1
999
9
-
http://herstories.prattinfoschool.nyc/omeka/files/original/a150c2c0e393324d6e853d6e68323492.wav
3a6df937a633e54503710b206df762a7
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Assorted Audio Materials, c. 1970s
Description
An account of the resource
Contained in this collection are an assortment of audio materials likely donated by Liza Cowan, and thus associated with the Liza Cowan collection. There are clips from radio shows including South Carolina Educational Radio Network, Radio Free People, KCRW-FM, and RCC. There are also clips of live music and poetry performances, as well as political discussions.
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The information available on this site, including any text, data, artwork, video, audio, images or graphics may be protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws. Entities other than the Lesbian Herstory Archive may own copyright of the material. Material from the website may be used for non-profit or educational purposes. However, if copies are printed or displayed, copyright notice must be included. Except as provided above, you may not reproduce, republish, post, transmit or distribute any material from this website in any physical or digital form without the permission of the copyright owner.
For information regarding any further use of the materials contained on this site, please contact the Lesbian Herstory Archives:
LHEF, Inc. 484 14th Street Brooklyn, New York 11215
Telephone: 718-768-DYKE
Email: lesbianherstoryarchives@gmail.com
Sound
A resource whose content is primarily intended to be rendered as audio.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Feminist Workshop, February 18, 1971
Subject
The topic of the resource
Lesbian identity
Homonormativity
Second wave feminism
Description
An account of the resource
Recorded discussion regarding what constitutes a lesbian and lesbian identity writ large.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1971-02-18
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
2023-09-26 (digitized)
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://herstories.prattinfoschool.nyc/omeka/rights-statement">See LHA Copyright Statement</a>
Extent
The size or duration of the resource.
465.8 MB
Language
A language of the resource
English
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
1971-02-18_feminist_workshop_tape_2
PBCore
PBCore is a metadata standard for audiovisual media developed by the public broadcasting community. See http://www.pbcore.org/documentation/
Physical Format
The format of a particular version or rendition of a media item as it exists in an actual physical form that occupies physical space (e.g., a tape on a shelf), rather than as a digital file residing on a server or hard drive.
1/4" open reel audio
Duration
Provides a timestamp for the overall length or duration of the audio. Represents the playback time. Format: HH:MM:SS
00:28:16
Digital Format
audio/wav
Feminism
Identity
Lesbian Community
lesbian identity
second wave feminism
-
http://herstories.prattinfoschool.nyc/omeka/files/original/d691abbb0df548a1d78ed3af9d85b9bc.wav
161f191ad4459e898e958235ff45c677
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Assorted Audio Materials, c. 1970s
Description
An account of the resource
Contained in this collection are an assortment of audio materials likely donated by Liza Cowan, and thus associated with the Liza Cowan collection. There are clips from radio shows including South Carolina Educational Radio Network, Radio Free People, KCRW-FM, and RCC. There are also clips of live music and poetry performances, as well as political discussions.
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The information available on this site, including any text, data, artwork, video, audio, images or graphics may be protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws. Entities other than the Lesbian Herstory Archive may own copyright of the material. Material from the website may be used for non-profit or educational purposes. However, if copies are printed or displayed, copyright notice must be included. Except as provided above, you may not reproduce, republish, post, transmit or distribute any material from this website in any physical or digital form without the permission of the copyright owner.
For information regarding any further use of the materials contained on this site, please contact the Lesbian Herstory Archives:
LHEF, Inc. 484 14th Street Brooklyn, New York 11215
Telephone: 718-768-DYKE
Email: lesbianherstoryarchives@gmail.com
Sound
A resource whose content is primarily intended to be rendered as audio.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Feminist Workshop, March 14, 1971
Subject
The topic of the resource
Lesbian identity
Homonormativity
Second wave feminism
Description
An account of the resource
Recorded discussion regarding the defining features of lesbianism and the lesbian identity.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1971-03-14
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
2023-10-10 (digitized)
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://herstories.prattinfoschool.nyc/omeka/rights-statement">See the LHA copyright statement</a>
Extent
The size or duration of the resource.
382.9 MB
Language
A language of the resource
English
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
1971-03-14_feminist_workshop_tape_3
PBCore
PBCore is a metadata standard for audiovisual media developed by the public broadcasting community. See http://www.pbcore.org/documentation/
Physical Format
The format of a particular version or rendition of a media item as it exists in an actual physical form that occupies physical space (e.g., a tape on a shelf), rather than as a digital file residing on a server or hard drive.
1/4" open reel audio
Digital Format
audio/wav
Duration
Provides a timestamp for the overall length or duration of the audio. Represents the playback time. Format: HH:MM:SS
00:11:37
Feminism
Identity
Lesbian Community
lesbian identity
second wave feminism
-
http://herstories.prattinfoschool.nyc/omeka/files/original/e2e4f319dccd78d7dc2909d7db03f89e.pdf
8ffe24e99ede33a2a247cca743dfa75d
PDF Text
Text
Alaina Zulli
This is Alaina Zulli interviewing [redacted] goes by [redacted] on May 31 2007,
in Bobst library. Okay, so [redacted], let's start with your background. Tell me
where you were born. Then about your family.
Anonymous
Excuse me, I was born in New York City, Beth Israel hospital. I am the last born
out of four children, two boys, two girls. My mom is a single, single mother.
Unfortunately my dad was at the time I was born children. My dad,
unfortunately my my father was killed in some kind of confrontation with
somebody. So I never really knew my dad. I have a stepfather who raised us
who I kind of recognise as my dad because he's the only father figure I've
known. And we grew up in Brooklyn, Park Slope, excellent neighbourhood.
Should have stayed there. Guess that kind of answers a lot. And I, I mainly
grew up with just my sister, just me and my sister. My two brothers were
actually raised with my grandmother. I believe my mom probably had them
when she was really young. So they grew up with my grandmother. It was cool
like, we, we lived in a household where it was just the four of us. Unfortunately,
my mom has a my mom has a mental condition. She's diagnosed as being
schizophrenic. So that was a little weird sometimes, you know, my mom was
kind of always in and out of hospital. I actually when I was born, I was born
with what's called CAH, it stands for congenital adrenal hyperplasia. It actually
means I'm missing an enzyme in my body, my Adrenaline gland doesn't
produce a certain enzyme. And I was actually also born with ambiguous
genitalia. Which, as most people know, my sometimes I think about it when I
was born, you know, most babies when they're born, they like you have a you
have a girl you have a boy, I picture when I was born, it's like you have a Okay.
Wait a minute, give us a second, we'll get back to you. So, unfortunately, I I was
always in and out of the hospital myself, you know, young kind of went
through a series of reconstructive surgeries, which I think also kind of answers
a lot in terms of my sexual orientation. You know, being being a lesbian, being
�Butch, you know, based on just my overall appearance, you know, I have
unfortunate have higher testosterone levels, which gives me a more
androgynous Look, when people could kind of think that, you know, I'm a
female, but I'm not quite sure.
Alaina Zulli
Well, you have facial hair, which to many people is a clear indication.
Anonymous
Yeah, I mean, but nowadays with so many you know, transgender people, like
some people not too sure whether it's facial hair due to you know, hormones,
right. And, you know, the whole transition over
AZ
So were you raised as a girl or a boy?
Anonymous
I was raised as a girl as a girl, my mom put [compensated?] little dresses on
me and, and stuff, but I think what was unique about my mom was that she, I
think, because I was born with this condition she didn’t really enforce a lot of
like, she didn't, when we went out, I if it was a family event, she put a dress on
me. But really, I played with I played with cars, Star Wars figures, action figures,
I never really had dolls, like my sister was more though, the doll and makeup
type, you know, I played with cars, trucks, I was very active. You know, I would, I
was always jumping around, you know, just like a little boy, I was jumping
around. All my friends were boys. I really never had any little girls as friends. So
I think my mom kind of, you know, growing up, which was, I guess, good. She
never enforced it on me. You know, except for family events. You know? So
that was I think that was really good. In terms of, you know, my upbringing, I
wasn’t a kind of, you know, forced to be this little girl. I just grew up as a
regular child, you know, just enjoying the everyday life of just being a child
�AZ
Let you find yourself and just be yourself.
Anonymous
Yeah, I it's funny because I look back and I know you know, people I always ask
about, you know, when when's the first time you realise you a lesbian. And I
think back and I had to be like seven years old, in the second grade, like, I
used to have a crush on my second grade teacher. And I used to follow her
everywhere, like, you know, when the kids would go to lunch, and I never had
to go to lunch with the kids like I would, she would, I would have lunch with her.
She would take me rollerskating on the weekends. And I slept over her house
one time, but you know, I'm seven years old, and I'm thinking like, yes, sleeping
with this older woman. You know, and then, of course, you know, not every now
and then her boyfriend would tag along, and I will kind of get mad at him, you
know, go rollerskating. And I would kind of knock him down because I didn't
want him to be around. And then she got married, she announced to the class
that she was getting married. And she invited the whole class to her wedding.
And I refused to go. I was so upset. I was devastated. I was like, Oh, my God, I
just lost this woman in my life. And, you know, my mom kind of was trying to
force me to go and I was like, oh, no, no. So I kind of, I always think back and I
was like, wow, like, that was my first like, experience with, you know, like, loving,
not well, not loving, but you know, like, being attracted to another woman.
AZ
Sure. Yeah.
Anonymous
And I guess from Park Slope, we move to the Lower East Side, which was pretty
bad. It wasn't that bad. You know, we still should’ve stayed in Park Slope.
�AZ
Give me a timeframe for when you moved.
