Feminism
Feminist literature]]> Contact LHA at dyv.lha@gmail.com

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Feminist literature]]> Contact LHA at dyv.lha@gmail.com

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]]> File: mp3]]> The Velvet Sledgehammer, Donna Allegra interviews members of Mischief Mime, a two woman theater troupe from Ithaca, New York. Mischief Mime tours and teaches nationally to prove artists can make it outside of the larger cities.]]> Contact LHA at dyv.lha@gmail.com

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Side B continues with more sketches from Modern Scream, maintaining the format of comic vignettes performed by Tomlin. It features a flashback to Detroit high school life, a surreal phone company sketch, a spoof interview about playing a heterosexual woman, a parody detergent commercial that turns into a soap opera-style meltdown, and a long sermon from “Sister Boogie Woman” celebrating radical self-expression. The tape closes with Sutherland’s sign-off and a preview of upcoming feminist programming. Like Side A, it’s rich in satire but not thematically aligned with our themes.]]> CC BY-NC-ND 4.0]]> CC BY-NC-ND 4.0]]> CC BY-NC-ND 4.0]]> See the LHA Copyright Statement

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On tape 2, she talks about The Ladder and its role in lesbian history, and gives her thoughts about which leaders loomed large in the DOB. She brings up the Act or Teach “controversy” of the early 60s. She mentions problems with drug culture in San Francisco during the 60s. She also talks about her enthusiasm for active protest/picketing, and the difficulties of getting gay activists and rallies in California outside of San Francisco.]]> See the LHA Copyright Statement

Photograph by Morgan Gwenwald

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The talk about the environments they grew up in, Maxine in Brooklyn and Anne in Dublin, and their early interest in, and awareness of, politics. Anne talks about the political climate of Ireland that made her want to leave, eventually winning a green card in a lottery, and moving to New York City. Anne describes meeting Maxine at a Thanksgiving Dinner through a friend, Marie, who would eventually become her partner.

Maxine discusses her involvement in various LGBTQ and Radical organizations in NYC that lead her to ACT UP. Anne discusses being part of the founding group of ILGO, the Irish Lesbian and Gay Organization, which started in 1990, and which she was part of for 10 years. She talks about ILGO's rejection from the St. Patrick's Day Parade and the publicity the group got from that.

They talk about the erasure of lesbian organizers and leadership within LGBTQ history which tends to focus on gay men, and how Lesbians had to advocate for themselves and form their own movements to be heard and to focus on Lesbian issues. They talk about Lesbian and women erasure during the AIDS crisis and how that lead them to for the Lesbian Avengers along with Ana Maria Simo, Anne-Christine D'askey, Marie Honan, and Sarah Schulman. They decided they wanted to focus on serious politics rather than cultural issues, and to not be a top-down organization. Anne and Maxine discuss the first meetings and actions of the Lesbian Avengers and talk about offering organizing help and support to other Lesbian groups around the country.

Maxine and Anne talk about the real depth of activism, and the dangerous legal and personal implications of direct actions. They discuss the importance of being part of a group and having a support structure when taking part in a direct action. Maxine talks about the learning and training and teaching that happens behind the scenes before any direct actions. They go into more detail about work they did as the Lesbian Avengers around the country, and the effect that their bottom-up structure had on small community movements.

They talk about the Alice Austen House and the fact that the Board was homophobic and hiding the queer part of that story, and work they did around protesting how the history was being handled. They discuss the importance of recovering queer histories from the 19th Century, and making gay history available to the public. Maxine talks about the role of the Lesbian Herstory Archives in preserving the history and lives of all lesbians for this reason. They talks about how visibility and survival are related for Lesbians, and the need for people to see themselves represented.

Maxine and Anne talk about seeing the fruits of their activist labor come to fruition after 25 years, and their thoughts about current acceptance of LGBTQ people as being partially related to capitalism and revenue. They discuss more recent LGBTQ history and archive projects and the celebrating of gay institutions that have survived over the past 50 years. However, through some of these projects, they are still experiencing Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender erasure and erasure of the history of every day people.
]]> Rights belong to the New York Preservation Archive Project, site Liz H. Strong & Anthony Belove To request a copy of this oral history, please contact info@nypap.org]]> Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND]]> Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND]]> Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND]]> CC BY-NC-ND 4.0]]> Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND]]> See the LHA Copyright Statement

Photo by Morgan Gwenwald

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Accompanied by an edited collection of clips, featuring Oline talking about being a Lesbian, the DOB and its eventual fractioning, and the debate of whether the lesbian's movement should be separate from the women's movement.]]> See the LHA Copyright Statement

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Recording has loud feedback sounds and squeaks at the beginning.

