Stephanie Schroeder

Controlling the means of production sounds like terminology from The Communist Manifesto – and it is, but it’s also a belief held by many lesbians in publishing and other media that if we do not control the queer media ourselves, gay men will ignore us completely, and also put us out of business.

SheWired's Stephanie Schroeder talks with Kiyomi and Adrienne from Hunter Valentine, recently named GO! Magazine's Best Local Band.They established a devoted fan base via their self-financed eponymous 2005EP and built on that foundation with their 2007 full-length The Impatient Romantic (True North Records). Hunter Valentine is set to break through with their gripping follow up album, Lessons From the Late Night.

SheWired's Stephanie Schroeder talks to 'Anyone But Me's' Streamy-winning star Rachael Hip-Flores about the hit series, theater, playwriting and playing gay – more than once.

The world premiere of the all-american genderf*ck cabaret, a new written play by Mariah MacCarthy and directed by Krystal Banzon recently played in NYC's East Village iconic theater venue, UNDER St. Marks.The press for this play billed is as an "outrageous cabaret [where] gender stereotypes are plucked straight from pop culture: a Girly Girl, a Manly Man, a Nice Guy, a Gay Best Friend, a Slut, a Feminist Lesbian, and a Tomboy.

To honor our family, friends, loved ones, girlfriends, partners and in some cases, ourselves, we at SheWired are telling our stories about brushes with breast cancer, a disease that has affected nearly all of in some way. Stephanie Schroeder, our political pundit with a distinctly feminist edge, shares her story. 'My mother and I have never been close. She doesn't at all object to me being queer...'

Feminists and vulva-shaped chocolates unite for politics and to reclaim the x-rated chocolate world, which is dominated by giant boob and penis shapes. Vegan chef Lagusta and Blue Stocking Bonbons has come up with a sinfully delicious way to get your lesbian feminist on.

The recession is no laughing matter. Writer Stephanie Schroeder knows that as well as anyone. What's a talented feminist and lesbian writer to do when the recession hits her piece of humble pie in New York City?

Remember back in the day when you would run screaming to any event that was for women (wink wink lesbians)? Is it progress that we don't show up like we used to do? Like we are so cool and comfortable with our place in the world that we don’t need lesbian space/can't be bothered?

It used to be that lesbians would deem their close and sympathetic male friends "honorary lesbians." Today the new term for straight men (and occasionally gay men) who hang out primarily with lesbians is “lesbro.” According to the Urban Dictionary, lesbro has several meanings -- two that I will discuss here.

The feminization of Caster Semenya because she doesn’t fit the rigid stereotype of feminisity is both a tragedy and atrocity at the same time. Semenya, a self-described tomboy whose dislike of dresses is well known, I suppose felt she had to prove something to the world and go along with the instant makeover by You Magazine that really, come on let’s be realistic, makes her look like either a butch dyke in a dress or a drag queen.

Actor Dana Delaney (currently of Desperate Housewives, but I remember her from way back from when she was on As the World Turns) recently became co-president of the Creative Coalition, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization advocating for increased support of the arts and many other causes. In arts as everywhere, it seems both the glad-handing and giving is done mostly by men.

Polyamory, or non-monogamy as lesbian-feminists of yesteryear referred to the practice of having more than one amorous partner, is in vogue. In fact, poly (in modern lingo) relationships have always been an important part of the LGBT community, even while the issue is so very often swept under the carpet.

The controversial PETA ad targeting fat (women) meat eaters is gone, literally. PETA's "Save the Whales" billboard has been replaced. Fat, feminist, lesbian, queer and other plain reasonable folks protested the sign, as well as protested PETA, which has a record of depicting various people and groups in stereotypical and hateful ways.

The venerable Gray Lady this past weekend had a special issue in the Sunday Magazine focusing on women, "Saving the World's Women:  How changing the lives of women and girls in the developing world can change everything." But while feminist writers and female journalists have been writing about atrocities committed against women for ages, The Times gave Nicholos Kristoff center stage to write about the issues.

Remember when women’s tennis fans (or foes) started saying Martina Navratilova looked like man? I do. And, it still chills me to the bone that as a baby dyke the only out lesbian I knew of— Navratilova—was being castigated for being a strong woman. Now, South African runner Caster Semenya is under scrutiny regarding her gender.

The non-profit camp for aspiring female rock legends, Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls’, is raising the barn and putting on a show Saturday (8/22/09) at noon in NYC. It’s a recital of young women alumnae from session two of this year’s camp.

I don't want to harp about Hillary Clinton, but really, the treatment she is getting from all corners for her work as Secretary of State in general and her interest in global human rights for women is unpleasant at best and totally misogynistic (as I've written before) at worst.