Marion Zimmer Bradley Interview, October 17, 1988
Autobiography, Marriage, Children, Writing, Publishing, Discrimination, Literary Criticism, Lesbian Mothers, Homophile Movement
Marion Zimmer Bradley talks about her experience growing up, her marriage and children, being a woman writer in science fiction, writing for The Ladder, and discrimination in publishing. She also touches upon her struggles as a lesbian mother.
Interviewer: Manuela Soares Interviewee: Marion Zimmer Bradley
edited by Morgan Gwenwald [still photographer], Manuela Soares, Sara Yaeger [videographer]
See the LHA Copyright Statement Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND
DV45_Marion Zimmer Bradley_tape1of1_1988oct17
In this oral history conducted by the Rossmoor Lesbian Social Club, Marlene Michelson discusses Her early realizations of her sexuality, her work at the Oakland tribune starting in 1962 which began her 30 year career as journalist, her marriage to a man and experience raising two children, her ultimate separation from her husband, and her subsequent introduction to the lesbian scene in the Bay Area. She also discusses her late coming out after she arrived at Rossmoor and the start of the Rossmoor Lesbian Social Club.
Please see the Lesbian Herstory Archive's Rights Statement and the donor agreement form. Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND
Martha Shelley is interviewed in New York in 1989. She talks about being a lesbian in New York from the 1960s, the negative views of lesbians portrayed by psychologists, the bar scene, roles and her use of a pseudonym. She talks about finding DOB, the meetings and discussions that took place, and her contributions to the Ladder. She talks about Jean Powers and other members of DOB and describes the members as mixed race, working class, couples and singles. She also talks about her political activism in terms of DOB, peace, civil rights and the Stonewall Riots, including the marches she was involved in and the speeches she made.
Interviewer: N/A, Interviewee: Martha Shelley
Pratt Institute, School of Information and Library Science, LIS 668 Moving Image and Sound Archiving students. Edited by Morgan Gwenwald, Manuela Soares, Sara Yaeger.
Physical: DV-64, Digital: shelley_tape1of1_19890624
Side A: Mary Ann discusses her experiences going out in public with her girlfriends, and the treatment they receive at restaurants, bars, and on the street. She mentions that their public treatment is very often instigated by the masculine way her partners are dressed; she herself has always been very femme. Mary Ann talks about her incarceration for robbery, and her time in a psychiatric hospital for depression and attempted suicide. Side B: Mary Ann continues to discuss her time in jail. She took on a butch look, and began to receive small gifts under her cell door from femme girls in other divisions. She developed relationships with different girls that she worked with while in jail, and talks about lookouts, or "chickies," standing watch for girls who were with their partners in the showers or elsewhere. She then talks about her sex life with a long-term partner of 22 years, with whom she raised foster children. Later, she touches on her job as a dancer at Buffalo clubs, and a two-year period when she worked as a prostitute.
Pratt Institute, School of Information and Library Science, 665 Projects in Digital Archives Students
This recording is 1 of 2 tapes recorded with Mary Ann on 1988-10-15.
Mary Ann talks about posing as a prostitute for men in a straight bar. She would arrange a meet-up location and then she and two girl friends would overpower and rob men. She describes several muggings she and her two friends carried out. One happened in a hotel; another took place in a man's house with his family there. She claims she and her friends never hurt anybody "more than they had to." Mary Ann also talks about the distinction between gay bars and bars where she would go to hustle. Gay bars were places to have fun with friends and not for prostitution. In one aside, the interviewer asks Mary Ann why she calls her girlfriend "my man," to which she replies that's the way her lover wanted to be addressed.
This recording is 2 of 2 tapes recorded with Mary Ann on 1988-10-15.
Tape is divided into two sections. In the first section, radical feminist and theologian Mary Daly lectures about misogyny in the medical field, including the widespread use of Hormone Replacement Therapy for menopausal women and the increased risk of cancer associated with the birth control pill. She also informs her audience about the career of surgeon James Burt who, for approximately 30 years, reconstructed women’s genitalia after childbirth, often without consent, thinking that they were poorly designed for sexual pleasure. The second section of the tape, which is in poor condition and has soft focus, features a woman performing a dance.
Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND
Side A: Mary discusses her experiences in the gay community in Buffalo in the 1950s. She discusses in detail the gay bar scene and describes the clientele at the Carousel, Bingo's, and the Chesterfield. The interviewee also describes the dynamic of the relationships she experienced and observed in terms of both race and gender identity. Mary also discusses prostitution in the Buffalo community during the 1950s. She describes some of her own sexual and relationship experiences. Side B: Continuing the conversation from Side A, Mary discusses in more detail the types of people she observed in the various bars in Buffalo, as well as her family. She explains that she got along with her family, but never came out to them, in spite of which her father never questioned her about her relationships or pressured her to get married. She also discusses the socio-economic status of various gay communities throughout Buffalo. Both the interviewer and the interviewee discuss butch and femme identities within the larger context of the lesbian community in Buffalo. Mary speaks in more detail about her social experiences.
Lesbians Lesbian Activists Lesbians in mass media Television Television journalists
In this interview Mary Patierno, co-founder and executive producer of Dyke TV discusses Dyke TV, a groundbreaking public access program produced in New York City by and for lesbians. Pateirno talks about the program’s history and its goals. She mentions some of Dyke TV’s important news stories and recollects some of the interviews the show conducted with women artists, activists and public figures. Patierno stresses the importance of preserving other Dyke TV footage that currently remains in storage. In addition to providing more detail about the structure of the episodes, Patierno discusses her experience creating the show, the circumstances surrounding the show’s founding, and the show’s legacy as the first lesbian content on television. *Note: The interview was recorded using an online call service.
Amanda Belantara [interviewer] Mary Patierno [interviewee]
See the LHA Copyright Statement
Mary Patierno Interview [Arts segment excerpt]
Edited excerpt from an interview with Mary Patierno, cofounder of Dyke TV with Linda Chapman and Anna Maria Simo. In this excerpt, Mary describes the "The Arts" segment that was sometimes included in Dyke TV programs.
