Lesbian Visibility--Your needs? Your thoughts?

[Virago]

I am starting talks in my town as to the present needs of the Lesbian community. Lesbian Visibility has once again, it seems, diminished.

The evolution of time and life has been helping us mainstream ourselves here in Los Angeles. This is a good thing. A wonderful thing. BUT when things like Orlando occur, our natural support locations are nill and gone.

We have no Lesbian space. Our bars have closed (save for one or two) and all we have is a night here or "That bar gets a lot of women on this night of the week" Type of places.

The Friday before Pride used to be a Lesbian night, but the local Pride committee has co-oped it for a music festival.

And so, my friends, Give me your thoughts? What would you need from your local community to make you feel safe and included? What would you need from your friends and neighbors to make you feel like your voice was heard and your basic Lesbian needs were met? (lifestyle needs, dating needs, etc)

Please include your age if you don't mind. I'm trying to make this TransGenerational.

[Virago]

An example.

Back in the 80's and 90's, we had local Lesbian publications. If a bar opened, if danger reared it's ugly head, if events were happening, we got it from this newspaper.

Now with Twitter and the internet, it seems like we are so connected with so many venues that we might actually be MISSING some information. So now, for the teens, the 20's and 30 year olds, how do you keep informed about the happenings in your town?

[*Anya*]

I miss having lesbian spaces. My long-term ex and I used to go to the Women's Building in LA often for all sorts of activities. It closed in 1991. This is from the Women's Building.Org:

"The founding of the Woman's Building in Los Angeles in 1973 was the culmination of several years of activity by women artists who were energized by the feminist movement in this country. This activity included protests of major museums for their exclusion of women artists, the opening of gallery spaces dedicated to the work of women, the founding of the first feminist art education programs (in 1970, by Judy Chicago at Fresno State College and in 1971 by Judy Chicago and Miriam Schapiro at California Institute of the Arts), and the first large scale public feminist art installation, Womanhouse.

In 1973, artist Judy Chicago, graphic designer Sheila Levrant de Bretteville, and art historian Arlene Raven founded the first independent school for women artists, the Feminist Studio Workshop. The FSW focused not only on the development of artmaking skills (in visual arts, writing, performance art, video, graphic design and the printing arts), but also on the development of women's identity and sensibility, and the translation of these elements into their artwork. Central to the founders' vision was the idea that the arts should not be separated from other activities of the burgeoning women's community, and the three looked for a site for their school that could also be shared with other organizations and enterprises.

This space, the Woman's Building, opened in November 1973. The Woman's Building took its name and inspiration from a structure built by Sophia Hayden for the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago to house exhibitions of cultural works by women from around the world.

When the Woman's Building first opened in 1973, it occupied the site of the old Chouinard Art Institute near MacArthur Park. Hundreds of women came from across the United States (and from as far away as Canada, Mexico, Holland and Switzerland) to attend the FSW. The facility was also home to galleries, theater companies, Sisterhood Bookstore, Womantours Travel Agency, a coffeehouse, and the offices of the National Organization for Women.

In 1975, the Woman's Building moved to a building on North Spring Street, near Chinatown. At that time, the organization began to generate its own programming, so the entire three floors of the reconverted warehouse were filled with artistic activities."

We loved meeting friends at the coffeehouse, listening to music, going to the galleries, getting books at Sisterhood Bookstore, etc.

Even in a big city like LA, there is nothing else like it now and there never will be again. Young lesbians will never know the community that existed at the time.

Now that I am older, I think it would be so wonderful to have a space like that for a community of lesbians, both young and old.

[homoe]

Excellent topic!

Being older, I guess I don't really require much from having a sense of gay community at this age but I too wonder how the younger folks find or maybe they don't even require a sense of community??
I'm in my early 60's and I remember having bars, support groups, and a local publication (Gay People's Union) that all lent to a sense of community! The support groups at the Counseling Center in Milwaukee dealt with all ranges and ages. From those questioning their sexuality (My Space) to those who knew their sexuality (Our Space) to older lesbians (Silver Space).
Those programs/groups no longer exist and I wonder sometimes if that's a good or bad thing!

[Virago]

Originally Posted by homoe

Excellent topic!

Being older, I guess I don't really require much from having a sense of gay community at this age but I too wonder how the younger folks find or maybe they don't even require a sense of community??
I'm in my early 60's and I remember having bars, support groups, and a local publication (Gay People's Union) that all lent to a sense of community! The support groups at the Counseling Center in Milwaukee dealt with all ranges and ages. From those questioning their sexuality (My Space) to those who knew their sexuality (Our Space) to older lesbians (Silver Space).
Those programs/groups no longer exist and I wonder sometimes if that's a good or bad thing!

Even at our ages there could become a need for support. Especially when Homophobia rears its ugly voice.

So, in your early 60's, what do you think your area could do to get you involved in helping to start a community?

[Virago]

And don't worry. I by no means want to make anyone feel like they HAVE to get involved in their communities. I know that just isn't feasible for some.

I just need to collect ideas to help me reach out to different groups of people here in my town.