesimaginedinJoanna
RusssciencefictionnovelTheFemaleMan.TheysaidWittigwasa
utopist,anessentialist,adogmaticseparatist,evenaclassic
idealist.Youcannotbeamarxist,peoplesaid,andspeakofa
lesbiansociety.Youcanspeakoflesbiansocietyonlyintheliberal
politicalperspectiveoffreechoice,accordingtowhichanyoneisfree
toliveastheylike,andthatofcourseisacapitalistmyth.

Ineffect,Wittigmobilizedboththediscourseofhistorical
materialismandthatofliberalfeminisminaninterestingstrategy,
oneagainsttheotherandeachagainstitself,provingthemboth
inadequatetoconceivingthesubjectinfeministmaterialistterms.
[9]Tothisend,sheargued,theMarxistconceptofclass
consciousnessandthefeministconceptofindividualsubjectivity
mustbearticulatedtogethertheirjoiniswhatshecalleda
subjective,cognitivepractice,whichimpliesthe
reconceptualizationofthesubjectandtherelationsofsubjectivityto
socialityfromapositionthatiseccentrictotheinstitutionof
heterosexualityandthereforeexceedsitsdiscursiveconceptual
horizon:thepositionofthesubjectlesbian.Here,then,isthe
senseinwhichWittigproposedthedisappearanceofwomenasthe
goaloffeminism.

Critiques came from all quarters of feminism, including

many lesbian quarters for example, those lesbians who wanted to
reclaimfemininityforwomenandrehabilitateitstraitsofnurturing,
compassion, tenderness and caring as equal in value to socalled
masculine gender traits these were the same critics who indicted
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WittigsalreadyfamousbookTheLesbianBodyforwhattheycalled
its violence. Critiques came from those who wanted to promote a
womens culture, conceived not as a class but as a community of
womanidentifiedwomen,andfromthosewhofavoredtheideaofa
lesbiancontinuumtowhichanywomanwho,forwhateverreason,
had refused or resisted the institution of marriage could rightfully
belongand be considered a lesbian regardless of sexual choice,
behaviorordesire.Andcritiquesalsocamefromthosewho,onthe
other hand, considered sexuality and desire central to lesbian
subjectivity,butmaintainedthatheterosexualitynecessarilydefines
homosexuality and dictates the very forms of lesbian and gay
sexualities,howeversubversiveorparodictheymaybe.

ThesecritiquesmainlyfailedtoseethatWittigslesbian
wasnotjustanindividualwithapersonalsexualpreferenceora
socialsubjectwithasimplypoliticalpriority,butthetermor
conceptualfigureforthesubjectofacognitivepracticeandaform
ofconsciousnessthatarenotprimordial,universal,orcoextensive
withhumanthought,asdeBeauvoirwouldhaveit,buthistorically
determinedandyetsubjectivelyassumedaneccentricsubject
constitutedinaprocessofstruggleandinterpretationof
translation,detranslationandretranslation(asJeanLaplanchemight
putit)arewritingofselfinrelationtoanewunderstandingof
society,ofhistory,ofculture.

Similarly,hercriticsdidnotunderstandthatWittigs
lesbiansocietydidnotrefertosomecollectivityofgaywomen,but
wasthetermforaconceptualandexperientialspacecarvedoutof
thesocialfield,aspaceofcontradictions,inthehereandnow,that
needbeaffirmedandnotresolved.Whensheconcluded,Itiswe
whohistoricallymustundertakethetaskofdefiningtheindividual
subjectinmaterialistterms,thatwewasnottheprivilegedwomen
ofdeBeauvoir,qualifiedtoelucidatethesituationofwoman.[10]
Wittigswewasthepointofarticulationfromwhichtorethinkboth
Marxismandfeminismitwas,orsoitseemedtome,thetermofa
particularformoffeministconsciousnesswhich,atthathistorical
moment,couldonlyexistastheconsciousnessofasomethingelse
itwasthefigureofasubjectthatexceedsitsconditionsof
subjection,asubjectinexcessofitsdiscursiveconstruction,a
subjectofwhichweonlyknewwhatitwasnot:notwoman.
RereadthesecondsentenceofLecorpslesbien:Cequiacoursici,
pasunenelignore,napasdenompourlheure.[11]

