The laugh that dare not speak its name

Abstract This piece is an exploration into the world of lesbian humor, lesbian comedy and the lesbian comedian. A brief look at the history of lesbian comedy shows us that it is definitely not a contemporary movement but has been around for well over a decade. How do we define lesbian humor and what is a lesbian comic? The answers to these questions are discussed with reference tO my Own performing career as a lesbian comedian in Britain. The difference between the lesbian comedian and the gay comedian is explained and examined along with the attitudes of acceptability in Britain toward gay male humor and the gay performer. But what does the future hold for the lesbian stand-up comedian and what of the introduction of lesbian characters into mainstream sitcoms? Lesbian humor will certainly not be going away, but it is finally finding its own niche in the big wide world of comedy.