Pat G., May 21, [year unknown] (Tape 1)
Lesbian and gay experience
Side A: Pat discusses her experiences as an African American lesbian. She developed friendships and relationships with both white and black gay women in the 1950s. She denies there were any racial tension in the Buffalo lesbian community; Pat says her experience was very inclusive. She also discusses experiencing police harassment, but says that she longer experiences discrimination from law enforcement. Pat discusses her wardrobe in the 1950s, which was composed of mens' clothing, and where she used to shop.
Side B: Pat discusses her friendship and romantic relationship with Jerry Jones, a male impersonator, who was well known in the 1950s Buffalo lesbian community. Pat discusses her move to Albany, N.Y., in the late 1950s and the birth of her daughter in 1957. She also mentions her experiences at after-hour bars which were only open to African Americans. While she used to frequent them in her early years, she no longer goes. Pat identifies as a butch lesbian and discusses the differences between butches and femmes. When she was younger she did not allow her partner to touch her during sex, but is much more open to the idea now. According to Pat, many butch lesbians did not receive sexual contact from their partners.
Liz Lapovsky
Pat G.
Lesbian Herstory Archives
Pratt Institute, School of Information and Library Science, 665 Projects in Digital Archives Students
<span><a href="/omeka/rights-statement" target="_blank"> See the LHA Copyright Statement </a></span>
This recording is 1 of 2 tapes recorded with Pat G. on 19??-05-21.
eng
Sound
Oral History Interview
SPW# 467
Pat G., May 21, [year unknown] (Tape 2)
Lesbian bars
Lesbian and gay experience
Lesbian Community--New York (State)
Pat shows family photos. She says several of her family members were gay, including her mother and brother. She talks about bars, the 557 and 217, with racially mixed clientele. She describes violence when straight men tried to dance with gay women. She mentions other favorite bars from the 1950s: the Chesterfield, the KittyCat, Club Coco, the 469. Pat describes her relationships, many of which involved "messing around on and off" for many years. She describes coming out to her mother at age 13, and talks about the "white girls from Canada" (lesbians) who were her mother's friends.
Liz Lapovsky
Pat G.
Lesbian Herstory Archives
Pratt Institute, School of Information and Library Science, 665 Projects in Digital Archives Students
<a href="/omeka/rights-statement" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> See the LHA Copyright Statement </a>
This recording is 2 of 2 tapes recorded with Pat G. on 19??-05-21.
eng
Sound
Oral History Interview
SPW# 468
Cindy and Joan
Discrimination
Lesbian bars
Lesbian and gay experience
Lesbian-identity
Lesbianism--History
Lesbianism
Cindy or Joan (speaker unclear) discusses her experience of growing up in a working class family. She also discusses going to bars as she got older, and her relationships with women. She describes lesbians being harassed by police officers in the past. She also describes how her car was vandalized once, which she thinks was because she is a lesbian.
Speakers' identities are unclear throughout. Recording label identifies Cindy and Joan but it is hard to tell if there are actually two separate speakers.
Sound quality is poor. Tape cuts off abruptly at the end.
Cindy
Joan
Lesbian Herstory Archives
Pratt Institute, School of Information and Library Science, 665 Projects in Digital Archives Students
<a href="/omeka/rights-statement" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> See the LHA Copyright Statement </a>
eng
Sound
Oral History Interview
SPW# 449
Judy T., 1978
Lesbians
Lesbians Conduct of life
Lesbians--Employment
Lesbians--Family relationships
Lesbians--Social life and customs
Lesbians--United States--Interviews
Lesbians--United States--Identity
Lesbians--United States--Social conditions
Lesbians--New York (State)--Buffalo--History--20th century
Lesbians--New York (State)--Buffalo--Social conditions
Lesbianism--United States
Lesbianism--Social aspects
Lesbianism--United States--History
Roles--Butch and Femme
Lesbian and gay experience
Gay bars
Discrimination
Judy discusses butch and femme identities, social interactions, and role-play within relationships. She expresses relief over how these once rigid demarcations of identity have become more flexible within the lesbian community. Later, however, she notes "class" differences that continue to striate lesbians as a social group.