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Thereis,asIsaid,acuriousparadoxinthehistoryof
feminismoverthepast30yearswithregardtoWittigscallforthe
disappearanceofwomen.For,inacertainsense,womenhave
disappearedfromthecurrentlexiconoffeministstudies,atleastin
theAnglophoneworld.Itbeganinthelate80s,inthewakeof
identitypoliticsandwiththeincreasingparticipationofwomenof
color,lesbiansandstraight,inacademicstudies,whentheword
womencametobesubjectedtothesamecritiquethathad
dismantledthenotionofWoman(capitalW,lafemme)bytheearly
80s.[12]Inthe90s,then,tospeakofwomenwithoutracial,
ethnic,orothergeopoliticalmodifierswastotakeforgranteda
commonandequaloppressionbasedongenderorsex,which
disregardedconcomitantformsofoppressionbasedonracial,
ethnic,classandotherdifferences.[13]

Thenotionofsexualdifferencewasespeciallytargetedand
discardednotwithoutgoodreasonsasinadequate,insufficient,
Eurocentricandclasscentered.Moreover,intheversionof
poststructuralistfeminismthathasbecomepopularinacademic
feministandqueertheory(wherethetermpoststructuralist
referencesalmostexclusivelytheinfluenceoftheearlyFoucaultand
Derrida),womenareunderstoodtobesimulacraofthesocial
imaginary,withnoinherentphysicalorpsychicsubstance:women,
likegender,sexuality,thesubject,andthebodyitself,accordingto
thisview,arealldiscursiveconstructs,sitesofconvergenceofthe
performativeeffectsofpower.Inthisperspective,conceptssuchas
Wittigssubjective,cognitivepracticeorthenotionoflived
experience,whichwascentraltofeministtheoryinthe70sand80s,
havebeendismissedasessentialist,naturalizing,ideological[14]or
worse,ashumanistwhich,inthecontextoftheposthumanistor
postmodernvogueofthe90s,wasdefinitelyaderogatoryword.So,
inaway,onecouldsaythatwomenhavedisappeared.[15]

Theparadoxisthis:Wittig,whohadfirstproposedthe
disappearanceofwomen,washerselfcastintheessentialist,pass
orhumanistcamp.Inthewordsofonepoststructuralistfeminist
philosopher,Wittigcallsforapositionbeyondsexthatreturnsher
theorytoaproblematichumanismbasedinaproblematic
metaphysicsofpresence.[16]Thephrasemetaphysicsof
presence,asignoftheinfluenceofJacquesDerridasearlywork,
recursseveraltimesinJudithButlersGenderTrouble(1990),the
bookthatbroughtWittigtotheattentionofnonlesbianandnon
feministreadersandforthisreasonwillbebrieflyreferredtohere.

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MarketedasafeministinterventioninthefieldofFrench
philosophy,thebookwaswidelycitedandtranslated,andbecame
anauthoritativetextofgenderstudiesandqueertheory.Its
extensivediscussionofWittigsworkinthedisciplinarycontextof
philosophyeffectivelymainstreamedMoniqueWittigasaFrench
feministtheorist(nexttothetwootherswhosenamescirculated
widelyinNorthAmericanuniversities,LuceIrigarayandJulia
Kristeva).However,ButlerobjectedtoWittigsradicalstance,which
shemistookforwhatshecalledaseparatistprescriptivismasif
Wittighadbeenarguingthatallwomenshouldbecomelesbiansor
thatonlylesbianscouldbefeminist.

Liketheothercritics,Butlerfailedtounderstandthe
figural,theoreticalcharacterofWittigslesbianandits
epistemologicalvalence.Thesubjectofacognitivepracticebased
inthelivedexperienceofonesbody,onesdesire,onesconceptual
andpsychicaldisidentificationfromthestraightmind,Wittigs
lesbianwaswellawareofthepowerofdiscoursetoshapeones
socialandsubjective(andIwouldadd,psychic)reality:Ifthe
discourseofmoderntheoreticalsystemsandsocialscienceexert[s]
apoweruponus,itisbecauseitworkswithconceptswhichclosely
touchus,WittighadwritteninTheStraightMind(pp.2627).

