Alma Routsong, Tape 1 of 2, January 20, 1990
Alma Routsong is interviewed in New York in 1990. She discusses her early experiences of being a lesbian and coming out. She explains how lesbian literature of the time informed her about DOB and influenced her to leave her husband and move to New York with her lover. Alma also discusses her writing career and use of a pseudonym.
Interviewer: N/A, Interviewee: Alma Routsong
Lesbian Herstory Archives
Pratt Institute, School of Information and Library Science, LIS 668 Moving Image and Sound Archiving students. Edited by Morgan Gwenwald, Manuela Soares, Sara Yaeger.
<a href="/omeka/rights-statement" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> See the LHA Copyright Statement </a>
en
Video Recording, Oral History
Digital routsong_tape1of2_19900109
Karen Ryer Anderson
Karen Anderson Ryer discusses her coming out process, and the acceptance of her parents. She talks about butch vs. fem, and changing generational attitudes. Discusses importance of feminism to lesbianism specifically, and differences from gay men’s movement. She details the split of “The Ladder” from the San Francisco chapter from DOB, and how she left to start a new magazine. Also mentions the integration of different lesbian communities – Oakland vs. San Francisco, and the impact of AIDS on the lesbian community.
Lesbian Herstory Archive
1987
<a href="/omeka/rights-statement" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> See the LHA Copyright Statement <br /></a> Photograph by: Morgan Gwenwald
Video Recording, Oral History
Lesbian Nation, July 28, 1972
Women’s liberation, Publishing, Coming out, Sexuality
Martha Shelley interviews Gene Damon aka Barbara Grier, founder of the lesbian magazine The Ladder (1956-1972). They discuss the beginnings of The Ladder and how it evolved from a smaller publication within the Daughters of Bilitis (DOB) into an independent publication. Grier discusses the shift in content as well once the magazine became independent of the Daughters of Bilitis. Grier felt that under DOB they were focused on presenting a clean public image of lesbians to society at large and that this was reflected in what was published in older versions of The Ladder. Once Grier became the editor, she felt it was important to address topics like sexuality, saying “we began running material that deals with sex honestly and forthrightly.”
7/28/1972
English
T81_1_33
Lesbian Nation, March 21, 197[?]
Literature, Poetry, Women’s Press Collective
A recording of Judy Grahn who briefly discusses publishing and two independent presses run by women, the Women’s Press Collective & Mama’s Press in the California bay area. The majority of airtime is dedicated to Grahn’s reading of works from the aforementioned presses. She reads chapter 17 from Sharon Isabel’s autobiographical novel “Yesterday’s Lessons” as well as poetry from “Lesbians Speak Out” & poems of Susan Griffin.
197?-03-21
English
T81_1_53
Lesbian Nation, March 27, 1973
Literature, publishing
In this episode of Lesbian Nation Martha Shelley speaks with Isabel Miller, author of “Patience and Sarah”. They discuss Miller’s writing career, her use of a pseudonym for writing lesbian novels, and the process of getting “Patience and Sarah” published.
3/27/1973
English
T81_1_47
Lesbian Nation, October 20, 1972
Literature, Poetry, Intellectualism
This episode of Lesbian Nation opens with Mary Flowerpot’s comedy segement followed by Martha Shelly interviewing Bertha Harris. Harris is the author of “Catching Saradove” (1969), “Confessions of Cherubino.” (1972), and “Lover” (1976). Shelley and Harris have a conversation about the writing process and intellectualism.
10/20/1972
English
T81_1_48