Anonymous
We moved when I was about 11 years old. Okay. So, at 11 we moved because
the building that we lived in was being sold. And so my mom just decided, you
know, we should move. So we wound up moving to the lower Eastside in
Manhattan, and it was good there. It was, I think it was also another confusing
time, because there I kind of developed more female friends. You know, like, I
even though I still kind of did boyish things. I had, I started having my female
friends like my best friend. From that moment on she, you know, we were
close. You know, I kind of really didn't look at her in a way that was like, you
know, why I'm attracted to girls. But all her other friends I did. And her sister.
AZ
All the other male friends you mean. Wait, you mean all your male friends
looked over that way?
Anonymous
No, I looked at her other female friends. Like, you know, like, hey, what’s up.
And it was just weird because she would always get me because we were
best friends. I she would always kind of duped me into like, you know, going
out with a guy. Which was, you know, also as confusing because I used to
think, well, well, this is what girls are supposed to do. Like dating. Yeah, like
dating. Like, she wouldn't be interested in some guy. And of course, his friend
would be there. So it's kind of like, you know why I want to be with him. So you
got to be with him. And I kind of felt you know, I think I made a lot of sacrifices
for my friend kind of like going in and just, you know, dating these these guys.
And I guess it wasn't really until I was probably 13. There use there used to be a
military Cadet that was ran by the center precinct. And my brothers actually,
when they were younger, they used to go there. And I wanted to go so they
�finally at one point, they kind of banned girls from being there, I guess
because of some altercation, but they started letting them back in. And I went,
and it was awesome. Because there I met this young woman. I don't know if
I've mentioned her name.
AZ
Well, you can you can choose not to have her name ever. Really?
Anonymous
Well, her name was Selena. And she, you know, she then became my kind of,
like, secret gay friend. You know, we both came out to each other, which was
cool. You know, like, I was like, you know, I you know, when you're young you
kind of feel like you know about you've heard terms, you know, lesbian and
gay. But you never really impact impacts you until you actually meet you
know, somebody that's just like you just like everybody kind of feel like you're
alone until you meet somebody. And we came out to each other then we
started discovering that there was other, you know, lesbians and actually
bisexuals at the time. And in our cadet, you know, which was cool because I
felt like you know, not only was I interested in this kind of military cadet, but
you know, it was also surrounded by, you know, my people, my kind of
discovering a whole new community. And I remember when we, we got on our
bikes one weekend and we kind of went kind of girl hunting. You know, we
were like 13, 14 years old. And we we got on our bikes and we went to it was
about this time, and we ran into all these gay people, like right around here
actually around Washington Square Park, it was we kind of got lost, we didn't
know we were going. We just We just heard that, you know, there are, you
know, gay people in the village. So we, you know, ventured out into the village
to go look for, you know, gay people. And girls. And we had just missed the
Pride Parade. Hmm. You know, so when you would, you know, we're riding our
bikes, and we see like, you know, drones of like women, you know, and girls
and other like, we at first we didn't know what what it was until we actually
�saw what gave it away is we saw some butch women so like, oh, yeah, we
found, we found our Mecca. And we had, we said, Hold this, this has got to be,
you know, there are a bunch girls. So that means there's got to be, you know,
you know, girls that we like femme girls around here. So we proceeded to dry
it, you know, to ride around on our bikes. And we found these, we found these
two girls who were 19 years old, of course, we lied about our age, we said we're
like 17 years old. And we, you know, proceeded to like kind of walk with them,
you know, hitting on them, and, you know, just kind of asking questions. And
after that just became our new, a new hangout spot. And from there, you
know, as I started going to cadets so I was going to I started going from my
timetable was a little screwed up
AZ
That’s ok. When you, if you can clarify. What your age, there abouts
Anonymous
Um, I would say like about between 15 and 16 is when like I started discovering
the village. And you know, we me and my friends then found out about
because I didn't realise that she was part of a youth group, which was called
Project Reach. And in the youth group, they dealt with social issues that was
like kind of my first interaction with a socialisation group where they spoke
about not only lesbian and gay issues, but issues around sexism and
homophobia, and, you know, classes and as well. So I learned a lot going
there just also, once again, just being around, you know, even tighter
community where people that are more of my age rather than me trying to
perpetrate and, you know, oh, they're lesbian trying to pick up all the women.
And from there we we started interacting with our Hetrick Martin Hetrick Martin
Institute, which is actually located here on Astor Place. It's probably one of the
largest gay and lesbian youth groups. It's also located the Harvey Milk schools
there also
�AZ
Oh I think I've seen that. Yeah, can you? Well, later, you’ll have to write that for
me. But Hetrick Martin
Anonymous
At first, they were located by the West Side Highway, but where what people
call the pier. Yes. So they were located there. So project reach was actually
interacting with other youth groups. So once again, my community and I
started seeing that this community is a lot larger. And then we started doing
work with the yes group for Richmond services, which is part of the gay and
lesbian center. So we started doing going over there and networking. And
once I got to the center, I was just, like, amazed, like a whole building just
dedicated for us. And we, that became our new hangout spot. You know, so
about, like, 17 going into 16 going into 17 that became a new, a new hangout
spot, which was actually the corner of 13th Street and Seventh Avenue
AZ
Place. I know
Anonymous
Yeah, yeah. So we used to all kind of that would be the meeting spot. So one
person would like 2 people would get there and then you would wait for the
rest of us, you know, the rest of the people so probably like about six seven
o'clock there was about close to 20 young people there lesbian young people
AZ
And you just stand around on the corner
Anonymous
Yeah, we would all meet up at the corner and then decide what we're gonna
do, which always resulted in ending up at the pier. So we would track down,
�walk down Seventh Avenue, till we got to the beginning of Christopher Street.
And of course, it would take us like two hours just to walk down the block.
Because we would stop and see people we know. And stop at stores, you
know, and, of course, it was all about fashion, even when I was younger, you
know, we used to stop and look at the stores and the clothing. You know,
because back then there used to be a lot of, I think it happens now. But
unfortunately, I'm kind of out of the loop, there used to be a lot of one was
called balls, balls. Yeah, they were basically many fashion shows that there
was small communities or houses that were ran by, you know, kind of, they
had mothers, which were predominantly like gay men, and by House fathers,
which was sometimes, you know, the butcher, lesbians, or sometimes they
would just be a gay. Another gay gentleman that was, I guess, a little bit more
butcher than the mother. And they would hold these balls, these kind of, kind
of mini fashion shows, and people would walk, like literally walk down this
catwalk for different categories. So some would run down, some would walk
for categories that we would call face, which will cover like you had a girl face.
So some of the most feminine gay boys would walk for that category, or they
had what was called boy realness. And some of the butch women would
actually walk in the whole thing was about passing. It was like, we had our
own little kind of fashion Yeah, show, which I don't know if you've ever seen the
movie. And you may want to pick it up, it's called Paris is burning.
Paris is burning actually talks about the beginnings of the whole ball thing
happened like in the early like, 80s. And, I don't know, if you've also ever seen
that show America's Top Model, Tyra Banks, yeah, she actually has a
gentleman in there, his name is Willi
Ninja. And his house was actually called the House of Ninja. And he was the
head mother, and they, he actually teaches these these models how to walk,
how to walk down the runway. So, we would go to these different balls
whenever we found out and we would go in and we would cheer for different
people that will walk different different categories. And, you know, we will go
�shopping with some people because, you know, you needed to have the
latest and greatest clothes. And I think the probably I used to have the most
fun when I used to go with the, with the boys, the Gay Boys, because they went
by, you know, they would buy these extravagant, you know, dresses, and they
would so funny, they would, they would buy them and keep the tabs on them,
you know, because it was so expensive. Yeah. And then they would use it in a
ball and then have it dry cleaned, and then return the return the dress
AZ
So would they buy, like down in Soho, they would get designer clothes
Anonymous
They would get either in Soho, depending on how much money they had, you
know, like you know, depending on where were they unfortunately, some of
them were street workers. So they would get money that way some of them
sold drugs, you know. So, a lot of lots of times I would also go to we would go
and go to different thrift shops and kind of put together these ensembles of
different clothes. Which weren’t bad, you know, you could find like really hot
clothes in a thrift store and still look still a good like I love thrift stores. And so
we would go and go to these different ball scenes and stuff. And it was it was
awesome
AZ
That's this is fascinating. Okay, so tell me more about the houses. Was it like
those shelters?
Anonymous
No, no, no, they were just like groups
AZ
They were just like social groups
�Anonymous
Yeah, they were just social groups. So you were associated like, you know
each house was known for different you know, they will have these you will go
to these balls. And they will be like, you know, like the top winners. You know,
they would kind of make their own houses. So they were like the best and in
their in you know, whatever category they were. And it was like, you know, I
want to call them almost like gay gangs. Yeah, you know, where you will
belong to a specific house right they have the house of ninja they have the
house of Pandora's, they have the house extravaganza. And, you know, there
was all these people that were part of it. Matter of fact, if you ever seen
Madonna's blonde Blonde Ambition tour, where she did the the whole voguing
thing there. And there's three gentlemen that she actually has in there that
were part of those houses and Madonna herself would actually sometimes
appear at these mini balls, you know, which sometimes would be held at, I
been to 2 of them one time that were held at the sound factory. Back then the
rumor was that Madonna actually owned the part of the sound factory Junior
Vasquez which was a famous DJ and still is used to DJ there. And she would
come and that's actually where she found some of her dancers from this from
this ball scene, and they would go now back then there was this whole
voguing kind of scene. You know which people were done in in the houses
AZ
Can you explain voguing?
