Perhaps we just see things differently. I am a lesbian who has gotten over her obsession with “male domination” and patriarchal this and that. It just made me hostile and bitter. I can still be a feminist, but still accept the differences between genders. That is a reason why I object to the use of “phallocentric”. It just comes off as anti-male, which is a mistake our feminist forebears made. We have to accept biology for what it is and make changes to the culture by treating everyone equally, not using words that divide. Go ahead and use such words, but to make change, you’ll need men on your side. You can’t get them on your side if you make them feel hostile. I’m fighting for marriage equality, but am realistic to know we need straights on our side. That’s why you won’t catch me using words like “heterocentric”.

Perhaps you meant to state that the Romans didn’t share the same “flair” for lesbian relations? For man-on-man action, the Romans were just as much eager as the Greeks. It’s just that Roman culture had what appears to be a general distaste for lesbianism. But then, so did Greek society. They just happen to have a bit more tolerance toward us lesbians. Regardless, lesbianism was frowned upon in the ancient world.

Unlike AJ however, I find the cultural “obsession” with girl-on-girl action to be refreshing, because it allows a window of opportunity for females to openly declare and embrace their sexuality that doesn’t fit within the “straight, barefoot & pregnant” cultural pardigm. We should be applauding the independence of action and the liberty of choice.

One last note: the word “phallocentric” is so 1992. The only time I hear the word being used is when it’s uttered by college students. you hardly ever hear that word being used in real life outside of academia.

Sources:

Williams, Craig Arthur (1999) Roman Homosexuality: ideologies of masculinity in classical antiquity. Oxford University Press

Hallett, Judith P., & Skinner, Marilyn B, eds. (1997) Roman Sexualities. Princeton University Press

He seems to me equal to gods that man
whoever he is who opposite you
sits and listens close
to your sweet speaking

and lovely laughing—oh it
puts the heart in my chest on wings
for when I look at you, even a moment, no speaking
is left in me

no: tongue breaks and thin
fire is racing under skin
and in eyes no sight and drumming
fills ears

and cold sweat holds me and shaking
grips me all, greener than grass
I am and dead—or almost
I seem to me.

But all is to be dared, because even a person of poverty