Side B: Pat and DJ discuss bar denizens vs. lesbians who did not frequent bars and the "class" distinction there, and also the way non-butch lesbians looked down on butches. DJ describes how her long-term relationships were analogous to marriage, where she was the breadwinner and her partners were housewives who perhaps worked but did not "provide." Both discuss the fact that in the 1940s and '50s butches had the freedom to have affairs whereas femmes were expected to be faithful. This created an atmosphere of mistrust in which monogamous long-term relationships became very difficult.

Recording has loud squeaks at the beginning, hisses throughout, and cuts off abruptly at the end.]]> See the LHA Copyright Statement ]]> Side B: 31:56]]>
Side B: Pat and DJ continue to discuss relationships during the 1950s and talk about reasons for breaking up. The discussion revolves around the importance of taking care of a woman and being able to satisfy her needs. The two women discuss the negative stigma of cheating. The discussion turns to take pride in a partner and the importance of her appearance and physical presence. Pat and DJ also talk about the presence of violence during relationships in the 1950s, listing insecurity between partners as the main reason. The two women speak specifically of violence in bars as a result of talking to another woman’s lady or challenging femmes in relationships to talk to other women. They discuss how much of this behavior was learned from lesbian role models of the 1940s. ]]> See the LHA Copyright Statement ]]> Side B: 31:56]]>
Cut off at 0:14:55

Side B: The group continues their discussion of the interview process, including who is willing to talk and who is not, as well as who will use their names and who will not. There is more discussion about beatings. Pat tells of coming out to her mother. Her mother only worries about the violence Pat is subjected to, on account of being butch. There is a long discussion about the nature of breakups and their aftermath. The group discusses the role of third parties in most breakups and the way a butch or femme reacts to a breakup. The issue of "passing" comes up, and Pat talks about working as a cab driver and passing as a man. Often, the children of femmes did not know that their mothers' partners were actually women. The interview concludes with a description of the rules for asking other butches' girlfriends to dance, and the fights that sometimes ensued. This point in the discussion highlights the difference between the generation of the interviewees and the generation of the interviewers.]]> See the LHA Copyright Statement ]]> Side B: 32:04]]>
Side B: Pat discusses her friendship and romantic relationship with Jerry Jones, a male impersonator, who was well known in the 1950s Buffalo lesbian community. Pat discusses her move to Albany, N.Y., in the late 1950s and the birth of her daughter in 1957. She also mentions her experiences at after-hour bars which were only open to African Americans. While she used to frequent them in her early years, she no longer goes. Pat identifies as a butch lesbian and discusses the differences between butches and femmes. When she was younger she did not allow her partner to touch her during sex, but is much more open to the idea now. According to Pat, many butch lesbians did not receive sexual contact from their partners. ]]> <a href="/omeka/rights-statement" target="_blank"> See the LHA Copyright Statement </a>]]> Side B: 0:31:05]]> See the LHA Copyright Statement ]]>
On tape 2, they elaborate on their early days in San Francisco, Pat’s previous marriage, political affiliations, jobs, dancing in gay bars, and why they ultimately left the DOB.]]> See the LHA Copyright Statement

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Access: .mp4]]> SPW454_Pat_B]]>

Side B: Pat discusses why she does not have many gay friends and why she does not identify with the lesbian community. She talks about her relationships and her feelings about sex.]]> See the LHA Copyright Statement

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Side B: In this interview Pat talks about how she does not like or feel comfortable in the gay community. She has never identified with it, or been made to feel welcome. This is one of the reasons that she does not maintain friendships with other lesbians, unless she is having a sexual relationship with them. She mentions being victimized and physically assaulted because she was a butch lesbian. Interviewer Madeline enters the discussion, speaking about her own sexual experiences with women. Madeline classifies Pat as “untouchable,” something that Pat denies, stating that she is simply very private. She feels that sex is a necessary but not important part of a relationship; it is something that is never sought or welcomed. She is suspicious of those who claim to experience sexual pleasure, including Madeline. ]]> See the LHA Copyright Statement

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]]> Side B: 43:18]]>
Side B: Paula speaks about her family life in relation to her sexual identity. She talks about her husband's fast lifestyle and her changing preferences eventually causing the dissolution of their marriage. Paula mentions the types of employment she has had, including working in department stores, as a waitress, as a desk clerk at the Genesee Hotel, and on the assembly line at Bell Aircraft. She speaks more about various bars that she went to: Pat's, Dugan's, the Carousel, and the Carlton Hotel. She talks about a long-term relationship that she had, after her divorce, that lasted ten years, as well as traveling out of the Buffalo area to places like Florida, California, and Utica, N.Y.

