The Lavender Menace was an informal group of lesbian feminists who formed in the early 1970s in response to comments made by Betty Friedan, then president of the National Organisation for Women (NOW).
Friedan argued that lesbians threatened the reputation of the women's movement and referred to them as the
"Lavender Menace".
Outraged by Betty Friedan's comments and the wider exclusion of lesbians from feminist spaces, lesbians at the 1970 NOW conference organised a protest.
Lesbians took over the conference hall holding signs and wearing T-shirts with the words "Lavender Menace" as a way of reclaiming a term that had been used to marginalise them.
Betty Friedan in 1960. Source: Wikipedia
Activists Judy Reif, Fran Winant and Martha Shelley stage a "Lavender Menace" protest at the Second Congress to Unite Women in New York in May 1970.Diana Davies / New York Public Library
The Lavender Menaces helped shape the future of Feminism.
At the next national conference of NOW, in September 1971, the delegates adopted a resolution recognising lesbianism and lesbian rights as a "legitimate concern for feminism".
Today, "Lavender Menace" is still used and even worn as a symbol of Lesbian and sapphic pride.
It commemorates a time when lesbians were pushed to the margins of the feminist movement and came together to demand recognition, reminding us that lesbian issues are also impacted by patriarchal violence.
But we shouldn't honour this history without being willing to learn from it.
Lavender Menace love heart necklace from Leftbians
Just as lesbians were once portrayed as a threat to women's rights, trans women are often painted in the same way today.
History reminds us that exclusion weakens movements.
The lavender menace showed that expanding feminist spaces to include marginalised women makes the movement stronger, not weaker.
Dykes for Trans Rights sticker from Leftbians
Leftbians is a lesbian-owned business creating unapologetically queer jewellery and art.
Whether you're looking for a subtle piece inspired by queer history to honour the legacy of those who came before us, or jewellery that celebrates your identity and shows solidarity with the wider LGBTQ+ community, you will be sure to find it here.
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The Author: Jade Evangeline
Jade is one half of the Leftbians team and the writer behind many of our history and culture articles. With a passion for queer history, punk subculture, and communist politics they love to research and uncover the stories of people and movements who challenged the status quo.