FEMALE - JULIE

JULIE
Julie remonstrates regarding her lesbianism during this parental confrontation.
You've really never accepted it, have you, Mother? You, the family-any of you. You're still all so embarrassed, so damned ashamed. It's so glaringly obvious in your attitudes.
And how do you think it makes me feel? And Sandi? You think that she can't tell, that she doesn't feel ill at ease because of your condescending manners, your devastating sidelong glances, your sweet smugness, your, "I guess we'll just have to grin and bear it," attitudes? Please, Mother, don't do us any favors,
okay?

Is it so terrible to love another woman? Is it? Does it make me some kind of far-out freak, or something? Is lesbianism something so unusual, so terrible, so sinful? (Pause.) Yes, I suppose for this family it is. It squares with all you've ever heard and imagined about the evilness of "queers" and "homos."

You're all so damned threatened, it seems, so weak. Like your religion. If your faith was valid it would have room for growth and enlightenment, wouldn't it, instead of having to protect itself through fear?
You're all so terribly afraid. Afraid of truth, afraid of honest feelings. You're all so hopelessly, terribly, goddamned afraid! And you know what? I pity you. Yes, I pity you, I really do. Because you're all so narrow-minded and unbelievably small and because your prejudices shut out love.