Mary Patierno Interview [Eyewitness excerpt]
Edited excerpt from an interview with Mary Patierno, cofounder of Dyke TV with Linda Chapman and Anna Maria Simo. In this excerpt, Mary describes the Eyewitness segment that was sometimes included in Dyke TV programs.
Mary Patierno Interview [From the Archives excerpt]
Edited excerpt from an interview with Mary Patierno, cofounder of Dyke TV with Linda Chapman and Anna Maria Simo. In this excerpt, Mary describes the From the Archives segment that was sometimes included in Dyke TV programs.
Mary Patierno Interview [I Was a Lesbian Child excerpt]
Edited excerpt from an interview with Mary Patierno, cofounder of Dyke TV with Linda Chapman and Anna Maria Simo. In this excerpt, Mary describes the I was a Lesbian Child segment that was sometimes included in Dyke TV programs.
In this interview Mary Patierno, co-founder and executive producer of DykeTV discusses DykeTV, a groundbreaking public access program produced by and for lesbians. Pateirno talks about the program’s history and its goals. She mentions some of DykeTV’s important news stories and recollects some of the interviews the show conducted with women artists, activists and public figures. Patierno stresses the importance of preserving other DykeTV footage that currently remains in storage. She also describes the production and post-production process, the ideas behind show segments and reflects on how she would like the show to be remembered. The transcript can be searched when viewed in the document viewer below.
Lesbians--United States--Social conditions
Side A: Mary briefly describes her childhood and family dynamics. Mary and the interviewer then discuss the first time Mary recognized being different and her thoughts on desiring women at a young age, yet not knowing about lesbianism as a concept or about the lesbian community. Mary then recalls the first time she encountered the word "lesbian" when she joined the U.S. Air Force and describes her experiences with women while in the service. Mary talks about being a lesbian in the military, the investigation into her conduct, and her dishonorable discharge. After Mary got another job, she started going to a bar in Buffalo, N.Y., and she talks about the other lesbians she met there. Mary then discovered other bars and talks about the scene as well as the role-playing of butch and femme. Constant whirring noise that stops about 10 minutes into the recording. Side B: Mary continues the discussion on butch and femme role-playing. She elaborates on fights, holding down jobs, and being "out." She also explains the relationships lesbians had with gay men in Buffalo, N.Y., and the bar scene dynamics of mixed, gay, or lesbian bars. Mary and the interviewer discuss gay activism and the difficulties of being involved in activism at that time. Mary also describes outings where there was a risk of being visible as a group, such as going on picnics or renting cottages. She elaborates on her experience with social dynamics like cliques and having heterosexual friends within the lesbian and gay community. Mary then expands upon the nature of her relationships with women as well as with black lesbians - racial prejudice and relationships are discussed. Constant whirring noise that stops about 5 minutes into the recording.
This recording is 1 of 2 tapes recorded with Mary T. on 1978-07-07.
Mary describes the bar scene, parties, fashion, music, bar layouts, and fights at Bingo's and Carousel bars.
This recordings is 2 of 2 tapes recorded with Mary T on 1978-07-07.
Women, Black Feminism Feminist literature
Interview with 19 year-old Mount Holyoke student Meeka on the structure of and experiences in Barbara Smith's class. She highlights a presentation on “Homegirls”and talks about discussions in the class surrounding culture and experiences of women of color.
Contact LHA at dyv.lha@gmail.com Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND
Interview with 19 year-old Mount Holyoke student Meeka on her experiences with taking Barbara Smith's class. She talks about Black Feminist analysis, colorism, and intersectional feminism.
Meg Christian and Holly Near Concert (Side B)
Live recording of Meg Christian and Holly Near performing at 1976 LFF concert. Note: Poor sound quality
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. Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND
Megan Christian and Holly Near Concert (Side A)
Live recording of Meg Christian and Holly Near performing at 1976 LFF concert. Note: playback speed changes so there is a brief cut in audio around the 12 min mark; poor sound quality.
Memorial Service for Diane Cleaver (Part 2)
Relationships, Friendship, Families, Aging, Death and Dying, Communities, Biographies, Writing, Songs
Friends and family gather at the funeral of Diane Cleaver to share stories, reminisce, and pay homage to her.
Morgan Greenwald [Still Photographer]; Manuela Soares
Memorial Service Helen J. Sandoz, Side A, July 19, 1987
This tape is a recording from the memorial service for Helen Sandoz on July 19, 1987. The recording is of a religious service for Sandy with various readings from the Bible as well as religious music. After the religious ceremony, friends and loved ones told humorous and moving stories about Sandy.
Pratt Institute, School of Information and Library Science, LIS 668 Moving Image and Sound Archiving students.
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).
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
Side A opens with Viv Sutherland introducing Lily Tomlin’s comedy album Modern Scream on the WBAI Women’s Studies program. The bulk of the tape features Tomlin’s satirical sketches, where she voices multiple characters. Highlights include a bizarre monologue from a woman addicted to rubber, a mock celebrity interview parodying Hollywood shallowness, a chaotic sorority speech full of performative morality, and a child’s monologue touching on emotional contradictions. The humor is absurdist, character-driven, and rooted in media and gender satire. Side B continues with more sketches from Modern Scream, maintaining the format of comic vignettes performed by Tomlin. It features a flashback to Detroit high school life, a surreal phone company sketch, a spoof interview about playing a heterosexual woman, a parody detergent commercial that turns into a soap opera-style meltdown, and a long sermon from “Sister Boogie Woman” celebrating radical self-expression. The tape closes with Sutherland’s sign-off and a preview of upcoming feminist programming. Like Side A, it’s rich in satire but not thematically aligned with our themes.
This item is protected by copyright. You are free to use this item for personal and educational purposes, as outlined in CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0. Requests for further uses and licensing questions should be forwarded to Pacifica Radio, owner of WBAI and other historical stations. See also LHA Copyright Statement.