Anonymous
Voguing is a dance style that originated I think originated out of the ball
scene. And it could be anything from like, like hand gestures to the way they
move, you know, the way they move their hands and they the way they would
pose. Voguing actually came out of there and then people would do these
moves these dance moves that were just kind of like voguing is a is a is I think
�a cross between dancing and posing. And it's kind of a little hard to explain it
where it's easier to see. Unfortunately, I'm butch so I don’t know how to vogue
voguing was more voguing was more you know, kind of like the gay guys
then. So I didn't unfortunately, I didn’t kind of I'm really bad at it. I tried the one
time terrible. But it was it was nice. Like, you know, I really think that that's
where my thing of fashion came from. You know, being around the gay young
people and everything, everything was about fashion. Everything was about
fashion like back then we used to call it used to be called labels. And there
was even a category for that you even walked for you walk down this runway
for you know, your category that you were walking for was called labels. And it
was about who had the best clothes on the most the most expensive clothes
or even you know the most of the time it kind of fell in the category of the
most expensive clothes or even the somebody would get a Louis Vuitton you
know shirt or something or Versace pants you know, I don't I'm not too sure
how big bootlegging was back then and they actually really weren't Yeah,
these designer these designer clothes but the most of the time they were you
know, but it was it was good. You know that actually from there I wanted to
actually apply for fashion industries High School. I was the only person in my
junior high school actually got accepted to fashion industries. I actually went
in for merchandising someone to design in I wanted to design like a Windows
like displays. And that that became also because a movie mannequin where
he you know, created these extravagant window displays. And I could always
remember a few of my friends going and just seeing you know, the Macy's
windows, Bloomingdale's, Windows, or even the way that display the way the
clothes are put together. Unfortunately, they work too well with me. I got into a
lot of fights
AZ
At the school itself?
Anonymous
�In fashion industries. Yeah. I think you know, because, because I'm
androgynous I used to always get, you know, are you a girl or are you a boy
and guys, of course, you know, didn’t like, the fact that I think that they didn't
know, or, you know, if they figured out I was a (barrow?) it was like, Oh, well,
you know, she's a lesbian, she Butch, you know, so that became a problem. So
my mom transferred me out of the school and kind of put me in my zone
school, which happened to be two blocks away, which was through a part of
high school
AZ
And this was in the Lower East Side
Anonymous
Yes, the Lower East Side. It was literally three blocks away from my house,
which sucks because I could never cut class without getting caught. And that
school was good. I remember being there. And I remember there used to be
this one young woman that stood out she kind of stood to herself. And to this
day, like I kinda see her but really, I know her because of who she is. You know,
in terms of knowing somebody from school, but not really kind of creating a
relationship with them. Her name was Lee, and she was like, she made me
look femme so much. Like she was like Butch all the way. And I can remember
like seeing her, like, get a lot of, you know, like a lot of shit in school. Because,
you know, sexuality and just the way she looked like she had her head shaved,
which, back then I guess really wasn't acceptable for young women, you
know. And she's got a lot of us and I used to feel so bad. And, you know, I used
to always want to kind of rate reach out, but I always felt, the whole safety
thing where I kind of didn't want to put myself in that position because I just
felt like I got a lot of shit for just looking where I was. And I didn't even have a
shaved head. And I didn't really be as butch she was, you know, they kind of
just associated with me being Butch because the way I dressed I didn't dress
feminine. I dressed in jeans, sneakers, you know t-shirt.
�AZ
What was your hair like?
Anonymous
My hair was short, kind of the way it is now. And then I like as fashion started
changing, I let my hair grow. I kind of had this Steven Seagal type haircut
going on with a, I had a ponytail that kind of grew back. And I think a lot of that
happened because my friend started growing her hair that way. And since we
were so tight, we kind of brought it the same the same way. And we we just
continued going in the village and I remember there was a prom. They had a
prom. Unfortunately, when I graduated high school, I couldn't attend my prom.
I mean, I could have but there was the whole thing on you know, being stared
at what was I going to wear? You know, like, can I go there wearing a tuxedo
and have to get shit about it? Or do I have to wear a dress?
AZ
Were there any official rules about it?
Anonymous
There wasn’t. I mean, I think that never really is because I don't think they can
enforce it
AZ
They do it in some states. But I don't know of any…
Anonymous
In terms of the girls having to dress?
AZ
Like a girl can’t go with a girl basically
�Anonymous
I don't think I was worried about bringing anybody. If I would have went I
probably would have went with my with my friend Josephine, which was my
best friend that used to make me date boys, who was kind of devastated
after she found out that I started you know, being with girls, and she used to
always taunt me with Madonna used to have the song, La Isla Bonita. And in
the song she talks about when a girl loves a boy and a boy loves a girl. So my
friend used to, you know, every time that part came, like emphasize it. She will
look at me and go when a girl loves a boy and a boy loves a girl.
AZ
After you came out to her?
Anonymous
After I came out. But um, she I think she was just doing that because she was
just teasing me. You know, like she was really cool I didn’t unlike, unlike most
people's experiences, and I'd say mine coming out was a little not kind of
lucky. But it wasn't that hard. My mom kind of found out because she read my
diary, which I actually left my diary in a car. And one of her friends found it
and gave it to her. So I was a little awkward
AZ
How old were you?
Anonymous
17 when she found out but I think you know mom's always know. Yeah, you
know, so. I don't put dresses. I don't put dresses on there nothing feminine
about me. You know, I don't bring guys home. You know, I never talk about
boyfriends. So, you know, she just kind of did her own little you know, when she
when I came in the house, she kind of just not threw it at me she kind of just
�like tossed it. And and I can remember when she tossed it because she she
made this comment like she said she said cheers to your night in heaven or
something, because unfortunately it was talked about my first sexual
experience in in the, in my diary. I was just kind of like frozen when she when
she said it and that was kind of the only thing she said after that, like we never
she never you know, we didn't sit down and talk about it. You know, it was just
kind of like that was a one little comment and life just kind of went on. Which I
don't know if it was a good thing, but it seemed to work itself now. Yeah. That's
the I think I got a little scattered there, timeline.
AZ
Tell me more about what when you were talking about the balls. You
mentioned what the boys wore. The girls I mean, were the girls involved with it
Anonymous
Yes, yes, the girls were and the girls it, I think what was funny is when the kind
of femme girls would go against the femme guys for the same category, you
know, because they had a girl realness and even femmes would walk for this
category, you know, competing against, like these very feminine gay boys.
And I think the funniest thing was when the boys used to win. Right? And the
same thing with like, see the, I think the whole bunch femme thing is is an
attitude, or I think I want to say attitude, you know, or kind of I think it's attitude
because I think I kind of, you know, put out this kind of very rough attitudes
sometimes, you know, not so much frail or even then ethical being
stereotypically feminine, women are frail as well.
AZ
No but feminine does usually imply frailty culturally. So there were say butch
women walking in these balls?
Anonymous
�Yeah we would walk like I would walk for boy realness. And I would sometimes
go against like you know the kind of like butch gay boys. You know and it was
almost the same thing like you know like here is a butch woman you know
winning this category you know that was kind of like actual like you are a boy
and you can’t win it like what’s up with that. And then after that it kind of faded
like you know the the butch boys after that didn’t really walk for realness they
kind of they kind of excuse me. A new category started coming out so then
they had like b boy realness. Or and b boy realness was all about you know a
straight boy passing as a I mean a gay boy walking this category trying to act
straight. Like he would act thug. You know so he would have the baggy
clothes on and you know the Tommy Hilfiger hoody you know the hat and he
would walk and try to pass as a straight boy. And it’s funny because he’s
walking for this category that he wins and then you see the gay boy kind of
come out and they it was just fun. Like the different then it started after a while
it started getting boring because like new categories and things started
coming out and then you know there started to be a lot of animosity amongst
you know people you know and then it started becoming a thing where
people then started fighting like you know you would go to a ball and I can
remember like towards the end when I stopped going like I went half the time
to kind of watch my friend’s back. Because it, a fight always broke out
AZ
Over who won?
Anonymous
Over who won or a disagreement about who won or you know it started
coming about you know like things that kinds you know fight about. Like oh
well you aint wearing real labels like your labels aint real. You know like your
wearing bootleg clothing. Or you know, because it was such a tight
community sometimes people would sleep at somebody else’s house and so
somebody would be accused of stealing articles of clothing from each other.
�You know so after that when people starting fighting over things it just didn’t
become fun anymore. You know it was just kinda like I don’t want to go see
what fight is gonna break out I want to go to have fun
AZ
So you know how gay men, they have their own style, the pants are tight, they
wear tight little shirts, was there ever a lesbian style that you could say was
analogous?
Anonymous
I would say it was probably the b boy style. Because it was all about us like
passing. In terms of butch like I could only talk about like femme girls wore
you know femme clothing they wore you know tight jeans tight shirts you
know occasionally they wore baggy clothes but they were still they still wore it
in a feminine way. You know they would still have makeup on they would wear
even the colours the colours were you know feminine colours pink colours you
know pastel powder blues and stuff. Where the butches wore you know we
wore the big sweatshirts with baseball caps on. We wore jeans you know
sneakers then you know timberlands started becoming a new thing so we
graduated to timberlands and for us it was just all about passing
AZ
So your intention was to look like a straight male?
Anonymous
Yeah were kinda like our intention was to to pass as much as possible but
still…
AZ
Can you define pass?
�Anonymous
Like right now if I wanted to I could get up and walk to the mens room If I
wanted to
AZ
Ok so passing
Anonymous
Passing is basically going through the day or going like being able to pass as
a male. You know so we would walk into a store and they would be like excuse
me sir. So we would be able to pass or being able to you know we would go
because women’s bathrooms always got lines like we would walk into the
mens bathroom and not hear anything about it. Like that’s passing like going
through life or going through everyday with you know just being thought
people just looking at you and assuming that you’re you know that you’re a
male
AZ
Right. And is that something that you want? Have you always wanted that?