The recording cuts off abruptly after 23 minutes.]]> See the LHA Copyright Statement ]]> Side B: 23:30]]> See the LHA Copyright Statement ]]> Side B: 46:30]]>
The three-act play takes place over a single day. Act 1 follows Effy in the afternoon, in her bedroom, before going to a piano recital she is involved in. Act 2 takes after the piano recital. Act 3 takes place later that night after Effy has been thinking about her life.

Tape 1 includes Acts 1 & 2.]]> Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND]]>
The first section of the tape contains Act 3 of "The Performance" (6 min), a one-woman play by the Performance Theatre Troupe from Iowa City. The play centers around Effy, a 17-year-old lesbian and musician who must make a decision about her life.

Following "The Performance," the tape cuts to a gathering of lesbians sitting outside, playing guitar, singing, and reading.]]> The Performance:
Kathleen [Hardy], writer and performer
[Bonnie Marslack], director 

Gathering:
Creator Unknown]]>
]]> Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND]]> See the LHA Copyright Statement ]]> See the LHA Copyright Statement ]]> Prose, produced by Sharon Martin. Barbara reads Chapter 10 of her novel Pleasure.]]> Women's Consciousness Raising Hour, the first poet Rosemary Cappello reads a mixture of original poems and poems from friends and other notable poets, surrounding the theme of correspondence. Rosemary views correspondence as the most faithful way to show affection and grow closer with other poets. She also reads a poem that she wrote, in place of an angry letter, to respond to an anti-feminist book review.

The second poet, Barbara Ruth, opens with a poems about her awe for life: her experience knowing and being close to other women, seeing a solar eclipse. Her poems discuss women's issues, specifically, the tension between being a woman and having intense or maddening emotions, and the tensions women have with men. Her poems frequently invoke the power of women and call for a revolution. Furthermore, Barbara grapples with issues of valuing some lives over others, witnessing suffering, narcissism, and simple wanting. She also reads poems about her mother.]]> See the LHA Copyright Statement ]]> Contact LHA at dyv.lha@gmail.com

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]]> Feminist literature
Intersectionality (Sociology)]]> Contact LHA at dyv.lha@gmail.com

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]]> Feminist literature
Intersectionality (Sociology)]]> Contact LHA at dyv.lha@gmail.com

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]]> Harm reduction
AIDS (Disease) in women
ACT UP (Organization)
Clinical drug trials
Public health
Demonstrations]]> Janet Baus [Dyke TV Producer and Director]
Elizabeth Meister [Dyke TV Producer and Director]]]> Item 794]]> Rockville, Maryland, United States
Bethesda, Maryland, United States]]> Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND]]> Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND]]> ]]>
Accompanied by an abridged version highlighting Rose Jordan's discussion of political organizations and feminist groups.]]> See the LHA Copyright Statement

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Ruth and Connie discuss issues with unprocessed trauma and how being triggered can cause a trauma response, unconditional love and the importance of not weaponizing love, and take calls from listeners. They talk about upcoming workshops and counseling that they offer.

Songs played during the show include "I Am What I Am" by Gloria Gaynor and "She" by Holly Near
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Side1
Blythe Masters from JP Morgan Chase introduces Ruth Berman and Connie Kurtz . Connie recalls feeling different from an early age, issues with shame about being different, and the necessity to challenge the system that makes people feel that way. She talks about her relationship with her family and with Ruthies Family. Ruthie talks about being a mother, coming out as a lesbian as a parent, and her illness that resulted from her internal struggle and shame related to being a Lesbian. Ruthie talks about applying for partner benefits for Connie that lead to the lawsuit against the New York State Board of Eduction and her experience working with Lambda Legal. Ruthie discusses the collective power that queer people and their allies have.

Side 2
Ruthie + Connie talk about their film and take questions from the audience. They discuss making politicians accountable during their time in office and demanding full legal acknowledgement and recognition of rights and personhood. They talk about their involvement with their synagogue, and the power of corperate and professional LGBT groups.
]]> Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND]]> the Michelangelo Signorile Show on Sirius OutQ which aired July 20, 2003 in which have Ruth Berman and Connie Kurtz to talk about their life and new film “Ruthie and Connie: Every Room in the House.” At the beginning of the episode, they also talk about other people they are having on the show.

Ruth and Connie's interview starts at 10:55 and ends at 30:30. They discuss their Cotello Towers neighbohood where they met when they were both married and young mothers. There they started the "Mother's Action Committe" within their community. They talk about their own internalized homophobia at the beginning of their relaionship and their fear that they would have been found out, and the transition to feeling comfortable with themselves and their sexuality. They discuss their lawsit with the New York City Board of Education for Domestic Partnership Benifits and their apperance on the Donahue Show in 1988. 