More Than Half the World - A Pretty Face is not Safe in this City
Side A: Host discusses women's rights and justice in the United States. Show features various feminist musicians. ^^Side B: Host and callers discuss women in music, societal change as well as women’s rights.
Host, Judy Pasternak, discusses abortion and the struggle for the legal right of women to have control over their bodies. In her reflection upon the legal battle surrounding this issue, Pasternak notes that the majority of the individuals making these decisions from a federal level down to its local implementation are male identifying. In her past experience and many other of the callers, the medical infrastructure and service providers were male which they felt impacted their care and the comportment of the medical team.
More Than Half the World - Beatrice Pasternak
Broadcast of More Than Half the World, noted as "More Than Half the World - Beatrice Pasternak" on Side A and Side B. Host Judy Pasternak interviews her mother Beatrice Pasternak, discussing the experiences of older women and ageism, and they reflect on their life experiences as women. Throughout the broadcast, Pasternak plays music and takes calls from listeners.
Broadcast of More than Half the World, hosted by Jeannie Pool, and inscribed as “More Than Half the World - Jeannie Poole” on both side A and B. In this broadcast, Pool: plays several songs by women musicians, including multiple by Meg Christian; interviews Audre Lorde on The Cancer Journal; takes calls from listeners; discusses the upcoming First National Congress on Women in Music and plans to move the conference to NYU in March; discusses Heresies magazine issue No. 10 on Women in Music; interviews Sue Fink, the conductor of the Los Angeles Women's Community Chorus; and plays live recordings of the LA Women's Community Chorus performing. There are severe audio issues at the beginning of the access copy, which resolve after a couple of minutes. Note the discrepancy in Pool’s name as written in the inscribed title.
Broadcast of Women Alone Speak Out, noted as “Women Alone,” on both side A and side B. In this broadcast, host Judy Pasternak reflects on her experience living alone as an adult woman, in defiance of societal expectations. She plays an old set of interviews she conducted with women who also were living or had lived alone, as well as intermittent music.
More Than Half the World - Women Working
Broadcast of More Than Half the World, noted as "More Than Half the World - Women Working" on side A and B. Judy Pasternak hosts broadcast themed around women at work. Includes excerpts from poetry, fiction, and nonfiction writing about women working. Plays music and shares updates including a fundraising plea to pay for WBAI reporters to travel to Texas for Internation Women's Day Programming.
This audio recording is discussing her issue with addiction and alcoholism. She opens up about having good people by her side in these hard times.
This is a continuation of a previous audio recording. The recording is taken in a car ride and it is a letter for Morgan. She discusses her daily routine.
Black and white photo of Nanette Rainone
National Alliance of Black Leaders Conference Workshop on Black Women in The Arts
Speakers self-describe the show as "a tape of six creative Black women discussing the media portrayal of Black women and their confrontation of racism and sexism." Originally recorded during the "Black Women in the Arts" Workshop at the National Alliance of Black Feminists conference held in Chicago, October 21-23 [1975]. Broadcast in an episode of Everywomanspace. (On side A) Darlene Hayes (Phil Donahue Show) discusses media portrayal. Margaret Walker Alexander (poet) discusses the problems facing the Black woman writer. Mari Evans (poet) discusses her experience as a Black woman writer. (Panel continues on side B) Carolyn Marie Rodgers (poet) also discusses her experience as a Black woman writer. Two additional panelists are featured, but their names could not be deciphered.
Scan of "National Black Lesbian Conference" written by Becky Bertha originally published in PLGTF Bulletin, Volume 2, Number 8, 1980. Includes Bibliography on Black Women.
Neighborhood Voices: Audre Lorde Interview (Tape 1)
Old Neighborhood Voices interviews Audre Lorde about living as a young Black lesbian in the Lower East Side (now referred to as the East Village). She discusses the interconnectedness of the lesbian communities in the neighborhood, the imperfect support systems they offered each other when there were no other options, and the pressures of living on the edge of society. Lorde also discusses the racism that was rampant in the gay community in the Village, and how the few black lesbians within these communities were met with apathy when discussing political matters. She also discusses the effects of McCarthyism in the 1950s on her lesbian communities, as well as how she gained political consciousness growing up with the Brown v. Board of Education case, as well as by living near the Women’s House of Detention in the Lower East Side and seeing Black incarcerated women for the first time.
WNYC-TV Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND
Neighborhood Voices: Audre Lorde Interview (Tape 2)
In the second part of the Old Neighborhood Voices interview with Audre Lorde, she talks about living around the Village in the 1950s - from the migrators who came into the gay bars just for the weekend, to the imagined mythos of the Village as a place for anyone outside of white, middle-class America, and to the conflicts between the older residents and the newcomers to the area. Lorde touches on what her apartments were like and the rent situation of the area, as well as scrouging together food to share with her communities as a poor person. Then, Lorde discusses the multiple lives lesbians of the time had to live and the incredible gift that integrating every aspect of herself was as she got older. She touches on the Stonewall Riot, as well as the way she had to stop arbitrarily dividing aspects of herself to make others more comfortable.
Neighborhood Voices: Audre Lorde Interview (Tape 3)
In the third part of the interview, Audre Lorde discusses the lure of the Village for gay people, black people, and others who wished for an egalitarian environment, and how sometimes they would ignore the homophobia and racism they faced in the neighborhood to hold onto this dream. Also, she discussed in more depth what she thought about the Stonewall riot, and how it felt tied to the black revolutionary movement of the time. Furthermore, she discusses at length the different gay bars she would frequent, their ties to the mafia, and the different women that would frequent them.
Neighborhood Voices: Audre Lorde Interview (Tape 4)
In the final part of the Old Neighborhood Voices interview with Audre Lorde, she wraps up the talk with a discussion on the drama of lesbian life in her youth. She talks about the difficulties and joys of living in community with lesbians in the 1950s and how being on the edge of society gives you a different worldview. She stresses how everyone should view themselves as an outsider so they don't lose perspective on the true sense of power structures at play in the world.