The social conditions, the acceptance of lesbians, and the "openness" of homosexuals are compared between New York, Florida, and Toronto. References are made to anti-gay activist Anita Bryant and others who put social pressure on lesbians to stay closeted.
Additionally, Judy touches upon negotiating workplace discrimination and "nosy" neighbors. She briefly mentions her relationship with her family and what it was like growing up in Buffalo.
Judy T.
Lesbian Herstory Archives
Pratt Institute, School of Information and Library Science, LIS 665 Projects in Digital Archives students
<a href="/omeka/rights-statement" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> See the LHA Copyright Statement </a>
Tape two of a two tape series recorded in 1978. Preceded by SPW450.
eng
Sound
PhysicalObject
Oral History Interview
SPW451
Phil, January 9, 1980
Buffalo, N.Y. Lesbian bars
Butch Identity
Etiquette for lesbians
Lesbian Community--New York (State)
Lesbian couples
Lesbians--Sexual behavior
Lesbian--relationships
Lesbians--family--relationships
Lesbians--Identity
Roles--Butch and Femme
Bowling
Side 3: Phil begins the interview by discussing the dynamics of living with her lover and husband under the same roof, as well her lack of shame or guilt in being gay. She then talks about guilt among other lesbians she knew. Related to this, she discusses reasons people were not public about their lesbian identity, including work and family commitments. She spends the majority of this side of the tape talking about her long-term, intimate relationship with her best friend. She discusses the difference between butch and femme friends, as well as the distinct features of a close friend versus a lover.
Side 4: Phil continues to discuss the distinctions between friends and lovers. She talks about the various social groups she belonged to over the years, including a group that mostly had husbands and one that was more independent. Phil talks about lesbians having multiple partners, and how the community viewed butches and femmes who did so. Phil talks about lesbians in the Bowling Association, and the social events they put on. She then tells the story of a break-up and meeting a new lover, and the mythology surrounding butches making the first move.
Interviewee: Phil
Interviewer: Madeline D. Davis
Lesbian Herstory Archives
Pratt Institute, School of Information and Library Science, LIS 665 Projects in Digital Archives students
<a href="/omeka/rights-statement" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> See the LHA Copyright Statement </a>
Tape two of a three tape series recorded 1979-11-16 and 1980-1-9. Prior tape is SPW464 and following is SPW466.
eng
Sound
PhysicalObject
Oral History Interview
SPW 465
Pat, June 6, 1978 (Tape 1)
Lesbian community--New York (State)--New York
Lesbians--Family relationships
Lesbian bars
Lesbians--Sexual behavior
Lesbian couples
Side A: Pat discusses her definition of lesbianism and her attitude towards “radical lesbians.” She also discusses her background, including her relationship with her family and her experience at an all-girls Catholic school. She talks about how and when she realized she was a lesbian and describes her early relationships with women. She discusses leaving home and experiencing gay bars for the first time in the 1950s. Finally, she discusses butch and femme roles and how they have changed.
Side B: Pat discusses why she does not have many gay friends and why she does not identify with the lesbian community. She talks about her relationships and her feelings about sex.
Interviewee: Pat, Interviewer: Madeline Davis
Lesbian Herstory Archives
Pratt Institute, School of Information and Library Science, LIS 665 Projects in Digital Archives Students
<a href="/omeka/rights-statement" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> See the LHA Copyright Statement </a>
eng
Sound
PhysicalObject
Oral History Interview
SPW #454
Modern Language Association Conference in Chicago, 1977
Poetry, Lesbianism, Feminism, Motherhood, Sexual orientation, Sexism, Abortion, Family, Health, Rape, Misogyny, Lesbian feminism,
Modern Language Association Conference in Chicago, December 1977. Lesbian Feminist Poetry Reading featuring six poets. Side A includes Joan Larkin, Barbara Smith and Diedre McCalla. Side B includes Melanie Kaye, Adrienne Rich and Audre Lorde; Audre Lorde appears at 28:07 on SPW1151_B (Side B).