Butler,however,referredtoWittigslesbiansubjectasthe
cognitivesubject,endowingitwithstrongCartesianconnotations,
andtossedhertheoryinthedumpofsurpassedanddiscarded
philosophies:tothereaderofGenderTrouble,Wittigappearstobe
anexistentialistwhobelievesinhumanfreedom,ahumanistwho
presumestheontologicalunityofBeingpriortolanguage,an
idealistmasqueradingasamaterialist,andmostparadoxicallyofall,
anunintentional,unwittingcollaboratorwiththeregimeof
heterosexualnormativity.[17]This,inmyopinion,mayaccount
fortherelativedisregardorcondescensioninwhichWittigswork
hasbeenheldingenderandqueerstudiesuntilnow.Until,thatis,
therenewedattentiontoWittigsworkonthepartofanew
generation,whichbroughtusheretoday,mayperhapsreopen
anothervirtualspaceoflesbianthoughtandwriting.

ForIwouldliketoemphasizethattheconceptual
originalityandradicalimportofWittigstheoryareinscribedinher
fictionpriortoTheStraightMind:inLesgurillres,thefigureofthe
lesbianassubjectofacognitivepracticethatenablesthe
reconceptualizationofthesocialandofknowledgeitselffroma
positioneccentrictotheheterosexualinstitutionisfiguredinthe
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practiceofwritingasconsciousnessofcontradiction(thelanguage
youspeakismadeupofwordsthatarekillingyou)a
consciousnessofwriting,living,feeling,anddesiringinthe
noncoincidenceofexperienceandlanguage,intheintersticesof
representation,intheintervalsthatyourmastershavenotbeen
abletofillwiththeirwordsofproprietors.[18]Anditisalso
alreadythereinthefirstpageofLecorpslesbien.

OneofthefirsttograspthiswasElaineMarkswho,inher
1979essayLesbianIntertextuality,wrote:InLecorpslesbien
MoniqueWittighascreated,throughtheincessantuseofhyperbole
andarefusaltoemploytraditionalbodycodes,imagessufficiently
blatanttowithstandreabsorptionintomaleliteraryculture.[19]
IndeedthethematictoposofthevoyageinWittigsfiction
correspondstoherformaljourneyasawriter.Botharevoyages
withoutfixeddestination,withoutend,morelikeaselfdisplacement
thatinturndisplacesthetextualfigurationsofclassicaland
Christianmythologies,theHomericheroesandChrist,inWestern
literarygenresandreinscribesthemotherwise:TheDivine
Comedy(Virgil,non)andDonQuijote(Voyagesansfin),theepic
(Lesgurillres),thelyric(Lecorpslesbien),theBildungsroman
(LOpoponax),theencyclopaedicdictionary(Brouillonpourun
dictionnairedesAmantes),andlaterthesatire(Parislapolitique),
thepoliticalmanifestoandthecriticalessay(TheStraightMind).

InLecorpslesbien,theodysseyofthelesbiansubjectj/e
isajourneyintolanguage,intothebodyofWesternculture,a
seasoninhell.[20]Cequiacoursici,pasunenelignore,napas
denompourlheure.Icirefersatoncetotheeventsdescribedin
thediegesisandtotheprocessoftheirinscription,theprocessof
writing:thedismembermentofthefemalebodylimbbylimb,organ
byorgan,secretionbysecretion,isatthesametimethe
deconstructiontermbytermoftheanatomicalfemalebodyas
representedormappedbypatriarchaldiscourse.Thejourneyand
thewritingignorethatmap,exceedthewordsofthemastersto
exposetheintervalsbetweenthem,thegapsofrepresentation,and
trespassintotheintersticesofdiscoursetoreimagine,relearn,re
writethebodyinanotherlibidinaleconomy.Andyet,thejourney
andthewritingdonotproduceanalternativemap,awhole,
coherent,healthyfemalebodyorateleologicalnarrativeoflove
betweenwomenwithahappyending,tilldeathdouspart.Onthe
contrary,deathisassumedinthelesbianbody,inscribedinitfrom
thebeginning.Faistesadieuxm/atrsbelle:Cequiacoursici
isdeath,theslowdecompositionofthebody,thestench,the
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worms,theopenskull...Deathishereandnow,becauseitisthe
inseparablecompanionandtheveryconditionofdesire.

Timeandagain,overtheyears,Ihavereturnedtothis
extraordinarytextthatwillnotletitselfeverbereadatonetimeor
consumedonceandforall.Thatthebookisaboutdesire(non
phallicdesire,tobesure)wasalwayscleartome.IfVirginia
WoolfsOrlandohasbeencalledthelongestloveletterinhistory(to
VirginiaSackvilleWest),Lecorpslesbien,Ithought,mightbecalled
thelongestlovepoeminmodernliterature.Butwhathasbecome
cleartomeonlylatelyisthatLecorpslesbienisnotaboutloveitis
anextendedpoeticimageofsexuality,acantooravastfresco,
brutalandthrilling,seductiveandaweinspiring.