Anonymous
I, I just always wanted to always kinda be me. Like I'm a very individual sort of
self like I don’t I don’t really like labels. Like I don’t like being categorized you
know like I like wearing what I like wearing what I like to wear you know. Right
now well my clothes are male kind of orientated you know I work for a urban
clothing company so a lot of my clothes is. I wear mens clothes because
womens clothes are tighter, I don’t like em at all
Alaina
Why?
�Anonymous
I mean on me. I think I’m built too much, I’m built too much like a guy to kind of
wear feminine clothes, I think if I put on feminine clothes I kind of look like
probably a drag queen so
AZ
So you feel uncomfortable in
Anonymous
Yes, even growing up I never liked to wear dresses. Now that I think about it
my mom made me wear a dress one time to, for picture day in elementary
school, and I cried all day. Because yeah at a young age I had I started
developing body hair so I had hairy legs you know I had hair on my arms and I
cried all day because she made me go to school in this dress with these little
socks on so my legs were exposed. And I was just like, it was never because
you know kids are cruel you know kids kids say you know people would look at
me and go oh you’re ugly look at your legs like you know I’d be called a beast
you know. And it was just I hated it it was so bad like they was really, it sucked
AZ
Yeah
Anonymous
It’s and then it’s crazy now that we’re talking like all these memories start
coming out and in in the same elementary school I was actually banned from
school unless I wore a dress every day to school. Because I was so active,
which was another thing and now that I think about it my mom could have
actually sued because I went to a public school I didn’t go to a private school
AZ
Did they have uniforms?
�Anonymous
No, we wore everyday clothes you know whatever like my mom you know I
had school clothes and I had play clothes. Obviously my play clothes were
probably a little stained and had holes in them and you know my my school
clothes were nicer and newer and they forbid me to wear regular clothes I
had to wear a dress. They told me they would not allow me back in school
unless I wore a dress because I was too active
AZ
Oh so they wanted to keep you from being active…
Anonymous
They thought that if they put me in a dress that it would keep me from running
around and jumping because they they thought that you know a little girls
they were like I was too active for a little girl. You know I didn’t act like the little
girls I was I would get into fights I was climbing I was always with the little
boys and never with the little girls. And they made me wear a dress everyday
which was another thing that I hated. Like I mean I kind of didn’t have a choice
you know my mom unfortunately I guess you know she didn’t know enough to
kind of protest it. And it was towards the end of the year so for probably like
the last two weeks of school you know I had to deal with it [inaudible] I hated
it
AZ
Its a creative answer to solution
Anonymous
Yeah
AZ
�So lets fast forward to now you work in the fashion industry. How many
lesbians are there? Are there …
Anonymous
At work because I work for urban clothing company and I’m talking about
urban talking about I work for Rocawear which is right up there with
[inaudible] and you know everybody knows Jay Z which is you know CEO of
Roc-A-Fella records. And unfortunately you, being gay in an urban society
you know what I mean is, not to say that it’s unheard of but you know you
hear even the lyrics you hear about you know people being you know you
can’t be gay. Basically in in urban society and it’s crazy because when I first
started working there I remember this woman who worked in [accounts
receivable?] department. And you could clearly tell she was a woman it was
nothing you know she didn’t look like butch or androgynous like can look at
her and say is that a woman or is that a man. But she wore pantsuits, not men
pantsuits, they have pantsuits for women she wore pantsuits. And I remember
that they used to call her a shim which I thought was once again excuse me
which I thought was fucked up
AZ
That’s like she him?
Anonymous
Yes and I used to always like I would like I would say one of the biggest
advantages of being androgynous is people always think you’re male. I could
put my ID card in front of anybody and as as much as it says female you
know you know they don’t look at that people you know sex is not a thing that
people actually pay attention to on a card on an identification.They’re kind of
always looking at either your name or your your date of birth. So when I
started working at Rocawear they just automatically assumed I was a guy.
You know and I needed a job and I actually got the job through a temp
�agency. So I kind of really didn’t, because it was a temp agency I didn’t think I
was actually gonna be there long. So I kind of didn’t correct anybody or make
a big thing about it and then even more after they I used to hear them say
this. And I asked I used to ask I said why do you call her a shim like why do you
call her that? And they used to be like look at her, look at the way she dresses
and I would be like what’s wrong with the way she dresses? Like she has a
pantsuit on it’s not a mens suit its a womans suit. And they used to be like you
know but just look at her shes you know shes shes she looks like a man. She
doesn’t look like a man, she’s a woman she’s wearing a pantsuit like what’s
the problem. And I would start getting into arguments but and then kind of
backed off to kind of not draw and I think the woman was was oblivious to it
because they would call her a shim to her face and should laugh and go
yeah I’m a shim. And I don’t think she kind of knew what they were saying
about her and then she would she would talk about that she had a boyfriend.
And of course they would all make fun of her and be like oh your full of shit
you know you got a boyfriend, which was like still once again messed up. And
so fortunately I didn’t realize it but I I then became full time.
At the time I worked when I first started at at Rocawear I worked in the internet
department. So I used to basically coordinate what you see on the website.
You know getting images together, coordinating photo shoots with the
clothes, customer service, basically everything. And they had another des
they brought in this new designer and I remember his name was David Ayala
he was a gay man and clearly gay flaming as hell. You know cool, you know
cool guy and people used to make fun of him. Like like you know they would
joke with him but of course always joke with him in like a homophobic way.
You know like they would say they would say stupid stuff like you know like
how was that dick last night or something like that. Like this is a urban like
thing so they didn’t give a shit like there was no biting their tongues there was
nothing you know like the office is clearly homophobic. Like people say they
don’t have a problem with it you know but you hear like the responses and the
�things that they say the snickering like underneath their breath. And he used
to get a lot of crap but I think he just used to joke it off he was probably
making a crapload of money for being for being a head designer
AZ
Right, yeah, sure
Anonymous
And then once again the company just grew you know and now I work I I
started about three years ago working for the internet department I was
working for the IT department. Because the internet they actually started
outsourcing to a company called E fashions, which also runs JLo site baby fat.
So I was actually going to be let go. And by the grace of God, I was saved by
my boss to come and work in the IT department because Rocawear then
started getting big started blowing up started becoming more popular. So
they needed more people. And from there we move to 1411 Broadway, which is
the fashion district that's the big building that got the if you’ve seen it’s got the
giant button.
AZ
Oh!
Anonymous
That's the building I work in. And so we expanded we actually used to be 463 7
Avenue, and it became bigger and then they moved to to 1411 Broadway and
staff started you know, more people production started getting bigger
designs got a bit bigger. And there are people that you could kind of I want to
say, you know, when you’re gay, you have gaydar, you kind of know, you know
who's or you suspect. And people just ridicule them like you could. I mean, I
always thought I always kept it to myself. And like you know I would say in my
head oh, she looks like shes gay and then they started this in so funny. I think
�nobody messed with him because he was he was a big guy, there was a
woven designer [move insurance?] or like these button up shirts. Yeah. And
his name was Lesley. And he was he was out. He was clearly out. He's gay.
Everything about him. Right. He talked, you could clearly tell as soon as he
talked to you, he was gay. And I think nobody said anything to him because I
think they were scared of him. You know.
AZ
Because he was physically.
Anonymous
He was physically big. You know, like, he was very muscular. He was a big,
muscular black guy. And he was Canadian. I didn't know that. But it kind of
quieted down a little bit, because I think people kind of curbed their tone
around him because he would look like he didn't. He was a person that you
would say something that he would just sit there and just, you know, what we
call read. Like, he would just read you. You know.
AZ
What does that mean?
Anonymous
Read is like a gay term in terms of is a gay word for like, telling you off.
AZ
Okay.
Anonymous
Like he would simply put his hand on his head. He would do the whole finger
gesture. And it's even funnier when you got this kind of big muscular guy.
�AZ
Yeah.
Anonymous
Like you know, like, scolding you, like, how you probably would see a younger,
you know, petite woman like scolding.
AZ
Yeah, yeah.
Anonymous
You know, somebody and I think he just scared the shit out of people. Yeah, I
was like, in the corner. But yes. You know, but, you know, it makes me sad
sometime that I can't be like, who I am there. You know, like, my biggest fear, I
think at work is people finding out. You know, and it's come like real close at
times. When people find it out.
AZ
Yeah
Anonymous
Because we have sample sales. Rokawear has these awesome sample sales.
I got your number I'll let you know. And I, they open it to the public from like,
the first hour. It's it's just employees, and then they open it to the public. And
there was this guy who I actually used to go out with his friend when I was
younger, when I was kind of going through my you know what am I phase
straight or or gay? And he comes to every sample sale.
AZ
Does he recognise you?
�Anonymous
I don't let him like I've came real close where I've I've gone in. And I've saw him
and I kind of timed real quick, before he didn't even see me. And it was funny
one time I went in to talk to Michelle, which is actually J sister, when she works
there, she's real cool. And I went in, I was like Michelle, and I said, Michelle, he
kind of like I, I saw him like a profile, like view of him and he went to turn. And
when I saw him, I did kind of like ran out of room. So Michelle was like
[redacted] what. And I'm like, nothing, I'll talk to you later.
AZ
That's amazing that you have to do that.
Anonymous
Like every sample, like one every time we have a sample sale I avoid, like
passing like the office is huge so I could kind of get to where I need to go
through any kind of like, I could just. Sometimes I have to literally walk around
the whole entire office to get to the stairs [inaudible]. Or I’ll leave and just take
the elevator up one floor, because we have two floors. So I'll take the elevator
to the next floor with my office is or cubicle. And just to avoid, just to avoid. It's,
it's really crazy.