Neighborhood Voices: Irving Cooperberg [Partial interview]
Irving Cooperberg discusses the importance of having a physical, experimental space and what it means for the legitimacy and stability of the community. He discusses different LGBT groups and community spaces throughout NYC, and the ways in which they promote life and hope amidst the HIV/AIDs epidemic. He talks about how these spaces give legitimacy to the community and allow for the melding of all different cultures and people. He also discusses the gay Synagogue and its role in the larger gay and lesbian community.
Neighborhood Voices: Sonny Wainwright Interview (Tape 1)
Sonny Wainwright discusses coming out in 1948, navigating the Village bar scene as a young college student with her lover Kelly, and the social life of lesbians in the 1950s. Wainwright found support in the bars as well as her close circle of closeted friends prior to the formation of the Gay Women’s Alternative.
Neighborhood Voices: Sonny Wainwright Interview (Tape 2)
Wainwright remembers her youth and feeling on the “fringes” of society. Growing up and attending an all girls highschool, she was aware of her feelings about women and only later realized what it meant after graduating high school and meeting her first lover. Despite understanding her identity and sexuality, she made the choice to “live straight” in the 1960s due to the lack of acceptance by society and the threat of losing her job as principal of a junior high school while raising her daughter alone.
Neighborhood Voices: Sonny Wainwright Interview (Tape 3)
The New York gay bar scene in the 1950s gave Sonny Wainwright and her peers a place to be together without the interference of straight society. She left New York in 1953 to become a college teacher at University of New Hampshire. Wainwright oscillates between ideas of identity and stories of different instances of being outed in her personal and professional life, including a story about developing a relationship with a student at the University of New Hampshire, who outed her sexualty leading to her dismissal.
Neighborhood Voices: Sonny Wainwright Interview (Tape 4)
Sonny Wainwright discusses being closeted, her group of closeted friends, and keeping her private life private. She also discusses labels as being necessary because the word “woman” does not define every part of her, and when she is free to be who she is she will no longer feel the need to be labeled a “radical lesbian feminist” because woman will be sufficient. Also mentioned is Wainwrights’ battle with breast cancer, and how it brought her first book Stage V: A Journal Through Illness.
Neighborhood Voices: Sonny Wainwright Interview (Tape 5)
Sonny Wainwright provides discourse about the privilege of marriage as it pertains to illness and becoming a parent. She explains her choice to "live straight" for several years so that she could have a child. It was not until she met Audre Lorde that she realized she had "choices", whom she called her teacher. Wainwright also discusses the need for lesbian illness support groups due to unjust experiences brought on by the illegality of same-sex marriage.
New York Radical Feminists Newsletter, 09/01/1974
Creative Commons: Attribution- Non Commerical
In this oral history conducted by the Rossmoor Lesbian Social Club, Nicole Schapiro discusses her founding on the Bay Area Career Woman group, her family, her coming out process, and her work as a professional speaker and coach.
Nikki Nichols describes her coming out process, and experiences with older lesbian women as a teenager. Discusses changing views on butch/fem issue. Laments the lack of lesbian groups in Sacramento, as well as describing issues with and fears of gay bars. Talks about how the discovery of DOB saved her life – socially and otherwise. Describes first DOB convention in 1960. Discusses her research into Native American attitudes towards homosexuality, as well as Native American rights movement. On tape 2, she talks about The Ladder and its role in lesbian history, and gives her thoughts about which leaders loomed large in the DOB. She brings up the Act or Teach “controversy” of the early 60s. She mentions problems with drug culture in San Francisco during the 60s. She also talks about her enthusiasm for active protest/picketing, and the difficulties of getting gay activists and rallies in California outside of San Francisco.
See the LHA Copyright Statement Photograph by Morgan Gwenwald Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND
NYPAP Oral History Interview: Maxine Wolfe and Anne Maguire
Oral History conducted by New York Preservation Archive Project in which Maxine Wolfe and Anne Maguire are interviewed. They discuss their early lives, background on their family histories, and the work as activists. The talk about the environments they grew up in, Maxine in Brooklyn and Anne in Dublin, and their early interest in, and awareness of, politics. Anne talks about the political climate of Ireland that made her want to leave, eventually winning a green card in a lottery, and moving to New York City. Anne describes meeting Maxine at a Thanksgiving Dinner through a friend, Marie, who would eventually become her partner. Maxine discusses her involvement in various LGBTQ and Radical organizations in NYC that lead her to ACT UP. Anne discusses being part of the founding group of ILGO, the Irish Lesbian and Gay Organization, which started in 1990, and which she was part of for 10 years. She talks about ILGO's rejection from the St. Patrick's Day Parade and the publicity the group got from that. They talk about the erasure of lesbian organizers and leadership within LGBTQ history which tends to focus on gay men, and how Lesbians had to advocate for themselves and form their own movements to be heard and to focus on Lesbian issues. They talk about Lesbian and women erasure during the AIDS crisis and how that lead them to for the Lesbian Avengers along with Ana Maria Simo, Anne-Christine D'askey, Marie Honan, and Sarah Schulman. They decided they wanted to focus on serious politics rather than cultural issues, and to not be a top-down organization. Anne and Maxine discuss the first meetings and actions of the Lesbian Avengers and talk about offering organizing help and support to other Lesbian groups around the country. Maxine and Anne talk about the real depth of activism, and the dangerous legal and personal implications of direct actions. They discuss the importance of being part of a group and having a support structure when taking part in a direct action. Maxine talks about the learning and training and teaching that happens behind the scenes before any direct actions. They go into more detail about work they did as the Lesbian Avengers around the country, and the effect that their bottom-up structure had on small community movements. They talk about the Alice Austen House and the fact that the Board was homophobic and hiding the queer part of that story, and work they did around protesting how the history was being handled. They discuss the importance of recovering queer histories from the 19th Century, and making gay history available to the public. Maxine talks about the role of the Lesbian Herstory Archives in preserving the history and lives of all lesbians for this reason. They talks about how visibility and survival are related for Lesbians, and the need for people to see themselves represented. Maxine and Anne talk about seeing the fruits of their activist labor come to fruition after 25 years, and their thoughts about current acceptance of LGBTQ people as being partially related to capitalism and revenue. They discuss more recent LGBTQ history and archive projects and the celebrating of gay institutions that have survived over the past 50 years. However, through some of these projects, they are still experiencing Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender erasure and erasure of the history of every day people.
