Browse Items (4 total)

• 

  Pat Turner, Tape 1 of 2, December 31, 1987

  Pat Turner describes early experiences as a lesbian growing up in the south, conflicts with her enthusiasm for religion as a young person, and her family’s reaction to her sexual orientation. She talks about the relative lack of gay social life in Tennessee, despite the existence of certain bars in Nashville. Discusses how her first letter to The Ladder became an article, and the response from readers. Describes working on The Ladder, and later experiences after the Stonewall.

  Tags Catholic Lesbians, Catholic school, Childhood, Christianity, Daughters of Bilitis, Gay Bars, Pat Turner, Poetry, The Ladder
• 

  Nikki Nichols, Tape 1 of 2, May 14, 1987
  

  Nikki Nichols describes her coming out process, and experiences with older lesbian women as a teenager. Discusses changing views on butch/fem issue. Laments the lack of lesbian groups in Sacramento, as well as describing issues with and fears of gay bars. Talks about how the discovery of DOB saved her life – socially and otherwise. Describes first DOB convention in 1960. Discusses her research into Native American attitudes towards homosexuality, as well as Native American rights movement.

  Tags Bars, Butch and Femme, California, Childhood, Colleges and Universities, Coming Out, Daughters of Bilitis, Intergenerational Relationships, Nikki Nichols, Police Harassment
• 

  Andy, April 20, 1982

  Andy further discusses how she came to construct her butch image. She recalls getting into fights with men and having to give up good jobs because she refused to give up her queer image and identity. She discusses her clash with a teacher when she was in school in the 1950s. She describes her relationship with a prostitute and other close relationships. On side B she talks about breaking into the butch scene and coming out. Andy talks about gay bars and places queer women were welcome or not. She discusses fashion and explains why they wore their t-shirts backward.

  Tags Bars, Butch and Femme, Childhood, Coming Out, Communities, Lesbians, Madeline Davis, Prostitution, Relationships
• 

  Interview: Andy, March 30, 1982 (Tape 1)

  Andy discusses the history of gay rights in Buffalo, New York, and describes how it feels like to be open about her sexual identity. She shares some of her childhood and early adulthood experiences in the 1950s and 60s –her first relationships and confronting the risk of losing her job. Other topics discussed include the gay and lesbian bar scene, raids, prostitution, butch and femme roles, and Andy’s experience within the African American gay community.

  Tags Bars, Butch and Femme, Childhood, Coming Out, Oral History, Race Relations, Relationships, Work