AZ
That is something else, yeah. To me, it's like New York City this day.
Anonymous
But I mean, once again, I work in, I work in a urban culture where, you know, it's
really not acceptable to be to be gay or lesbian. And then all the women in
my office are kind of like, you know, there are some attractive women. So of
course, if you're don't look like the typical woman, you know, you're that oddity,
you know, so it just, you know, sometimes I think, you know, I shouldn't be here,
�and all like that that's not fair. To myself. Like, I feel like sometimes I'm not
being true to myself, because I kind of lead this double life. You know, but
unfortunately, I found a career that I really liked. And I made a lot of contacts, I
kind of put it to the side, you know, so I could make more women get that 30%
off for wholesalers.
AZ
So how are you doing? Are you getting tired?
Anonymous
No, I am good. You tired? Break or Anything?
AZ
No, I have so many questions. I don't know how much contact you had with
the rest of the fashion industry. But do you think that other places in fashion
would be as bad?
Anonymous
As long as they're not urban, I don't think they are. I think it's only the urban,
like, clothing companies that we you you kind of fall into that. You know, that
where its just not acceptable. Like, you could probably like I'm pretty sure in
every in I'm pretty sure there are gay people in Rockafella records that are
putting their gay people in Sean John, you know, even even in the in the other
clothing companies like Echo. Probably [Nietzsche?], you know, there are there
people everywhere, but I just think that it's just, I feel bad. I feel like if they could
be who they are, and be openly gay at the job like I commend them. Like and,
you know, I think it's, I think it's different for men than it is for women. I think the
men because you think about fashion, sometimes you think, you know, if a
guy's a designer, he's gay. They used to, you know, like, he's a designer, he's
gay. So it's kinda like, you know, they already fall in that category. And, you
�know, their stereotypes, I say, into that category. So, but I think when it's a
woman, it's still like, I think if it's, if she's femme, you know, she kind of just
passes, you know, but if you're Butch, then you're hit with that whole oh you
want to be a man or you haven't had a guy to give it to correct or, or
something like you’re just considered like, odder than odd. You know, I mean,
like, you're just worse than that gay designer. But we could deal with him. He's
gay. We know. He's a designer, you know, but you're there's something wrong
with you.
AZ
Yeah.
Anonymous
So but I think they're I think, you know, I think there are gay and lesbian in
every single aspect of you know, in fashion. I mean regardless in urban, I think
they’re everywhere.
AZ
You just don’t know who they are.
Anonymous
No, I wish they did. I wish I did. You know, like, if I could go to a company where
I know that there were probably other gay and lesbian people that were out
like I would in a heartbeat.
AZ
My boss is Lesbian actually. And her partner was the also the business
partner. But that's besides the point. And actually, I think you've hit everything.
Is there anything else you want to talk about?
Anonymous
�Is there anything else you wanna know?
AZ
Let me see. Not really, let’s end there. Okay. Thank you very much. This has
been an excellent interview.
�
http://herstories.prattinfoschool.nyc/omeka/files/original/09eb364f891e947eb646ed85077af3be.mp3
bdf9c741c88259419e5bd84ba2e1816a
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
History of New York Lesbian Style Oral History Project, 2007
Description
An account of the resource
The History of New York Lesbian Style oral history collection is an oral history project created by Alaina Zulli in 2007. Zulli was in graduate school for fashion history at NYU at the time and was working with the oral history collection as a student employee at Tamiment Library, which motivated her to document the changes in the lesbian experience in New York as expressed in fashion through the personal accounts of women who identify as a lesbian and who live in New York City.
This collection includes four audio recordings of interviews conducted by Alaina Zulli in 2007, which have been digitized from CD-R by students at Pratt Institute’s Library and Information Science Program. The original materials are held in off-site storage by the Lesbian Herstory Archives.
Transcriptions of the interviews are available, thanks to Amelia Leventhal, Marissa Moxley, and Sophia Santaniello .
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2007
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The information available on this site, including any text, data, artwork, video, audio, images or graphics may be protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws. Entities other than the Lesbian Herstory Archive may own copyright of the material. Material from the website may be used for non-profit or educational purposes. However, if copies are printed or displayed, copyright notice must be included. Except as provided above, you may not reproduce, republish, post, transmit or distribute any material from this website in any physical or digital form without the permission of the copyright owner.
For information regarding any further use of the materials contained on this site, please contact the Lesbian Herstory Archives:
LHEF, Inc. 484 14th Street Brooklyn, New York 11215
Telephone: 718-768-DYKE
Email: lesbianherstoryarchives@gmail.com
Sound
A resource whose content is primarily intended to be rendered as audio.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Alternative Title
An alternative name for the resource. The distinction between titles and alternative titles is application-specific.
HNYLS_Anonymous_Censored_1.wav
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
History of New York Lesbian Style
Title
A name given to the resource
Lesbian Style Project: Anonymous Interviewee
Description
An account of the resource
The interviewee recounts her experiences growing up lesbian and intersex in Brooklyn and Manhattan. She discusses the lesbian community, the ballroom scene, workplace and school bullying, and her experiences working at an urban clothing company.
The interviewee's name has been withheld at her request.
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://herstories.prattinfoschool.nyc/omeka/rights-statement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Please see the Lesbian Herstory Archive's Rights Statement and the donor agreement form.</a>
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
5/31/07
Extent
The size or duration of the resource.
PT54M53S
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
audio/mpeg
Medium
The material or physical carrier of the resource.
CD-R
PBCore
PBCore is a metadata standard for audiovisual media developed by the public broadcasting community. See http://www.pbcore.org/documentation/
Interviewer
The person(s) conducting the interview. (For personal names use "LastName, FirstName MiddleName, Suffix").
Alaina Zulli
Autobiography
Coming Out
Discrimination
Fashion
Femininity & Masculinity
Intersex
Interviews
Lesbian Community
Support Groups
Voguing
-
http://herstories.prattinfoschool.nyc/omeka/files/original/d2637f581d72694491f7530b09b062aa.pdf
c8ce168357679639250e6cd62fb5cf8b
PDF Text
Text
Alaina Zulli
Okay, this is Alaina Zulli, it's June 5, and I'm interviewing–
Thomas Vance
Courtney Vance.
AZ
Who likes to go by Thomas.
TV
Yes.
AZ
We are in the Barney Building of NYU. Thomas, let's start with your background.
Tell me where you were born, about your parents.
TV
Okay. I was born in Southern California, Long Beach.
AZ
I'm sorry.
[End of CD 1, start of CD 2]
AZ
Okay, let's resume.
TV
Okay. Let's see. But we quickly moved from there when I was 1 years old. My
mom wanted to be closer to family so we moved to Indiana. And then after
that my parents separated. They were never married, but they were together
for several years. My dad moved to Cleveland and I grew up in Indiana for the
next eight or so years, which I liked because I was close to my family. You
know, I basically my cousins were like my brothers and my sisters. I was really
close to my grandmother. I stayed at our house all the time. Then we moved
�to Texas because my mom changed her job or something. Her job required
her to move. And I lived in Texas from 9 to 14. I wouldn't say that I hated it
there. But at least in Indiana, which is a pretty backward state, I had my family
and stuff but in Texas there wasn't even that. I mean, it was just, we lived in the
suburbs. It was everyone was the same, all the houses look the same,
everybody dressed the same. People were very small minded, you know. I
remember the first time I ever got political was like, in the 2000 election or
whatever. I didn't have really any idea of, you know, I didn't have any
particular political beliefs at that time. But I knew enough to know that I was
like, I wouldn't have been a person that voted for George Bush. I was like,
"Wow, that's crazy." Oh, and I went to a Baptist School there. That was weird.
Like, have you ever seen "Saved"?
AZ
Yeah.
TV
It was–that movie is not even a satire. My school is exactly like that. There was
no difference. My school is like "Saved." It was, you know, I mean, I mean, very,
like hypercritical people will you know, like, oh, Jesus will save you blabbity
blah from your sins and you know, trying to be really like peppy and happy,
but really sort of with this very mean spirit. But yeah.
AZ
So were you really religious?
TV
I went to church every Sunday.
AZ
Baptist?
TV
Baptist. But that was about it. I celebrated Easter and Christmas, but nothing
beyond that. I think my mom had a religious phase when I was probably like,
eight or nine. And you know, started like going to like these like, mother and
�daughter Bible camp getaway things, which are really weird. And she made
me go like Bible School in that Baptist School. And then after that, I guess we
kind of faded, we stopped going to church. And now I'm very vocal, like, I don't
like going to church at all. Whenever we go back to Indiana, she's like, it's
Sunday, we should go to church. I'm like, I'm not going. And then I end up
going anyway. She's like, it's for grandmother. I go. And anyway, my mom was
like, I want to be a lawyer. I'm gonna go to school in New York. I've always
wanted to live there. So when I was 14, we moved here. And so far, so good. I
like it a lot. So that's my background for the most part.
AZ
Okay, good. I don't know if you mentioned it, but when, what year were you
born?
TV
1988. November 17, 1988.
AZ
Okay. Move on to your sexuality.
TV
Okay.
AZ
Tell me when you knew, when you came out. Your whole story.
TV
I've been told that I like realized a lot later than most other people because I
was like, now looking back and like, oh, yeah, I was totally, like 5 years old. But
it didn't. I didn't realize until I was probably 15 or 16. I don't know. I had this
crush on this girl at my school. And I was like, oh, no, she's just someone I'd like
to be a friend or something. And then I was like, no, I totally want to have sex
with her. And I don't know, I don't think I had any problem with it. Like, I wasn't
like, there wasn't any conflict or anything. Actually, I was kind of happy. I was
like, okay. My best friend was gay. And he was the first person that I told I was
like, I think I like girls. I'm just like, yeah, I know.