Rights belong to the New York Preservation Archive Project, site Liz H. Strong & Anthony Belove To request a copy of this oral history, please contact info@nypap.org
Jennifer Woodul and Ginny Berson, founders of Olivia Records, are interviewed by Ruth Scovill. Jennifer Woodul and Ginny Berson talk about their band and production studio, Olivia. The recording starts mid-sentence. They discuss recording music and starting a music studio. They talk about how they met at The Furies Newspaper, and the need they seen for women-owned businesses, and issues with capitalism. Part 1 of 2.
Ruth Scovill Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND
Jennifer Woodul and Ginny Berson, founders of Olivia Records, are interviewed by Ruth Scovill. Jennifer and Ginny continue to talk about women’s autonomy in the lyricism of women’s music. They talk about their views on music production and concerts as places of political organization. They attempt to self-define what “women’s music” means to them, while acknowledging the classism in the music industry. Part 2 of 2.
Olivia Records interview with Marcia Danab
In this interview, Marcia Danab, the host, talks to two members of Olivia Records: Ginny Berson, and Meg Christian. Berson and Christian talk about how they created their record label, as well as the challenges that they faced as a company made by women for women. They both talk about the struggles that they have faced in the music industry as women in regard to gaining ownership, being paid, being taken seriously as artists, and making music that is specific to the female experience and understanding. Olivia Records was founded in 1973 and played an important role within the gay rights and counterculture movements of the time. Notable artists they represented were Tret Fure, Kay Gardner, Leslie Ann Jones, BeBe K'Roche, Pat Parker, and Cris Williamson. Due to declining sales, Olivia Records became Olivia Cruises and Resorts, a lesbian vacation company, in 1990.
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. Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND
Episode of Our Lives, Our City. Side A is an interview with members of the Center for the Elimination of Violence in the Family (Yolonda Baker and Diane Jackson) and a former resident of the center (Laura), mostly about the center and the work they are doing. The Center for the Elimination of Violence in the Family opened on March 4, 1977 (according to Yolonda, it is the first domestic violence shelter in NYC). The Center offers shelter/residence, counseling, referrals to education programs, job-training, work opportunities at the shelter, and accompaniment to welfare, family court, and police appointments. Side B is for taking calls.
Outlooks, March 26, 1989 [New York City's response to AIDS]
AIDS (Disease) AIDS (Disease)--Political aspects--United States; ACT UP (Organization); AIDS (Disease)--Political aspects; United States; AIDS (Disease)--History; AIDS (Disease)--Social aspects--United States
GLIB (Gay and Lesbian Independent Broadcasters): Radio program "Outlooks" hosts a roundtable discussion with ACT UP members to discuss NYC's Response to AIDS, from policies to public opinion.
GLIB (Gay and Lesbian Independent Broadcasters): Radio program "Outlooks" focuses on NYC's Response to AIDS, from policies to public opinion. Roundtable discussion between hosts Sherwin Thomas, and Elain Meredith and ACT UP Guests: Jim Aygo of the Treatment Issues Committee, Richard Jackman of the Housing Issues Committee, Alexis Danzig - Spokeswoman ACT UP's Women's Caucus. plus Executive Director of Minority Task Force on AIDS, Ronald Johnson.
Processed by Pratt School of Information LIS-668 students, Fall 2015
Gay and Lesbian Independent Broadcasters Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND
adoption, social life, women, books, sports
P.D. Griffin discusses her role in the Daughters of Bilitis and her relationship to the lesbian community. She also discusses her interests, which include softball and ukulele.
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.
See the LHA Copyright Statement Photo by Morgan Gwenwald Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND
Women's Political Organizations, Women's Liberation Movement
Pamela Oline is interviewed. She is heterosexual and talks about her path to and experience of being a member of DOB and campaigning for gay and lesbian rights. She describes her childhood growing up in England, moving to America when she was 14 and changing career from a mathematician and to a psychotherapist. Recognizing the psychological issues of the time, she decided to understand the lesbian community from the inside. She talks about DOB meetings, lesbian and feminism issues, radical and conventional activism, marriage, and GAU (Gay Academic Union) meetings, panel discussions, etc. Accompanied by an edited collection of clips, featuring Oline talking about being a Lesbian, the DOB and its eventual fractioning, and the debate of whether the lesbian's movement should be separate from the women's movement.
Manuela Soares [interviewer]; Pamela Oline [interviewee]
Pratt Institute, School of Information and Library Science, LIS 668 Moving Image and Sound Archiving students. Edited by Morgan Gwenwald [still photographer], Manuela Soares, Sara Yaeger [videographer].
Physical: MV-39, Digital: oline_tape1of1
Lesbian Community--New York (State)--New York
Side A: Liz and Madeline ask Pat and DJ for feedback on a draft of "Boots of Leather, Slippers of Gold." Pat claims the book paints too rosy a picture of lesbian life, underplaying the prejudice most lesbians encountered in the 1940s and '50s. Both talk about the Buffalo bar scene in the 1940s and '50s: mentioned are Carousel, Bingo's, the Chesterfield, Ralph Martin's, the Mardi Gras, and the Midtown. The discussion shifts to relationships, faithfulness, and prostitutes. Recording has loud feedback sounds and squeaks at the beginning. Side B: Pat and DJ discuss bar denizens vs. lesbians who did not frequent bars and the "class" distinction there, and also the way non-butch lesbians looked down on butches. DJ describes how her long-term relationships were analogous to marriage, where she was the breadwinner and her partners were housewives who perhaps worked but did not "provide." Both discuss the fact that in the 1940s and '50s butches had the freedom to have affairs whereas femmes were expected to be faithful. This created an atmosphere of mistrust in which monogamous long-term relationships became very difficult. Recording has loud squeaks at the beginning, hisses throughout, and cuts off abruptly at the end.
