Lesbians (1986)

["The Pusher" by Steppenwolf] Lesbians. [Woman #1:] I think we have a problem with that word, all three of us. I don't know, do you? But I mean, I just, I just find it so limiting. I just think that we're women who care to express our love with a member of the same sex. And I - so when you do lesbians it's - I think, the public expects a certain type of one. And we're all different. [Woman #2:] Yeah. [Interviewer:] How about families? I mean, don't you want a family? Don't you want kids like normal women? [Woman #3:] I have not taught to another gay woman who has - doesn't have the same feeling that runs through all society of women: heterosexual, homosexual. Absolutely, we've all had those same feelings and desires and question: do I or don't - but being a gay woman does not limit you from having that family. [Interviewer:] What about a man? Don't you need a man in your life? [Woman #1:] We all have men in our lives in varying degrees, [Woman #2:] Yes. [Woman #1:] friends, brothers, fathers, you know, we have - and we have close relationships and I, I daresay most of us have had relationships with men, including sexual relationships to one degree or not satisfying. So we do have men in our lives. I don't... [Woman #2:] The thing is, is that the only reason why you need a man in your life, one, is if you want to have a baby. Or course, you don't even need that as long as there's a turkey baster around. And... [women laugh] there you are. [Woman #1:] Dianne! I know, that's true. Yeah. [Woman #2:] I think when people say, "Don't you need a man?," they're saying, "Don't you need to be loved?" And we don't need a man to be loved. [Woman #1:] Yeah, that's a good way to put it. Yeah. [Interviewer:] Have you ever thought about getting help? You know, I mean, have you ever thought of yourself as a sicko or anything? Because you're a lesbian? No. My friends, I have. But myself, no. [laughter] No, I've certainly felt, you know, I had a sister who, who I was very close to. And when I shared that with her, she had a difficult time with it and, and sort of backed off of our relationship. It had been a fairly close relationship and she became somewhat withdrawn and cold and not as loving. And we just let that be for, oh, probably three years. And that, that was painful because we had a close loving relationship. But that's good again. She's come to terms with that. She has a daughter that's gay. And that was the hard part for her, was not only dealing with her sister who she's very close to being gay, but also her daughter. And she's very loving and very supportive of both of us now. [Interviewer:] Dianne. Tell me about the roles that lesbians play, you know, butch, femme, all that. You ever done that? No, no, I haven't. [women laugh] [Interviewer:] So you've played the butch role, huh? No, I just play Dianne. I've always been the same. My friends are... mostly... quite boring. We live in suburbia. The three of us live in suburbia. I - we all have Webers, don't we? [Woman #3:] I have yours. [Woman #2:] Yes. You have mine. I had two! [laughter] There we are. You know, I have - I don't know, see, talking about being gay is like talking about breathing. [Woman #2:] You know, it's very difficult to talk about being gay. Gay is just... [Interviewer:] Is it...? [Woman:] It. [Voiceover:] Lesbians. ["The Pusher" by Steppenwolf]