Lesbian Herstory Archives AudioVisual Collections

Mary K., December 12, 1981

Item

456.jpg

Title

Mary K., December 12, 1981

Subject

Lesbian and gay experience
Lesbian bars
Prostitution
Lesbian couples--United States

Description

Side A: Mary discusses her experiences in the gay community in Buffalo in the 1950s. She discusses in detail the gay bar scene and describes the clientele at the Carousel, Bingo's, and the Chesterfield. The interviewee also describes the dynamic of the relationships she experienced and observed in terms of both race and gender identity. Mary also discusses prostitution in the Buffalo community during the 1950s. She describes some of her own sexual and relationship experiences.

Side B: Continuing the conversation from Side A, Mary discusses in more detail the types of people she observed in the various bars in Buffalo, as well as her family. She explains that she got along with her family, but never came out to them, in spite of which her father never questioned her about her relationships or pressured her to get married. She also discusses the socio-economic status of various gay communities throughout Buffalo. Both the interviewer and the interviewee discuss butch and femme identities within the larger context of the lesbian community in Buffalo. Mary speaks in more detail about her social experiences.

Creator

Mary K.

Date

1981-12-12

Contributor

Pratt Institute, School of Information and Library Science, 665 Projects in Digital Archives Students

Is Format Of

tape cassette "SPW456 Mary K"

Extent

Side A: 45:46
Side B: 45:20

Medium

mpeg
wav

Language

eng

Type

Sound
Oral History Interview

Identifier

SPW# 456

Rights Holder

Lesbian Herstory Archives, Contact Designation: Maxine Wolfe, Contact Address: 484 14th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11215, Phone Number: 718-768-3953

Citation

Mary K., “Mary K., December 12, 1981,” Lesbian Herstory Archives AudioVisual Collections, accessed March 28, 2024, http://herstories.prattinfoschool.nyc/omeka/items/show/16.