Letmebeclear:IdonotmeansexualityinFoucaults
senseofatechnologythatproducessexasthetruthofproper
bourgeoissubjects.ImeanitinthesenseofFreud'sconceptionof
sexualityasapsychicdrivethatdisruptsthecoherenceoftheego
apleasureprinciplethatopposes,shatters,resistsorcompromises
thelogicoftherealityprinciple,thatis,thesymboliclogicofthe
nameofthefather,thefamily,thenation,andalltheother
institutionsofsocietythatarebasedonthemacroinstitution,and
thepresumption,ofheterosexuality.Freudsawthesetwoforces,
thepleasureprincipleandtherealityprinciple,asbothactive
concurrentlyinthepsycheandatwarwitheachother.Whenhe
laterreconfiguredthemonascalebeyondtheindividual,henamed
oneErosandtheotherdeathdrive.Butitisthelatter,thedeath
drive,andnotthePlatonicEros,thatistheagentofdisruption,
unbinding,negativity,andresistancethathehadfirstidentifiedin
thesexualdrive:itisthedeathdrive,andnotEros,thatismost
closely,structurallyassociatedwithsexualityinFreuds
metapsychology,histheoryofthepsyche.[21]

ThiswarringoftwopsychicforcesiswhatInowseein
Wittigstext:itsinscriptionoftheenigmaofsexualityandofnon
phallic,nonOedipaldesire.Andthisisperhapswhathasalways
provokedmyfascinationwithLecorpslesbienandtheurgeto
returntoittimeandtimeagain:theenigmathatitposesandthe
enigmathatitis.

biography

TeresadeLauretis,bornandeducatedinItaly,receivedher
doctorateinModernLanguagesandLiteraturesfromBocconi
UniversityinMilan.ShehastaughtItalianandcomparative
literature,filmtheory,womensandgenderstudiesatseveral
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AmericanuniversitiesandiscurrentlyProfessoroftheHistoryof
Consciousness,aninterdisciplinarydoctoralprogramatthe
UniversityofCalifornia,SantaCruz.ShehasheldVisitingProfessor
appointmentsatuniversitiesinCanada,Germany,Italy,andThe
Netherlands,aswellastheUnitedStates.Theauthorofoverone
hundredessaysandnumerousbooks,deLauretishaswrittenon
semiotics,psychoanalysis,film,literature,sciencefiction,feminist
andculturaltheoryinbothEnglishandItalian.Someofherworks
havebeenwidelyanthologizedandtranslatedintothirteenother
languages.HerbooksinEnglishincludeAliceDoesn't:Feminism,
Semiotics,Cinema(1984),TechnologiesofGender(1987),The
PracticeofLove:LesbianSexualityandPerverseDesire(1994),and
threeeditedvolumesofessaysincludingFeministStudies/Critical
Studies(1986).Shehasalsoguesteditedtwospecialissuesof
journals,includingthe"QueerTheory"issueofdifferences:A
JournalofFeministCulturalStudies(1990).HerbooksinItalian
includeLasintassideldesiderio:strutturaeformedelromanzo
sveviano(Longo,Ravenna1976),UmbertoEco(LaNuovaItalia,
Firenze1981),Differenzaeindifferenzasessuale(Estro,Firenze
1989),Suigeneris.Scrittiditeoriafemminista(Feltrinelli,Milano
1996),Praticad'amore.Percorsideldesiderioperverso(La
Tartaruga,Milano1997)andSoggettieccentrici(Feltrinelli,Milano
1999).Sheiscurrentlyworkingonabookon
thedeathdriveincinema.

*ThispaperwaswrittenforanddeliveredattheColloqueAutour
deLoeuvrePolitique,ThoriqueetlittrairedeMoniqueWittig,
sousladirectiondeMarieHlneBourcieretSuzetteRobichon,
Paris,1617juin2001.

[1]TheStraightMind(1980)inTheStraightMindandOther
Essays(Boston:BeaconPress,1992),p.32.