This recording is 1 of 3 tapes recordings with Pat and DJ on 1986-11-11.
Side A: Pat and DJ continue the discussion of relationships during the 1950s from tape cassette SPW457. The two women discuss aspects of how to make relationships long-lasting and the importance or lack thereof of sexual intimacy in relationships. Both Pat and DJ discuss personal opinions related to intimacy in relationships, particularly in long-term relationships. The discussion then turns to types of attraction and intimacy. Side B: Pat and DJ continue to discuss relationships during the 1950s and talk about reasons for breaking up. The discussion revolves around the importance of taking care of a woman and being able to satisfy her needs. The two women discuss the negative stigma of cheating. The discussion turns to take pride in a partner and the importance of her appearance and physical presence. Pat and DJ also talk about the presence of violence during relationships in the 1950s, listing insecurity between partners as the main reason. The two women speak specifically of violence in bars as a result of talking to another woman’s lady or challenging femmes in relationships to talk to other women. They discuss how much of this behavior was learned from lesbian role models of the 1940s.
This recording is 2 of 3 tapes recorded with Pat and DJ on 1986-11-11.
Lesbians-- Violence agaist-- United States
Side A: Pat and DJ discuss the characteristics of femme identity. The interviewers say they are looking to interview more femmes, which leads to a discussion of the names and locations of lesbians who were a part of the community in the 1940s. The interviewers also mention the difficulties of interviewing lesbians who have not come out. The group discusses why butches are more willing to talk. Pat talks about her time at the Good Shepherd home. There is a brief discussion about the role of lesbians in World War II. Cut off at 0:14:55 Side B: The group continues their discussion of the interview process, including who is willing to talk and who is not, as well as who will use their names and who will not. There is more discussion about beatings. Pat tells of coming out to her mother. Her mother only worries about the violence Pat is subjected to, on account of being butch. There is a long discussion about the nature of breakups and their aftermath. The group discusses the role of third parties in most breakups and the way a butch or femme reacts to a breakup. The issue of "passing" comes up, and Pat talks about working as a cab driver and passing as a man. Often, the children of femmes did not know that their mothers' partners were actually women. The interview concludes with a description of the rules for asking other butches' girlfriends to dance, and the fights that sometimes ensued. This point in the discussion highlights the difference between the generation of the interviewees and the generation of the interviewers.
This recordings is 3 of 3 tapes recorded with Pat and DJ on 1986-11-11.
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.
This recording is 1 of 2 tapes recorded with Pat G. on 19??-05-21.
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.
This recording is 2 of 2 tapes recorded with Pat G. on 19??-05-21.
Pat Helin and Barbara Deming Interview, May 10, 1987
AIDS, Bars, Coming out, Consciousness Raising, Consciousness Raising Groups, Homophile Movement, Gay Men, Rural Lesbians, Small Towns, Unions, Politics: Republican, Marriage, Feminism, Mothers
Pat Helin and Barbara Deming discuss their childhood in Iowa, relationships with their familes, their involvement with the Daughters of Bilitis in San Francisco and their friendship with Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon. On tape 2, they elaborate on their early days in San Francisco, Pat’s previous marriage, political affiliations, jobs, dancing in gay bars, and why they ultimately left the DOB.
edited by Morgan Gwenwald, Manuela Soares, Sara Yaeger
Pat Turner describes early experiences as a lesbian growing up in the south, conflicts with her enthusiasm for religion as a young person, and her family’s reaction to her sexual orientation. She talks about the relative lack of gay social life in Tennessee, despite the existence of certain bars in Nashville. Discusses how her first letter to The Ladder became an article, and the response from readers. Describes working on The Ladder, and later experiences after the Stonewall.
Autobiography, Homosexuality, Coming Out, Relationships, Women's Political Organizations, Parents of Lesbians and Gays, Disabled Women, Class, Racism
Pat Walker talks about her mother's reaction to her sexuality, her first girlfriend, living with blindness, and her experiences with the DOB and its members.
Interviewer: Manuela Soares Interviewee: Pat Walker
edited by Morgan Greenwald [still photographer], Manuela Soares, Sara Yaeger [videographer]
Original: VHS tape Preservation: .avi Access: .mp4
Lesbian community--New York (State)--New York
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
Pratt Institute, School of Information and Library Science, LIS 665 Projects in Digital Archives Students
Side A: Pat talks about her childhood in North Port, N.Y., her relationship with her parents and siblings. She goes into detail about her estranged relationship with her older sister. She describes when she first knew that she was a lesbian and tells the history of her relationships with women. She starts with her first affair at age 13, with a nun from her Catholic school - Sister Eugenie - to a relationship she had with Maryann (Marty). She describes her time at nursing school in Niagara Falls, N.Y., and the gay bars she frequented until she moved to Florida with her then girlfriend. She says she moved to Buffalo, N.Y., in the late 1950s, and describes the Buffalo bar scene, mentioning Dingles, Mardi Gras, the Chesterfield, the Carousel and the Carol Hotel. Pat mentions that the Carousel was very elite, something she did not like. This leads her into a discussion on “role playâ€ and how important it was to distinguish oneself as either a butch or a femme. She classified herself as butch, but stated that she was very uncomfortable with the label and now prefers to be less overt. Side B: In this interview Pat talks about how she does not like or feel comfortable in the gay community. She has never identified with it, or been made to feel welcome. This is one of the reasons that she does not maintain friendships with other lesbians, unless she is having a sexual relationship with them. She mentions being victimized and physically assaulted because she was a butch lesbian. Interviewer Madeline enters the discussion, speaking about her own sexual experiences with women. Madeline classifies Pat as “untouchable,â€ something that Pat denies, stating that she is simply very private. She feels that sex is a necessary but not important part of a relationship; it is something that is never sought or welcomed. She is suspicious of those who claim to experience sexual pleasure, including Madeline.