They take questions from callers which relate to being lesbian and Jewish, the community they have found there, and the importance for others around the country to find similar communities, or to create them. 

After Ruth + Connie's interview the hosts discuss a NYC teen, Natalie Young, who is sueing her teacher for harasmeent over comments made about the teenagers shirt that said "Barbie is a Lesbian"and other LGBT current events.]]> Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND]]>
10:00 mins into the tape, Rosemary Dempsey from NOW discusses the importance of legal tools to protect gay people and their families, ad how coming out is an important part of that process.

Audio ends at 13:11, the rest of the tape is blank.


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Ruth and Connie discuss how they met, their early activism within their communities, being married to men and having families, and their eventual falling in love with one another and coming out as Lesbians. They discuss their relationships with their families then and now, and the importance of coming out of the closet.

Deborah talks about her process when working in this film, and how she tried to make the film for both gay and striaght audiences ]]> Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND]]>
Side 1 Ruth starts off by singing "I Am What I Am" by Gloria Gaynor and then talks about her life and knowing she was a lesbian from a young age and her journey to get rid of the same she originally felt about her sexuality. She talks about being married and having children, being in the closet, and her early relationship with Connie. She expresses the shame she first felt when being with Connie and regretting how much time she lost being in the closet. Ruth talks about going on the Phil Donahue show and the lawsuit after being denied partner benefits for Connie by the NYC Board of Education because they weren't married. She encourages the audience to undo the damage of being brought up as heterosexual women and to come out.

At 21:40 Connie speaks and talks about being a mother and grandmother, and her relationship to her family. She talks about how abuse has been perpetuated throughout her life about working through her problems and celebrating changes. Connie shares her experience of being diagnosed with cancer and her experience trying to heal herself and going into remission.

At 38:30 Karen Thompson discusses trying to be what other people wanted throughout her early life and meeting a partner who taught her how to live and be herself. She recalls not being able to admit her sexuality to herself or her partner, the car accident that her partner was involved in, and realizing she had to come out to get through this challenging time.

Side 2 The second part of this tape is a duplicate of the audio described in "National Organization for Women (NOW) NYC - Ruth Berman and Rosemary Dempsey"]]> Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND]]> See the LHA Copyright Statement

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]]> Audio from SAGE's Second National Conference on Aging, which took place from May 5-6, 2000 in New York, NY.

The audio starts with a conversation with a woman discussing activism, being an out lesbian parent, and atheticism and answering questions from the auidence. She talks about "The Gay Games" and the healing effect of sports for women and girls. Questions from the audience include comments on finding community at the intersection of elder lesbians and sports.

At 9:41 the audio cuts to a panel discussion with Ruth Berman and Connie Kurtz. They play a clip of Ruthie + Connie's 1988 apperance on the Phil Donahue Show. Ruth and Connie talk about their personal hsitroy and early activism, their lawsuit against the New York City Board of Education for domestic partner benefits, the importance of being political and of coming out. They also talk about oening a counceling cener in their home and issues with the Butch/Femme Bianary. 

At 28:41 the audio switches to Joan Nestle speaking about the Lesbian Herstory Archives and the importance of including reords about diverse Lesbian History. 

AT 33:11 a woman from the aidence speaks from the perspective of radical lesbians who have never had children or been married and about expanding the lesbian agenda in the future. She reads from a a piece she wrote called “a week in the life of a 60 Year Old Lesbian” about her activism within the lesbian community.

]]> Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND]]> Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND]]> Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND]]> Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND]]> Lesbian activists
Lesbians, Black
Gay rights
Gay politicians
Lesbian musicians]]> Mary Patierno [Executive Producer]
Ana Maria Simo [Executive Producer]]]> Item 798]]> Dyke_TV_Iron_Mt_ID_030-09]]>
Discussion on the social issues in the Lesbian communinity bar and nightlife scene in Buffalo, NY during the 1950s.

Side B:

Continuation of side A. Only 2 minutes of side B used in original recording.]]> ]]> See the LHA Copyright Statement ]]> ]]> Side B = 1:32 minutes]]> wav]]> PhysicalObject
Oral History Interview ]]> See the LHA Copyright Statement

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Oral History Interview]]> Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND]]>
[15:39-22:52] Following the demonstration, the video cuts to an interview in which two participants explain the importance and objective of their ceremony and the purpose of their "wailing," which was meant to imagine and express the agony of victims and those threatened by nuclear war. ]]> Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND]]> Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND]]>