Modern Language Association
Joan Larkin, Barbara Smith, Diedre McCalla, Melanie Kaye, Adrienne Rich, Audre Lorde
Side A (mp3) http://herstory.prattsils.org/mp3_files/spw1151_A.mp3 Side A (wav) http://herstory.prattsils.org/wav_files/spw1151_A.wav
Side B (mp3) http://herstory.prattsils.org/mp3_files/spw1151_B.mp3 Side B (wav) http://herstory.prattsils.org/wav_files/spw1151_B.wav
Modern Language Association
<a href="/omeka/rights-statement" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> See the LHA Copyright Statement </a>
Original = Cassette Tape
WAV
MP3
English
Sound
Poetry Conference
SPW1151
Elaine, June 28, 1982 (Tape 2)
Lesbian community--New York (State)--New York, Lesbians--United States--Identity, Lesbians--United States--Interviews, Oral history interview; Families; relationships; Abusive Relationships; Working; Gangs; Jail
Discussion on early childhood, being Canadian but growing up on an Indian Reservation near Syracuse. Also discusses being the head of a black gang, her relationship with her mother and abusive stepfather, and the jail time she spent for his murder, finding work (while hiding she was gay) and relationships.
Elaine (Interviewee)
Madeline Davis (Interviewer)
SPW480_ELAINE_A
SPW480_ELAINE_B
<a href="/omeka/rights-statement" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> See the LHA Copyright Statement </a>
Tape 2 of a 2 tape series. Preceeded by SPW479.
Original= Cassette Tape
WAV
MP3
English
Sound
Oral History Interview
SPW480
Reggie, September 21, 1980
Lesbian community--New York (State)--New York, Lesbians--United States--Identity, Lesbians--United States--Interviews, Oral history interview; Families
Discusses growing up in Buffalo, when she realized she was first gay at a young age, and going to clubs
Reggie (Interviewee)
Aubra (Interviewer)
SPW484_REGGIE_A
<a href="/omeka/rights-statement" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> See the LHA Copyright Statement </a>
Original= Cassette Tape
WAV
MP3
English
Sound
Oral History Interview
SPW484
Shane, undated (Tape 1)
Breaking the law, Family, Gay bars, Hustlers (Prostitutes), Lesbian bars, Lesbian high school students, Lesbian teenagers, Lesbians--Italian American, Lesbians--New York (State)--Buffalo--History--20th century, Pittsburgh (Pa.), Secrets--Family
Shane talks about getting into trouble during her teenage years and how her father kept sending her to all-girls schools thinking it would straighten her out. She speaks about gay bars in Buffalo and Pittsburgh. She tells a story about running away from home to pursue a relationship, ending up involved with hustlers and begging her father to help her stay out of jail. She talks about moving back to Buffalo, getting a job, and how things have changed.
Shane (Interviewee)
SPW526_SHANE_A
SPW526_SHANE_B
<a href="/omeka/rights-statement" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> See the LHA Copyright Statement </a>
Tape 1 of a 3 tape series. Followed by SPW527 and SPW528..
Original= Cassette Tape
WAV
MP3
English
Sound
Oral History Interview
SPW526
Shane, undated (Tape 3)
Lesbians--New York (State)--Buffalo--History--20th century, Lesbian teenagers, Butch and Femme, Relationships
Shane talks about the different lives she led during her youth. These different roles included working a job at Goodwill, dating and living with hookers on the weekends, and studying to become a Methodist minister as a man. She then talks about her current career as a trucker.