�AZ
So he knew already?
TV
Yeah. That's basically, I came out to my mom when I was 17. I told her I was bi
and she was really upset. She was more upset than I thought she'd be. You
know, she's liberal person. And so I wasn't expecting that at all. Is like what? No,
I think she was more shocked than anything. And I cried, whatever, because
she was not very sensitive at all and then like, like random–we didn't talk
about–and then like randomly like two months later she was like, what did she
say? She said something like all that matters is that you have healthy
relationships and that was like the end and it was really weird and random.
I'm out to pretty much everybody at my school, like all my friends and stuff.
Let's see, more about my gay-acity. I don't know, even looking back like like
even in middle school. Like now what I realized were like crushes and stuff on
different girls I just completely misunderstood as something else.
AZ
Tell me about your name.
TV
Oh, Thomas? I think I started, I started going by that like maybe a year ago. It's
not, I know, it's like a boy name. But I didn't choose it because I want to be a
boy or anything. But there are a lot of reasons. I had this one teacher. Her
name is, her name is, George that's like actually her birth name. And I was like,
wow, that's kind of cool. And then I was, I was, looking at the word Thomas and
Tom and stuff and like the history of the word and what it meant and how it
was like used to describe like, wayward women and stuff like that. And then
how it sort of morphed into Tom as being like lesbian and then also like,
tomboy and stuff. And my great grandmother's named Thomas which is
weird.
AZ
The first name was Thomas?
�TV
Mhm. And so I was like maybe Thomas for mine. I like it.
AZ
That is interesting.
TV
Yeah.
AZ
Okay. Okay, since the topic that I brought you here to discuss is lesbian style.
First, describe your style for me. Tell me about your style.
TV
My style it, it changes. I think it would be hard to like, I think it's pretty laid back.
I kind of have like, I guess what you'd call like a punkish face. And I still try to
sometimes implement that into what I wear. I wear ties a lot. I like to wear
jeans. I don't wear shorts at all. Never. I like to wear polo shirts. I like to wear
black a lot. I used to wear a lot of graphic tees but I kind of got away from that
because I thought it looked immature or something like that. I'm trying to sort
of make my style a little bit more mature. Now I'd say I like to experiment a lot.
Like yesterday, I had like this mohawk thing going on that I tried to fashion
worked pretty well until it rained and my hair kind of shrunk. And it was ugly.
And then and I was like these crazy like psycho boots with this really short
skirt. It was cool. I liked it a lot. Sometimes I like to be really wild. Other times I
like to be laid back. I think the one unifying theme in my style is that it's, it
reflects my mood at the time. Like yesterday was kind of like a pissed off day.
So I wanted to be like, you know, that was like those are like my fuck society
boots. Today, actually, today is like, I need to do laundry day, more than
anything. But it changes. I wouldn't I wouldn't say it's like whether it's like, girly
or more boyish. I like to wear skirts a lot. I like to I like to wear skirts a lot
actually. And dresses. And but for the most part I like to like every day you
could probably find me with jeans and a polo shirt and like brown boots or
something or Converses.
AZ
�Converse?
TV
Yeah.
AZ
Yeah. Does, do you think that your sexuality has any effects on what you wear
at all?
TV
Yeah. I I don't know. Not even what I wear but just everything like about, like
how I hold myself and stuff and like I don't know. Whenever I dress like even
when I wear a skirt, I tried to make it more lesbian or something. I don't know
exactly what that means.
AZ
Can you try?
TV
Okay. I don't know. Like, if I wear a skirt I'll try to have like maybe a more boyish
hairstyle or something. I'll never wear like I guess like a frilly t-shirt or
something with a skirt. I'll wear like a blue jeans skirt or something and like a
shirt like this. And boots, or I guess I try to sometimes make it a little edgy or
boyish. And for me, I guess that equates to lesbianism. I don't know how I
guess.
AZ
Don't be embarrassed. That's a very, I mean, yeah.
TV
Like the other day or whatever I saw this girl on the train. I had a crush on her.
I'm pretty sure she was a lesbian and I think so cause she was with a girl and
they were like all being girlfriend-y and I don't know, she wore this she was
wearing like baggy capris or something and this brown shirt and shoes. And
now that I'm thinking about it's very not interesting outfit, but it looked really
like I don't care what I wear. But actually I do look so I can I think that kind of–it
�definitely doesn't influence what I wear. I always–when I was a kid I was a big
tomboy I never like, I never wore dresses and stuff but that was more because
I didn't want to be perceived as being girly. Not that I had actually any
problem with wearing them. I find them comfy and cute. In middle school I
had like this like I said that like punk phase and you know. Now, now I've just
kind of developed, it kind of encompasses all of those my like childhood
phases like so I tried to incorporate it. Punk boy, androgynous style, if that
makes sense.
AZ
Sure.
TV
When I see some pictures of myself. I wore some really ugly things.
AZ
Wore or wear?
TV
Wore. Now I like to think that I don't dress quite as badly. And even when I see
pictures of myself last year, like I had on this like, blouse or whatever like
button up shirt and like a brown like vest sweater sweater vest over it. And a
tie. I really liked it. I was like, oh I look cute in that picture. But I don't think I'd
wear anything like that today.
AZ
Why?
TV
I don't know. It's, I liked it. I think I wrote then because I was like trying to be
more boyish, but now it's a little too preppy for me. I like to have like fun like
radical political beliefs. So I'm gonna like look like a person has a lot of
[inaudible]. That's pretty much yeah.
AZ
�Yeah. You've kind of touched on this, but maybe you can just go into more
detail. What, if you see someone on the street or when you dress, what makes
you think somebody's lesbian?
TV
I don't know. Like it's hard because you could see like, two women wearing like
similar things. I'm like, oh, she's a lesbian. She's not. I don't know. Like when I
think, I guess it's like the way you style your hair and I don't know I'm trying to
think of like things that I look for when I see. Like that's something I look for like,
you know on the subway train I'm like, like who's gay?
AZ
Oh, yeah.
TV
And I guess kind of look for whatever is a little bit different than the rest of
what people are wearing like stuff like all the other one then. Usually like the
person who I'm assuming is a lesbian will like, the clothes will just be like a little
bit different than the rest of the woman on the train. I'm not even sure how it's
different. It's just different. Like just like how I could say like, think of like urban
or Black style or something like so you can have like two guys wearing a polo
shirt and jeans or something. And like one you would think is being more
urban style and the other like preppy and I don't even know what it is. It's just
how it's worn in a way like the size is it loose or tight? So I guess I think of
maybe being a little bit baggier, but not always. Definitely not always. Maybe
a little edgier. I think those are the things I look for: edgier and baggier. Those
are the two words I guess I would use to describe it, you know. I don't know, I
guess there's a lot of girls I would imagine that would don't dress in that way
that are still lesbians. I guess I just missed them on when I'm playing who's
gay?
AZ
Sure. I'm always really surprised when they go to a gay bar. Let's see who's
really out there.
TV
�Yeah, for sure.
AZ
So I've been out of high school for a long time now. So I'm curious. In lesbian
community, there are lesbians that seem to be very anti fashion for various
reasons, often because it's seen as being, dressing for the male gaze,
dressing for, you know, just for men. What is it like for you? I mean, what are
your peers like in high school?
TV
Well, I don't know any other gay person at my school. I know a lot of gay guys.
I don't know any other girls that are gay. There's just one girl now. She's bi. I
don't know, like, I the way they dress is very different than the way that I dress.
I don't think that I have any judgment or anything. I mean, because I don't
really think that clothing is that big of a deal. I mean, it does I think it does
often reflect a lot about your personality and that kind of thing. But even like,
when I look at my own, how my fashion has changed. Yeah, when I look at
how my fashion is changed, it almost often reflects how I view myself as a
person. So I do think it's important, but in school I've never, like gotten made
fun of or anything like that, or for the way that I dress or for being gay. I mean
I'm sure the larger community doesn't know that I'm gay. I mean, it's really
annoying when people ask you questions, like, what kind of guy you like? I
mean, it's like, every time it's like, you have to come out every 10 seconds like,
actually.
AZ
Yeah, right.
TV
So I don't know if maybe even people ask that, to find out if I'm gay or not,
because I had like roundabout questions like, what kind of person are you
into? Or something like that. So maybe people do think that I'm gay. I know
that total a lot of people and they weren't surprised at all. And I remember I
told my one of my best friends Justine and she's like, oh, my God, my sister
told me but I didn't believe her. And I don't know if that if that meant even
before I realized that I was came off a certain way. I don't think that I was like,
�like going at girls on the street or anything like that. So I don't know what it was
that would have tipped people off to it. So I'm sure a lot of people think it or
suspect it. And I haven't noticed any change in how they view me or yeah.
AZ
Yeah.
TV
Did I answer your question? I don't think I was even sure exactly what you're
asking.
AZ
Oh, I don't think I made it clear. I don't know.
TV
Okay.
AZ
Question. Oh, well, there are a lot of gay men in fashion. They're, they're just
really interested in fashion. They work in fashion. Very few lesbians. Do you
have any theories?
TV
Any theories?
AZ
Well, I have personal experience.
TV
When I say it, it sounds pretty, like I guess old fashioned. But I think gay men in
general or a lot of gay men gravitating more towards the arts in general. And I
guess you could, in a way consider fashion to be part of the arts, its creative.
While lesbians don't–I can't even I mean, there are some pretty cool like what I
would deem like lesbian styles, but I don't know if that would appeal to the
larger population.
�AZ
Like what?
