Regional Lesbian Network. (On-Line Resources).

Representatives from organizations in five countries meeting in Guatemala in 1995 decided to create the Asociacion Regional Centroamericana de Gays y Lesbianas (ARCEGAL, Central American Regional Association of Gays and Lesbians) to support each other's work throughout the region. By 1999, ARCEGAL had been weakened by sparse or nonexistent communications among the network's member groups and a variety of internal complications. Today, a group of lesbians has suggested the creation of a functional and active regional network independent of the gay movement.

Since the 1980s, the lesbian movement seemed destined for a dynamic future of advocacy and activism. However, early initiatives to form lesbian networks failed: a series of internal struggles within the lesbian groups and organizations and lack of skills and clearly-defined goals weakened the movement. In addition, the AIDS pandemic held center stage for international agencies' attention and funds.

Clearly, lesbian women and gay men do not face the same situations. In Central America, society invisiblizes women's sexuality in general, and while rejection of gay men seems to be even greater (they have greater visibility), lesbophobia is present in all the political, social, religious and economic structures of our societies.

Lesbian and bisexual women now face the challenges of freeing themselves from their previous prejudices and resentments against one another and of the struggle for equal rights and opportunities. Originally founded in April 2000, the Red Regional Lesbica (RRL, Regional Lesbian Network) conceives of itself as a regional network linking organizations and groups fighting for lesbian and bisexual women's rights in the Central American region. The RRL intends to foster a constant flow of communication, feedback and support among the member groups in their efforts to strengthen, empower, draw attention to and defend the rights of lesbian and bisexual women in our region and to denounce violations of these rights whenever they occur.

In this effort, the Red Regional Lesbica will:

* establish a Central American communications network for lesbians;

* promote research on the realities of lesbian and bisexual women;

* encourage the defense of lesbian and bisexual women's human rights and denunciation of violations of these rights;

* foster increased political participation by lesbian and bisexual women of the region; and

* generate opportunities for reflection and analysis of lesbian and bisexual women's identities.

For more in formation, contact:

Adi Khoshen, Communications Coordinator Red Regional Lesbica Apartado Postal 6-308, El Dorado Panama City, Panama Tel.: [phone] Fax: [phone]

E-mail: [e-mail]