[2]RenVivien,AWomanAppearedtoMe[UneFemme
mapparuit,1904].(ReneVivien,nePaulineTarn,wasanAnglo
AmericanpoetandfriendofColette,livinginFrance.)

[3]SeeTeresadeLauretis,EccentricSubjects,FeministStudies,
vol.16,no.1(Spring1990),pp.115150SoggettieccentriciinT.
deLauretis,Soggettieccentrici(Milano:Feltrinelli,1999),pp.11
57andSujetosexcntricosinT.deLauretis,Diferencias:Etapas
deuncaminoatravsdelfeminismo(Madrid:Editorialhorasy
HORAS,2000)pp.111152.

[4]AsimilarpointismadebyNamascarShaktini:Wittigs
reorganizationofmetaphoraroundthelesbianbodyrepresentsan
epistemologicalshiftfromwhatseemeduntilrecentlytheabsolute,

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centralmetaphorthephallus(DisplacingthePhallicSubject:
WittigsLesbianWriting,Signs8:1[1982]:29).

[5]SeeHomiK.Bhabha,TheLocationofCulture(London:
Routledge,1994).

[6]ThetextthatcirculatedintheanglophoneworldwasChristine
Delphy,ClosetoHome:AMaterialistAnalysisofWomens
Oppression,trans.anded.byDianaLeonard(Amherst:Univ.of
MassachusettsPress,1984).

[7]SeeTheCombaheeRiverCollectiveStatementinBarbara
Smith,ed.,HomeGirls:ABlackFeministAnthology(NewYork:
KitchenTable:WomenofColorPress,1983),pp.272282.

[8]OneIsNotBornaWoman,inTheStraightMind,p.13.

[9]Firstshedeployedthemarxistconceptsofideology,classand
socialrelationsagainstliberalfeminism:shearguedthattoaccept
thetermsofgenderorsexualdifference,whichconstructwomanas
animaginaryformationonthebasisofwomensbiologicalerotic
valuetomen,makesitimpossibletounderstandthattheveryterms
womanandmanarepoliticalcategoriesandnotnatural
givens,andthuspreventsonefromquestioningthereal
socioeconomicrelationsofgender.Second,however,Wittigclaimed
thefeministnotionofselfasasubjectwho,althoughsocially
produced,isapprehendedandlivedinitsconcrete,personal
singularityandthisnotionofselfsheheldagainstmarxism,which
deniedanindividualsubjectivitytothemembersoftheoppressed
classes.Althoughmaterialismandsubjectivityhavealwaysbeen
mutuallyexclusive,sheinsistedonbothclassconsciousnessand
individualsubjectivityatonce:withoutthelattertherecanbeno
realfightortransformation.Buttheoppositeisalsotruewithout
classandclassconsciousnesstherearenorealsubjects,only
alienatedindividuals(p.19).

[10]SimonedeBeauvoir,TheSecondSex,trans.H.M.Parshley
(NewYork:Vintage,1974[1949]),p.xxxii.

[11]MoniqueWittig,Lecorpslesbien(Paris:Minuit,1972),p.7.

[12]SeedeLauretis,AliceDoesnt:Feminism,Semiotics,Cinema
(Bloomington:IndianaUniversityPress,1984).

[13]SeeRobynWiegman,ObjectLessons:Men,Masculinity,
andtheSignWomen,Signs:JournalofWomeninCultureand
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Society26.2(2001):355388.

[14]SeeJoanWallachScott,TheEvidenceofExperience,Critical
Inquiry17(Summer1991):773797.Interestinglyenough,the
notionofexpriencevcuehasnowbecomecentraltopostcolonial
andcriticalracetheorystemmingfromtherereadingofFrantz
Fanon,whiletheconceptofexperienceisnowbeingrevaluatedin
theverywritingsofFoucault,whichwereformerlyreadasthe
staunchbasisofthesocialconstructionistpositionagainstthe
essentialistpositionallegedlyrepresentedbytheevidenceof
experience.

[15]ArecentmovetoreplaceacademicprogramsinWomens
StudieswithGenderStudieshasmetwithveryfewobjections.See
LeoraAuslander,DoWomens+Feminist+Mens+Lesbian+Gay
+QueerStudies=GenderStudies?,differences9.3(1997):1
25.Theauthorsanswertohertitlequestionisanenthusiasticyes.

[16]JudithButler,GenderTrouble:FeminismandtheSubversion
ofIdentity(NewYork:Routledge,1990),p.124.