Shane (Interviewee)
Unknown (Interviewer)
SPW528_SHANE_A
SPW528_SHANE_B
<a href="/omeka/rights-statement" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> See the LHA Copyright Statement </a>
Tape 3 of a 3 tape series. Preceded by SPW526 and SPW527.
Original= Cassette Tape
WAV
MP3
English
Sound
Oral History Interview
SPW528
Anita, November 16, 1978 (Tape 1)
Lesbians--New York (State)--Buffalo--History--20th century, Lesbian teenagers, Relationships
Anita talks about her first encounters with a relationship with a woman. She then speaks about the difficulties of raising her child. She also talks about the roles of Butch and Femme.
Anita (Interviewee)
Madeline Davis (Interviewer)
SPW529_ANITA_A
SPW529_ANITA_B
<a href="/omeka/rights-statement" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> See the LHA Copyright Statement </a>
Tape 1 of a 2 tape series. Followed by SPW530.
Original= Cassette Tape
WAV
MP3
English
Sound
Oral History Interview
SPW529
Judy, February 5, [year unknown]
Lesbians--United States--Interviews
Lesbians--United States--History
Lesbian Bars
Anniversaries
Birthdays
Same-sex marriage
Funeral rites and ceremonies--United States
Drugs
Drinking of alcoholic beverages
Mental health
Psychotherapy patients
Religion
Work
Friendship
Families
Lesbians--Single
Entertainers
Judy describes her experiences over the past thirty years up to the point of the interview. Topics discussed include cheating (“playing around”), polygamous lesbian relationships, fights in bars, holiday celebrations, friendship, same-sex marriage, religion, drinking, drugs, crime, mental health and treatment of lesbian women, the commonality of lesbian women seeking psychiatric treatment, the working environment for lesbian women, living alone, families of lesbian women, and one case of a lesbian woman raising a son. Judy believes that lesbian women should not raise children and has an extensive discussion about her reasoning. She ends the interview by discussing movie stars and entertainers that were popular among the lesbian community in the 1930s and 1940s.
Judy
Elizabeth Kennedy
Lesbian Herstory Archives
Pratt Institute, School of Information and Library Science, LIS 665 Projects in Digital Archives students
<a href="/omeka/rights-statement" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> See the LHA Copyright Statement </a>
eng
Sound
PhysicalObject
Oral History Interview
SPW 503
Debra, February 20, 1980 (Tape 2)
Lesbians
Lesbians Conduct of life
Lesbians--Employment
Lesbians--Family relationships
Lesbians--Social life and customs
Lesbians--United States--Interviews
Lesbians--United States--Identity
Lesbians--United States--Social conditions
Lesbians--New York (State)--Buffalo--History--20th century
Lesbians and sports
Lesbians--New York (State)--Buffalo--Social conditions
Lesbianism--United States
Lesbianism--Social aspects
Lesbianism--United States--History
Lesbian and gay experience
Lesbians--Romantic Relationships
Gay bars
Lesbians of Color
Discusses her child, a son. He was the product of her one-day marriage. She kept him for about 8 months and then her brother and his wife took him and raised him. He would spend the summers with her until he was 12 and then he lived with her and spent the summers with her brother and his wife.
Believes lesbians make better mothers because they know more. She didn’t want her son to go into gay life because she felt it would be difficult for him, she doesn’t believe that gay men relationships last. She believes you can teach someone not to be gay.
They talk about gay men and lesbian relationships and social interactions. She would call upon her gay male friends to be her date to events that she needed a date, also sometimes family events. They talk about marriages between a gay man and gay woman. Debra says that she knew quite a few couples who had done that to put up a front, but that those relationships always worked out well. Debra also talks about marriage between two women. She never wanted to get married but knew women who did.
They also discuss alcoholism and drugs among the gay community.
On the second tape, Debra further discusses fights in the lesbian community. Madeline asks if she knew any lesbians who played sports in the 1940s and 1950s. Debra believes lesbians played sports but cannot definitely say so.
