Lesbian giving-and getting : tending radical roots in an era of venture philanthropy

M. Gallo

Lesbian philanthropy is rooted in a tradition of radical giving. Without the inspiration and vision of the small, community-based "alternative" foundations of the late 1960s and 1970s, with their commitment to "change, not charity" and to funding grassroots groups dedicated to social justice, today's profusion of queer organizations would not have been possible. Lesbians and bisexual women-both as donors and as activists-have been central to both movements. Today, contributions from individuals are responsible for the vast majority ofthe 1999 increase in overall giving-an increase of $15.80 billion over 1998, to a record $190.16 billion. (Since 1997, giving has increased by more than $15 billion annually.) But the questions that inspired a groundbreaking re-evaluation of traditional philanthropy thirty years ago still remain: who is giving, and to which groups? Now more than ever, it is vitally important for lesbians to recognize that the intersection between the radical philanthropic movement-which seeks to disrupt the power relations of traditional charitable giving-and the lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender movements-which seek at least to dispel homophobia and at best to disrupt heteronormativity-is where both can become more inclusive, representative, and revolutionary.