This recording is 2 of 2 tapes recorded with Pat on 1978-06-06.
Side A: Paula describes various locations where gay men and women would meet each other, like Kleinman's Corner and bars such as Ralph Martin's. Often these locations also served as hubs for sex workers. She speaks about the rigidly defined roles of "butch" and "femme" provided for lesbians during the 1940s. Paula talks about her life as femme and being married to a man who introduced her to gay/lesbian life. She discusses her sexual life and the type of sex that women had with each other in the 1940s, specifically within the strict binary of butch and femme. Paula recalls the social life at bars, such as Ralph Martin's, which included dancing, drag shows, prostitution, and drugs. Side B: Paula speaks about her family life in relation to her sexual identity. She talks about her husband's fast lifestyle and her changing preferences eventually causing the dissolution of their marriage. Paula mentions the types of employment she has had, including working in department stores, as a waitress, as a desk clerk at the Genesee Hotel, and on the assembly line at Bell Aircraft. She speaks more about various bars that she went to: Pat's, Dugan's, the Carousel, and the Carlton Hotel. She talks about a long-term relationship that she had, after her divorce, that lasted ten years, as well as traveling out of the Buffalo area to places like Florida, California, and Utica, N.Y. The recording cuts off abruptly after 23 minutes.
This recording is 1 of 2 tapes recorded with Paula on 1990-01-18.
Paula describes the absence of love and romance in her relationships with women, but later in the interviews describes a relationship after her divorce. She mentions one-night stands and sexual experiences she had with friends, and the importance of these friendships to her. Paula mentions that she was married and had children, and would go out to bars at night with her friends or alone.
This recording is 2 of 2 tapes recorded with Paula on 1990-01-18.
A video of a one-woman play by the Performance Theatre Troupe from Iowa City. The place centers around Effy, a 17-year-old lesbian and musician who must make a decision about her life. The three-act play takes place over a single day. Act 1 follows Effy in the afternoon, in her bedroom, before going to a piano recital she is involved in. Act 2 takes after the piano recital. Act 3 takes place later that night after Effy has been thinking about her life. Tape 1 includes Acts 1 & 2.
Performance Theatre Troupe / Gathering (Tape 2)
Lesbian Theater, Lesbian Community, LGBTQ+ home movies, Women's Friendship, White Lesbians
The tape is divided into two sections. The first section of the tape contains Act 3 of "The Performance" (6 min), a one-woman play by the Performance Theatre Troupe from Iowa City. The play centers around Effy, a 17-year-old lesbian and musician who must make a decision about her life. Following "The Performance," the tape cuts to a gathering of lesbians sitting outside, playing guitar, singing, and reading.
The Performance: Kathleen [Hardy], writer and performer [Bonnie Marslack], director Gathering: Creator Unknown
Phil talks about being in a relationship with another woman and how she provided for her. She also goes on to talk about how other butch femmes provided for their partners and what would happen when they would break up. Phil further goes on to talk about gay literature and her problems with it. She also discusses gay bars and the lack of support for them.
Pratt Institute, School of Information and Library Science, LIS 665 Projects in Digital Archives students
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.
Tape two of a three tape series recorded 1979-11-16 and 1980-1-9. Prior tape is SPW464 and following is SPW466.
Author Barbara Barracks is interviewed on the show Prose, produced by Sharon Martin. Barbara reads Chapter 10 of her novel Pleasure.
This item is protected by copyright. You are free to use this item for personal and educational purposes, as outlined in CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0. Requests for further uses and licensing questions should be forwarded to Pacifica Radio, owner of KPFK and other historical stations. See also LHA Copyright Statement.
Lesbian Bars, Lesbian and Gay Experience, Lesbian Community--New York (State)--New York, Lesbian Herstory Archives, Lesbianism, Lesbians Abuse of, Lesbians--United States--History, Lesbians--United States--Identity, Lesbians--United States--Interviews, Oral history interview, Lesbian couples, Lesbian physical education teachers, Lesbian teenagers
The gay movement has taken the lesbian community out of the bars or the "gay underworld," as compared to when she came out in the late 1960s, about 10 years prior to the interview. Portia, age 26, is not out at her job, but is known as a feminist and civil rights activist; her sister is openly homosexual. She talks about her early sexual experiences with girls and how she never felt guilty or different, but felt guilty with boys because of her Catholic upbringing. Her father beat Portia after she went out with her lover, and then she moved out of home at 18. She attended university and discusses her relationships and friendships in college, as well as her relationship with her first lover, who is still her partner, and their infidelities.
Power, Oppression and the Politics of Culture: A Lesbian/Feminist Perspective; Fourth Berkshire Conference on the History of Women, August 25, 1978, (Tape 1 of 3)
African American feminists, African American lesbians, Feminism, Lesbian feminism, Lesbianism, Lesbians, Sexism
Audio recording of a panel presentation at the Fourth Berkshire Conference on the History of Women. Includes Audre Lorde.
Fourth Berkshire Conference on the History of Women
Side A (mp3) http://herstory.prattsils.org/mp3_files/spw1152_A.mp3 Side A (wav) http://herstory.prattsils.org/wav_files/spw1152_A.wav
Side B (mp3) http://herstory.prattsils.org/mp3_files/spw1152_B.mp3 Side B (wav) http://herstory.prattsils.org/wav_files/spw1152_B.wav
Berkshire Conference on the History of Women
Tape 1 of 3. Followed by SPW1153 and SPW 1154.
Power, Oppression and the Politics of Culture: A Lesbian/Feminist Perspective; Fourth Berkshire Conference on the History of Women, August 25, 1978, (Tape 2 of 3)
Audio recording of a panel presentation at the Fourth Berkshire Conference on the History of Women. "Power, Oppression and the Politics of Culture: A Lesbian/Feminist Perspective" included Audre Lorde
Side A (mp3) http://herstory.prattsils.org/mp3_files/spw1153_A.mp3 Side A (wav) http://herstory.prattsils.org/wav_files/spw1153_A.wav
Side B (mp3) http://herstory.prattsils.org/mp3_files/spw1153_B.mp3 Side B (wav) http://herstory.prattsils.org/wav_files/spw1153_B.wav
Lesbians [sh85076160] Feminists [sh85047761] African American feminists [sh2004002861] African American women--Poetry [sh2007100767]
Side A : A poetry reading from Audre Lorde
Feminism Feminist literature Intersectionality (Sociology)
Interview with Mount Holyoke student Reeves on her experiences taking Barbara Smith's class.