Debra (Interviewee)
Madeline Davis (Interviewer)
SPW498_Debra_A
SPW498_Debra_B
Lesbian Herstory Archives
1980-02-20
Pratt Institute, School of Information and Library Science, LIS 665 Projects in Digital Archives students.
<a href="/omeka/rights-statement" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> See the LHA Copyright Statement </a>
Tape two of a two tape series recorded in 1980. Preceded by SPW497.
Original = Cassette Tape
MP3
WAV
English
Sound
Physical Object
Oral History Interview
SPW498
Lou, October 21, 1981 (Tape 2)
Lesbians
Families
Lesbians & Motherhood
Lesbians of Color
Police Harassment
Songs
Music
Lou discusses her experience raising children as a lesbian woman, discussing at length her love of children, and wanting them to have a better life then she did. She also discusses her experience with police harassment as both a black women, and a lesbian.
Side B includes songs about lesbians, their lives and realities, and their relationships with children and their families.
Interviewee: Lou
Lesbian Herstory Archives
Pratt Institute, School of Information and Library Science, LIS 665 Projects in Digital Archives students
<a href="/omeka/rights-statement" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> See the LHA Copyright Statement </a>
eng (http://www.loc.gov/standards/iso639-2/php/code_list.php)
Sound
Physical Object
Oral History Interview
SPW517
Stella Stone, April, 1978
Lesbian Community--New York (State)--New York
Lesbians--United States--Interviews
Lesbianism
Stella describes growing up in a broken home, and having to take on a lot of responsibilities. Explains her curiosity in women as she got older. Later, she discusses how her bisexuality made her feel different than everyone.
Interviewer: Jane Doe
Interviewee: Stella Stone
Lesbian Herstory Archives
Pratt Institute, School of Information and Library Science, LIS 665 Projects in Digital Archives students
<a href="/omeka/rights-statement" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> See the LHA Copyright Statement </a>
eng
Sound
Physical Object
Oral History Interview
SPW 532
John and Elizabeth, Side B, November 14, 1988
Women
Family
Car
This sound recording is a continuation of a previous tape. The woman on the tape discusses a car accident she was in and various aspects regarding this incident. She goes on to talk about her mother and her upbringing.
Lesbian Herstory Archives
Pratt Institute, School of Information and Library Science, LIS 668 Moving Image and Sound Archiving students
<a href="/omeka/rights-statement" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> See the LHA Copyright Statement </a>
Digital Format: .MP3
Physical format: Cassette Tape
en
Audio Recording
Kay O'Hara and Gerrie Morrison, Tape 1 of 2, October 20, 1988
Kay O'Hara and Gerrie Morrison are interviewed in 1988. They both talk about their family lives, when they realized they were lesbians, coming out, their relationship, and previous relationships. Kay mentions her engagement and marriage before she accepted she was a lesbian. They talk about the San Francisco DOB from the 1950s and the meeting's events that were held, as well as butch and femme roles. They talk about literature that was available, including the Ladder and the contributions they made to its design and distribution.
Interviewer: N/A, Interviewee: Kay O'Hara and Gerrie Morrison
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
Physical: MV-49, Digital: ohara_morrison_tape1of2_19881020
Stella Rush & Helen Sandoz, Tape 3 of 3, May 15, 1987
women, bars, discrimination, domestic partnerships, families, Gay Liberation Movement, Government, hate crimes, homosexuality, incest, intergenerational relationships, job discrimination, The Ladder, Lesbian and Gay Civil Rights, mailing lists, mental health, mothers, older lesbians, parents of lesbians and gays, photography, police harassment, radical lesbians, rape, religion, Christianity, rumors, violence
Stella Rush and Helen Sandoz are interviewed in 1987. The interview mostly concerns Stella Rush, who talks about her childhood; specifically her encounters with incest and molestation. She also talks about her experiences with police discrimination in the 1950s and 1960s in L.A. Helen and Stella both talk about being editors of the Ladder and being a part of the DOB. Stella talks about workplace harassment, and fear of loser her job. They show photographs from the 1960s, including some of their cat. The video closes with the two discussing their wedding rings.