TV
Like, lesbian styles you mean? Yeah, like I don't know, like I couldn't really see
like, what I'm wearing right now like going down the runway or something like
that. And when I think of like, even gay fashion, it's a little bit like, it's very, like
together and tight and like, I feel like I should snap when I think of gay fashion
like, like when when I think of like, yeah, like male gay style. And I'm trying to
theorize, I think it has to do with the fact that fashion is more girly, or
something like that. It's girlier. I don't know. I don't know. And also, like, I think
that America thinks like, gay guys are cute or something like when you think of
like, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy like, oh, those gay people. They're so cute in
their gay ways. Look at his gay outfit, his gay twang, and all this stuff. So that's
how I think that they're sort of receptive to, like gay men in that way. And I
think maybe they might feel a little bit more threatened by women in fashion
just like they might be threatened by women in any kind of power control in
general could be part of it. I just want to put this out there. This about my my
friend Josh, and he visited me over the summer. Obviously, he's not a lesbian,
but he's gay. And we were hanging out just day-to-day he wears, I don't want
to say he's a bad dresser, but very plain, you know, nondescript average
American kind of dress. And so when I was like, oh, let's go hang out at the
East Village it was like 11pm, he's like, oh, no, we have to go home. I have to
dress gay or something. Okay, okay. And I don't know, the thing is I knew
exactly what he meant. I was like, yeah, you should probably change. And we
went home and I don't know, like, I think a lot of time, the way you dress has to
do with like, recognition or something like in a way like you want to be
recognized for being who you are or something, especially by your own
community, like, like, hey, I'm gay, you're gay, too. We're sisters. And I think I
think that definitely affects how I dress.
AZ
It does. Okay, it's the end of my list here. All I can remember. Is there anything
else you want to add?
TV
�Is there anything else you want to add? Not that I can think of. It's hard to just
think of something.
AZ
Okay, thank you very much.
�
http://herstories.prattinfoschool.nyc/omeka/files/original/7acbc2357414f095ee5c77600a25fe7e.mp3
a2e72928ec4d1417eeea8b97b0ba190b
http://herstories.prattinfoschool.nyc/omeka/files/original/9902498b46c4d23df0d3b073463396c8.mp3
6d3631200725e457ceb83c1a675d5453
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
History of New York Lesbian Style Oral History Project, 2007
Description
An account of the resource
The History of New York Lesbian Style oral history collection is an oral history project created by Alaina Zulli in 2007. Zulli was in graduate school for fashion history at NYU at the time and was working with the oral history collection as a student employee at Tamiment Library, which motivated her to document the changes in the lesbian experience in New York as expressed in fashion through the personal accounts of women who identify as a lesbian and who live in New York City.
This collection includes four audio recordings of interviews conducted by Alaina Zulli in 2007, which have been digitized from CD-R by students at Pratt Institute’s Library and Information Science Program. The original materials are held in off-site storage by the Lesbian Herstory Archives.
Transcriptions of the interviews are available, thanks to Amelia Leventhal, Marissa Moxley, and Sophia Santaniello .
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2007
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The information available on this site, including any text, data, artwork, video, audio, images or graphics may be protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws. Entities other than the Lesbian Herstory Archive may own copyright of the material. Material from the website may be used for non-profit or educational purposes. However, if copies are printed or displayed, copyright notice must be included. Except as provided above, you may not reproduce, republish, post, transmit or distribute any material from this website in any physical or digital form without the permission of the copyright owner.
For information regarding any further use of the materials contained on this site, please contact the Lesbian Herstory Archives:
LHEF, Inc. 484 14th Street Brooklyn, New York 11215
Telephone: 718-768-DYKE
Email: lesbianherstoryarchives@gmail.com
Sound
A resource whose content is primarily intended to be rendered as audio.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
History of New York Lesbian Style
Title
A name given to the resource
Lesbian Style Project: Courtney Vance
Description
An account of the resource
Alaina Zulli interviews Courtney Vance, who now goes by Thomas. Vance discusses growing up, coming out, and current stylistic choices and experiences.
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://herstories.prattinfoschool.nyc/omeka/rights-statement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">See the LHA Copyright Statement</a>
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
6/5/07
Extent
The size or duration of the resource.
PT24M20S
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
audio/mpeg
Medium
The material or physical carrier of the resource.
CD-R
Alternative Title
An alternative name for the resource. The distinction between titles and alternative titles is application-specific.
HNYLS_Vance_1.wav, HNYLS_Vance_2.wav
PBCore
PBCore is a metadata standard for audiovisual media developed by the public broadcasting community. See http://www.pbcore.org/documentation/
Interviewer
The person(s) conducting the interview. (For personal names use "LastName, FirstName MiddleName, Suffix").
Alaina Zulli
Interviewee
The person(s) being interviewed. (For personal names use "LastName, FirstName MiddleName, Suffix").
Courtney Vance
Coming Out
Fashion
Lesbian Community
-
http://herstories.prattinfoschool.nyc/omeka/files/original/54/282/SPW541_OralHistPic.jpg
dd5f1a83efda22a4bc5441ff87c86e8f
Omeka Image File
The metadata element set that was included in the `files_images` table in previous versions of Omeka. These elements are common to all image files.
Bit Depth
8
Channels
3
Height
750
Width
1157
http://herstories.prattinfoschool.nyc/omeka/files/original/54/282/SPW541_Oral_History_Project_Panel_Gay_June1979_A.wav.mp3
0da2524bea59b14b2ba58af7cba89efc
http://herstories.prattinfoschool.nyc/omeka/files/original/54/282/SPW541_Oral_History_Panel_Gay.wav.mp3
56047427306c6ab4e49463a536121143
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Boots of Leather, Slippers of Gold: Related Audio Recordings, 1977-1990
Description
An account of the resource
<em>Boots of Leather, Slippers of Gol</em>d by Madeline Davis and Elizabeth Kennedy is an intimate history of a lesbian community in Buffalo, New York. Ranging from the mid-1930s through the early 1960s, this ethnography of lesbian society is narrated with the backdrop of an average American city. The project is the result of 13 years of research, including an extensive oral history project. The "Boots of Leather, Slippers of Gold: Related Audio Recordings" collection contains supplementary audio materials related to the research and production of <em>Boots of Leather</em>. <br /><br />These recordings range from conference proceedings to panel discussions to phone messages from book publishers. In each case, these related materials form an important element of the research, enriching and contextualizing the interviews conducted as part of the Buffalo Women’s Oral History Project. They discuss topics such as the publishing process and initial responses to the draft manuscript, the work of lesbian archives in researching and documenting the emergence of lesbian communities and lesbian consciousness across America, and how the research conducted into a small lesbian community in Buffalo, NY fits into a wider social narrative of establishing gay and lesbian identity and the development of gay and lesbian liberation movements. <br /><br />These recordings were donated to the archives by Madeline Davis and Elizabeth Kennedy, and were subsequently digitized by students from the Pratt Institute, Projects in Digital Archives class, LIS-665.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Madeline Davis and Liz Kennedy. Boots of Leather Oral History Project Panel Gay Pride, 1979
Subject
The topic of the resource
Lesbian Community--New York (State)--New York
Lesbians--United States--Interviews
Lesbianism
Description
An account of the resource
Side A:
Panel discussion on the history of the archives, including a brief introduction on how they gather information through different interview procedures within the Lesbian community in order to build the oral history project.
Side B:
Panel discussion continues with topic brought up in side A.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Speaker: Madeline Davis
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Lesbian Herstory Archives
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1979-6
Date Modified
Date on which the resource was changed.
2013-12
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Pratt Institute, School of Information and Library Science, LIS 665 Projects in Digital Archives students
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="/omeka/rights-statement" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> See the LHA Copyright Statement </a>
Relation
A related resource
Kennedy, E. L. & Davis, M. D. (1993). Boots of Leather, Slippers of Gold: The History of a Lesbian Community. New York: Routledge
Is Format Of
A related resource that is substantially the same as the described resource, but in another format.
ape cassette “SPW541 Oral History Project Panel - Gay Pride Week, 6-79”
Extent
The size or duration of the resource.
Side A: 44:24 minutes
Side B: 44:17 minutes
Medium
The material or physical carrier of the resource.
mpeg
wav
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Sound
PhysicalObject
Oral History Interview
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
SPW 541
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Buffalo NY
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
20 Century
Rights Holder
A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource.
Lesbian Herstory Archives, Contact Designation: Maxine Wolfe, Contact Address: 484 14th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11215, Phone Number: 718-768-3953
Interviews
Lesbian Community
Liz Kennedy
Madeline Davis
-
http://herstories.prattinfoschool.nyc/omeka/files/original/90f3b39c12560545d8d823ea095e9c3b.png
75d20f5511f403bca970e52f1c6bfad4
http://herstories.prattinfoschool.nyc/omeka/files/original/6d3055115be4da294d6e484260466445.mp4
8ec740a2459dd67a75075c100ef30d51
http://herstories.prattinfoschool.nyc/omeka/files/original/6b72d8ec443d68f7cffeee697a73291b.png
413f78b121d05c60aad1a9a96f407ed5
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Sidney Abbott video recordings, 1995
Description
An account of the resource
<span>Abbott was an American lesbian and feminist author and activist. Along with many other members of the gay Liberation Front (GLF) and the National Organization for Women (NOW), Abbott was a former member of the lesbian radical feminist group </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lavender_Menace">Lavender Menace</a><span> which protested the exclusion of lesbians from the feminist movement. Abbott was one of the most vocal members of NOW, always advocating for the inclusion of lesbian issues alongside feminist issues. She is also well-known for co-authoring the groundbreaking </span><em>Sappho Was A Right-On Woman: A Liberated View of Lesbianism<span> </span></em><span>(1971) with her partner, Barbara Love. Her advocacy for lesbian and feminst issues has included the creation of the Women’s Rights Are Human Rights nonprofit in 2007 and the 2008 establishment of the In Our Shoes newsletter which emphasized issues of class, poverty, and politics. Abbott tragically passed away in a house fire in Southold, New York on April 15, 2015.</span><br /><br />Further audio recordings of Abbott can be found in the <a href="http://herstories.prattinfoschool.nyc/omeka/exhibits/show/lesbian-nation/lesbian-nation-interviewees" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lesbian Nation digital exhibition. </a>
Technical Video Recording
Metadata elements specific to Video Recordings, taken from PBCore and LC-AV (interoperable with METSRights) to supplement Dublin Core.