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
In this oral history conducted by the Rossmoor Lesbian Social Club, Renee Archer discusses her early feelings for other women, moving to California from Detroit, her marriage to a man and eventual coming out process, her involvement in activism, her work as a teacher, the importance of community, and her feelings about gender identity.
Renee Shapiro is interviewed April 1, 1989. She discusses joining the Daughters of Bilitis and the various group activities they did. Renee talks about her hands on experience with putting together plays and different group events.
Interviewer: N/A, Interviewee: Renee Shapiro
AIDS (Disease) Harm reduction AIDS (Disease) in women ACT UP (Organization) Clinical drug trials Public health Demonstrations
A Dyke TV report on World AIDS Day from New York City Hall. The event is a commemoration and demonstration memorializing New Yorkers who have died of AIDS, and a protest against budget cuts that will impact AIDS education, prevention, and services. It includes footage of people reading the names of the deceased, with City Hall chosen as a location to send a message to Mayor Rudolph Giuliani for his lack of response to the AIDS crisis. The report includes footage from a Housing Works Theater Project, "In Limbo", and interviews with participants including health care workers, an AIDS educator, and a harm reduction advocate and recipient of assistance at risk of being cut. Excerpts from the Dyke TV series "Risk, Lesbians, and AIDS" is also shown, including interviews with lesbian women living with AIDS and health care workers, and an excerpt from "Voices From the Front" about the People With AIDS Health Group and Act Up protests against the United States Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health.
Housing Works [Executive Producer] Janet Baus [Dyke TV Producer and Director] Elizabeth Meister [Dyke TV Producer and Director]
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.
New York, New York, United States Rockville, Maryland, United States Bethesda, Maryland, United States
Robin Morgan talks about the creation of the New York Radical Women group in 1967 (20-25 women), the male Left, working on the Atlantic city pageant demonstration 1968, and publishing the "Sisterhood Is Powerful: An Anthology of Writings from the Women's Liberation Movement" in 1970. She then reads a poem and uses poetry as a political tool, as well as asserts that the Women's Movement is fostering relations between different strata of US society. Morgan advocates for women to take control legally, health-wise, and become an international force. She states that rape and pornography affect all women and she depicts women as the largest and longest subjugated people. The Women's Movement will continue to prosper.
Robin Morgan Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND
Anne Imelda Radice, an art museum director and arts administrator, discusses the life and art of Romaine Brooks. Romaine Brooks was a lesbian portrait artist born in Rome, Italy in the late 19th century. She was known as the "thief of souls" for her ability to capture emotion in her art. The host and Radice have a conversation on how lesbianism was perceived during Brooks' time period, as well as her relationship with her lifelong partner, Natalie Barney.
social life, women, demonstrations, women's political organizations
Rose Jordan discusses her involvement with women’s political organizations, including the New York chapter of of the Daughters of Bilitis, and feminist groups along with the schism that existed between 2 generations of lesbian women. Accompanied by an abridged version highlighting Rose Jordan's discussion of political organizations and feminist groups.
LHA Spoken Word Audio Cassette Collection, SPW186
Rossmoor Lesbian Social Club Introduction Video
In this video, members and past presidents of the Rossmoor Lesbian Social Club give an introduction to their group and their oral history project. They discuss the history and growth of the group and their place in the larger Rossmoor community, and detail the events their group puts on.
Rubyfruit Jungle Broadcast (Oct 8, 1976)
Rubyfruit Jungle cover, by Rita Mae Brown
Ruth Berman & Connie Kurtz interview with Rose Jordan, 1984
This episode of "The Lesbian Radio Show" on WBAI is an interview of Ruth Berman and Connie Kurtz by Rose Jordan. The women discuss the importance of Coming Out, the adverse reactions people might have to that news, and the reaction that one might have to their own Coming Out. They talk about working on themselves and about how doing the inner work of acceptance makes it easier for them to live in a society that might not fully accept them. Ruthie and Connie share about their practice of Co-Counseling, in which people can provide emotional support for each other by deep listing. They discuss self esteem, pride, shame, and the connection between emotion and the health of our physical bodies. They encourage people to seek help should they need it. Ruth and Connie discuss issues with unprocessed trauma and how being triggered can cause a trauma response, unconditional love and the importance of not weaponizing love, and take calls from listeners. They talk about upcoming workshops and counseling that they offer. Songs played during the show include "I Am What I Am" by Gloria Gaynor and "She" by Holly Near
Ruth Berman, Connie Kurtz Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND
Ruth Berman & Connie Kurtz Talk with Pride NY, 2002
Audio recorded at an event put on by Pride NY, the employee network group for LGBT individuals at JP Morgan Chase with Out and Equal Metro New York and the NY Bankers Group. Side1 Blythe Masters from JP Morgan Chase introduces Ruth Berman and Connie Kurtz . Connie recalls feeling different from an early age, issues with shame about being different, and the necessity to challenge the system that makes people feel that way. She talks about her relationship with her family and with Ruthies Family. Ruthie talks about being a mother, coming out as a lesbian as a parent, and her illness that resulted from her internal struggle and shame related to being a Lesbian. Ruthie talks about applying for partner benefits for Connie that lead to the lawsuit against the New York State Board of Eduction and her experience working with Lambda Legal. Ruthie discusses the collective power that queer people and their allies have. Side 2 Ruthie + Connie talk about their film and take questions from the audience. They discuss making politicians accountable during their time in office and demanding full legal acknowledgement and recognition of rights and personhood. They talk about their involvement with their synagogue, and the power of corperate and professional LGBT groups.