Lesbian Herstory Archive
Pratt Institute, School of Information and Library Science, LIS 668 Moving Image and Sound Archiving students. Edited by Lauren Allshouse, Kim Loconto, Rachel Smiley, and Sara White.
<a href="/omeka/rights-statement" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> See the LHA Copyright Statement <br /></a> Photo by Morgan Gwenwald
English
Video Recording, Oral History
Rush_Stella_&_Sandoz_Helen_tape3of3_1987May15
I Was a Lesbian Child [Jocelyn Taylor]
Childhood
Lesbians
Children and homosexuality
Photographs
In this segment of I Was a Lesbian Child, Jocelyn Taylor shares photographs from her childhood and stories of her life while growing up. She shares a memory from when she attended Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington DC.
Linda Chapman [Executive Producer]
Mary Patierno [Executive Producer]
Ana Maria Simo [Executive Producer]
Dyke TV
Copyright Dyke TV: Linda Chapman, Mary Patierno, Ana Maria Simo. Tapes and digital files held by the Lesbian Herstory Archives. Tapes reproduced with permission from the copyright holders.
Video Recording
en-US
055-04_lesbian-child-comp_a_c_2.mp4
I Was a Lesbian Child [Desireena Almoradie]
Childhood
Lesbians
Children and homosexuality
Photographs
In this segment of I Was a Lesbian Child, Desireena Almoradie shares photographs from her childhood in the Philippines and stories of her life while growing up there.
Linda Chapman [Executive Producer]
Mary Patierno [Executive Producer]
Ana Maria Simo [Executive Producer]
Dyke TV
Copyright Dyke TV: Linda Chapman, Mary Patierno, Ana Maria Simo. Tapes and digital files held by the Lesbian Herstory Archives. Tapes reproduced with permission from the copyright holders.
Video Recording
en-US
055-04_lesbian-child-comp_a_c_3.mp4
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
Women and Welfare
Women and the welfare system
This episode is titled Women in Welfare and features discussions from Carol Brill, the director of the Massachusetts chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), and welfare advocates Kayla Taylor, and Susan Moore. This episode covers the topics of the welfare system structure, stereotypes and myths about welfare recipients, double standards working mothers face based on class, and the classism within the social work profession. Furthermore, it includes clips from governmental proceedings related to welfare and proposed cuts to welfare benefits. It ends with a discussion on how the issues within the welfare system relate to the Women’s Liberation Movement and demands economic change from politicians who fund big business and the military while disregarding the poor through welfare cuts.
Red Tape Media , Boston, Mass
Red Tape, Feminist Radio Network affliliate
Not to be used for publication without the express written consent of Liza Cowan. Contact the Lesbian Herstory Archive for Liza Cowan’s contact information.
English
LC040
Lee Brown: Streetology
Lee Brown is a black woman and an ex-offender, but says “none of the three overlap with each other”. Brown's conversation with Colivia Carter is an discourse touching on themes of intersectionality before the framework had its name. Brown reads poetry she calls “streetology” about her experiences with prostitution, incarceration, and black families.
Not to be used for publication without the express written consent of Liza Cowan. Contact the Lesbian Herstory Archive for Liza Cowan’s contact information.
English
LC007
Stephanie Singer Interview
Recording of a Zoom event "Life Passages" where Stephanie Singer speaks on her experience as a transwoman and a Lesbian and discussed her early life, her coming out, and her family dynamics. After Stephanie speaks, there is a Q&A with other people on the Zoom meeting who are part of the Rossmoor Lesbian Social Club.
Bay Area Lesbian Archives (BALA)
Rossmoor Lesbian Social Club
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