>[17]HerearesometypicalpassagesfromGenderTrouble:

Wittigsradicalfeministtheoryoccupiesanambiguousposition
withinthecontinuumoftheoriesonthequestionofthesubject.On
theonehand,Wittigappearstodisputethemetaphysicsof
substance,butontheotherhand,sheretainsthehumansubject,
theindividual,asthemetaphysicallocusofagency.(p.25)

Inherdefenseofthecognitivesubject,Wittigappearstohaveno
metaphysicalquarrelwithhegemonicmodesofsignificationor
representationindeed,thesubject,withitsattributeofself
determination,appearstobetherehabilitationoftheagentof
existentialchoiceunderthenameofthelesbian.(p.19)

Asasubjectwhocanrealizeconcreteuniversalitythroughfreedom,
Wittigslesbianconfirmsratherthancontestthenormativepromise
ofhumanistidealspremisedonthemetaphysicsofsubstance.(p.
20)

Clearlyherbeliefinacognitivesubjectthatexistspriorto
languagefacilitatesherunderstandingoflanguageasaninstrument,
ratherthanasafieldofsignificationsthatpreexistandstructure
subjectformationitself.(p.154,note27)

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Wittigsradicaldisjunctionbetweenstraightandgayreplicatesthe
kindofdisjunctivebinarismthatsheherselfcharacterizesasthe
divisivephilosophicalgestureofthestraightmind.(p.121)

Lesbianismthatdefinesitselfinradicalexclusionfrom
heterosexualitydeprivesitselfofthecapacitytoresignifythevery
heterosexualconstructsbywhichitispartiallyandinevitably
constituted.Asaresult,thatlesbianstrategywouldconsolidate
compulsoryheterosexualityinitsoppressive[asopposedto
volitionaloroptional,p.121]forms.(p.128)

Wittigsmaterialism...understandstheinstitutionofheterosexuality
asthefoundingbasisofthemaledominatedsocialorders.Nature
andthedomainofmaterialityareideas,ideologicalconstructs,
producedbythesesocialinstitutionstosupportthepoliticalinterests
oftheheterosexualcontract.Inthissense,Wittigisaclassic
idealistforwhomnatureisunderstoodasamentalrepresentation.
(p.125)

[18]LesGurillres,trans.DavidLeVay(Boston:BeaconPress,
1985),p.114.

[19]ElaineMarks,LesbianIntertextuality,inHomosexualities
andFrenchLiterature,ed.GeorgeStambolianandElaineMarks
(Ithaca:CornellUniversityPress,1979),p.375.

[20]AsIpointedoutelsewhere,thelinguisticallyimpossible
subjectpronounj/emaybereadinseveraltheoreticallypossible
waysthatgofromthemoreconservative(theslashinj/e
representsthedivisionoftheLacaniansubject)totheless
conservative(j/ecanbeexpressedbywritingbutnotbyspeech,
recallingDerrideandiffrance),totheradicalfeminist(j/eisthe
symbolofthelived,rendingexperiencewhichism/ywriting,ofthis
cuttingintwowhichthroughoutliteratureistheexerciseofa
languagewhichdoesnotconstitutem/eassubject(Wittig,quoted
inMargaretCroslandsintroductiontoTheLesbianBodyinthe
paperbackeditionIown(Boston:BeaconPress,1986)andthe
playofj/etumaysuggestthebutchfemmedoublesubjectof
lesbiancampperformanceenvisagedbySueEllenCase.See
TeresadeLauretis,SexualIndifferenceandLesbian
Representation,TheatreJournal40.2(May1988):155177
translatedasDifferenzaeindifferenzasessuale:Perlelaborazione
diunpensierolesbico(Firenze:Estro,1989),FilminVidno
(Ljubljana:SKUC,1998),andDiferenciaeindiferenciasexualin

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T.deLauretis,Diferencias:Etapasdeuncaminoatravsdel
feminismo(Madrid:horasyHORAS,2000).

[21]JeanLaplanche,LifeandDeathinPsychoAnalysis,trans.by
JeffreyMehlman(Baltimore:TheJohnsHopkinsUniversityPress,
1976),ch.6.SeealsoLaplanche,Lapulsiondemortdansla
thoriedelapulsionsexuelle,inLapulsiondemort(Paris:PUF,
1986).

labrys,tudesfministes

numrospcial,septembre2003

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