Digital Format*
.mov
Physical Format
Sony Video 8 cassett
Duration*
00:46:46
File Size
3GB
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Sidney Abbott at Lesbian Herstory Archives "The Good Old/Bad Old Days: Lesbian-Feminism, Its Origins—What's Helpful to Us Now?" Part 1 of 2
Subject
The topic of the resource
Lesbian feminism, LGBTQ rights organizations, Lesbian separatism
Description
An account of the resource
Sidney Abbott reflects on earlier years of the gay and lesbian movements; audience participation turns the presentation into a discussion on turning tides in the movements.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Sidney Abbott
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
May 19, 1995
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://herstories.prattinfoschool.nyc/omeka/rights-statement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">See the LHA Copyright Statement</a>
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
SidneyAbbott95_1
Rights Holder
A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource.
Lesbian Herstory Archives
Extent
The size or duration of the resource.
3 GB
PBCore
PBCore is a metadata standard for audiovisual media developed by the public broadcasting community. See http://www.pbcore.org/documentation/
Duration
Provides a timestamp for the overall length or duration of the audio. Represents the playback time. Format: HH:MM:SS
00:46:46
Lesbian Activists
Lesbian and Gay Civil Rights
Lesbian Community
Lesbian Herstory Archives
Separatism
Sidney Abbott
-
http://herstories.prattinfoschool.nyc/omeka/files/original/442272e0f03f2ba08d5f6196209b31c1.png
10b47a53a975562674eab59ed8232862
http://herstories.prattinfoschool.nyc/omeka/files/original/34ae063977d1d0317c28c005e99502e7.mp4
d949f11a674bc2f5508d3b7d31e8f99e
http://herstories.prattinfoschool.nyc/omeka/files/original/ba38f1a03860b4b8184bda127e72aaff.png
413f78b121d05c60aad1a9a96f407ed5
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Sidney Abbott video recordings, 1995
Description
An account of the resource
<span>Abbott was an American lesbian and feminist author and activist. Along with many other members of the gay Liberation Front (GLF) and the National Organization for Women (NOW), Abbott was a former member of the lesbian radical feminist group </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lavender_Menace">Lavender Menace</a><span> which protested the exclusion of lesbians from the feminist movement. Abbott was one of the most vocal members of NOW, always advocating for the inclusion of lesbian issues alongside feminist issues. She is also well-known for co-authoring the groundbreaking </span><em>Sappho Was A Right-On Woman: A Liberated View of Lesbianism<span> </span></em><span>(1971) with her partner, Barbara Love. Her advocacy for lesbian and feminst issues has included the creation of the Women’s Rights Are Human Rights nonprofit in 2007 and the 2008 establishment of the In Our Shoes newsletter which emphasized issues of class, poverty, and politics. Abbott tragically passed away in a house fire in Southold, New York on April 15, 2015.</span><br /><br />Further audio recordings of Abbott can be found in the <a href="http://herstories.prattinfoschool.nyc/omeka/exhibits/show/lesbian-nation/lesbian-nation-interviewees" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lesbian Nation digital exhibition. </a>
Technical Video Recording
Metadata elements specific to Video Recordings, taken from PBCore and LC-AV (interoperable with METSRights) to supplement Dublin Core.
Digital Format*
.mp4
Physical Format
Sony Video 8 cassette
Duration*
01:03:30
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Sidney Abbott at Lesbian Herstory Archives "The Good Old/Bad Old Days: Lesbian-Feminism, Its Origins—What's Helpful to Us Now?" Part 2 of 2
Subject
The topic of the resource
Lesbian feminism, LGBTQ rights organizations, Lesbian separatism
Description
An account of the resource
Sidney Abbott reflects on earlier years of the gay and lesbian movements; audience participation turns the presentation into a discussion on turning tides in the movements.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Sidney Abbott
Date Available
Date (often a range) that the resource became or will become available.
May 19, 1995
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://herstories.prattinfoschool.nyc/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">See LHA Copyright Statement</a>
Language
A language of the resource
English
Rights Holder
A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource.
Lesbian Herstory Archives
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
SidneyAbbott95_2
Extent
The size or duration of the resource.
5 GB
Lesbian Activists
Lesbian and Gay Civil Rights
Lesbian Community
Lesbian Herstory Archives
Separatism
Sidney Abbott
-
http://herstories.prattinfoschool.nyc/omeka/files/original/3d0c2f56188e6df93410830a3f2b11b9.wav
b7dda73860021db361df09677af227c8
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Assorted Audio Materials, c. 1970s
Description
An account of the resource
Contained in this collection are an assortment of audio materials likely donated by Liza Cowan, and thus associated with the Liza Cowan collection. There are clips from radio shows including South Carolina Educational Radio Network, Radio Free People, KCRW-FM, and RCC. There are also clips of live music and poetry performances, as well as political discussions.
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The information available on this site, including any text, data, artwork, video, audio, images or graphics may be protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws. Entities other than the Lesbian Herstory Archive may own copyright of the material. Material from the website may be used for non-profit or educational purposes. However, if copies are printed or displayed, copyright notice must be included. Except as provided above, you may not reproduce, republish, post, transmit or distribute any material from this website in any physical or digital form without the permission of the copyright owner.
For information regarding any further use of the materials contained on this site, please contact the Lesbian Herstory Archives:
LHEF, Inc. 484 14th Street Brooklyn, New York 11215
Telephone: 718-768-DYKE
Email: lesbianherstoryarchives@gmail.com
Sound
A resource whose content is primarily intended to be rendered as audio.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
St. Paul's Church Lesbian Pride Week Concert, June 26, 1976
Subject
The topic of the resource
LGBTQ+ musicians
LGBTQ+ demonstrations
Women's music
Description
An account of the resource
Concert held at St Paul's Church on the occasion of Lesbian Pride Week. Also includes the announcement of the site, details and regulations for a later rally.
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
2023-11-14 (digitized)
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://herstories.prattinfoschool.nyc/omeka/rights-statement">See the LHA copyright statement</a>
Extent
The size or duration of the resource.
1 GB
Language
A language of the resource
English
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
1976-06-26_st_pauls_church_lesbian_pride_week_concert
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1976-06-26
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Casse Culver, Willie Tyson, Alix Dobkin
PBCore
PBCore is a metadata standard for audiovisual media developed by the public broadcasting community. See http://www.pbcore.org/documentation/
Physical Format
The format of a particular version or rendition of a media item as it exists in an actual physical form that occupies physical space (e.g., a tape on a shelf), rather than as a digital file residing on a server or hard drive.
1/4" open reel audio
Duration
Provides a timestamp for the overall length or duration of the audio. Represents the playback time. Format: HH:MM:SS
00:31:08
Digital Format
audio/wav
Christianity
Lesbian Community
Lesbian Musician
Lesbian Pride Rallies
Performing Arts
-
http://herstories.prattinfoschool.nyc/omeka/files/original/eeaa0f2d722cc20c95de83d2d326bd8f.wav
ba8fc24c993ad74c17f0fcf071a0201a
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Assorted Audio Materials, c. 1970s
Description
An account of the resource
Contained in this collection are an assortment of audio materials likely donated by Liza Cowan, and thus associated with the Liza Cowan collection. There are clips from radio shows including South Carolina Educational Radio Network, Radio Free People, KCRW-FM, and RCC. There are also clips of live music and poetry performances, as well as political discussions.
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
The information available on this site, including any text, data, artwork, video, audio, images or graphics may be protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws. Entities other than the Lesbian Herstory Archive may own copyright of the material. Material from the website may be used for non-profit or educational purposes. However, if copies are printed or displayed, copyright notice must be included. Except as provided above, you may not reproduce, republish, post, transmit or distribute any material from this website in any physical or digital form without the permission of the copyright owner.
For information regarding any further use of the materials contained on this site, please contact the Lesbian Herstory Archives:
LHEF, Inc. 484 14th Street Brooklyn, New York 11215
Telephone: 718-768-DYKE
Email: lesbianherstoryarchives@gmail.com
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Womansphere Hour, October 18, 1974
Subject
The topic of the resource
Lesbian identity
Radio
Second wave feminism
Description
An account of the resource
Taped radio program for the lesbian community.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Margie Adam, Meg Christian
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1984-10-18
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
2023-10-17 (digitized)
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://herstories.prattinfoschool.nyc/omeka/rights-statement">See the LHA copyright statement</a>
Extent
The size or duration of the resource.
1.48 GB
Language
A language of the resource
English
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
1974-10-18_womansphere_hour_2
PBCore
PBCore is a metadata standard for audiovisual media developed by the public broadcasting community. See http://www.pbcore.org/documentation/
Physical Format
The format of a particular version or rendition of a media item as it exists in an actual physical form that occupies physical space (e.g., a tape on a shelf), rather than as a digital file residing on a server or hard drive.
1/4" open reel audio
Digital Format
audio/wav
Duration
Provides a timestamp for the overall length or duration of the audio. Represents the playback time. Format: HH:MM:SS
00:45:54
Identity
Lesbian Community
lesbian identity
public radio programming
second wave feminism