Butch-Femme Oral History Project

LesbianOralHistory · 01-13-2011, 12:42 PM

I am a Ph.D. candidate in history at Rutgers University. My dissertation looks at lesbian cultures, identities, and experiences in New York City from the 1940s to the 1960s, with an emphasis on butch-femme. I am conducting oral history interviews with lesbians who were either living in or visited NYC during this period. Help contribute to our shared history!

Please contact Alix Genter with any questions or to set up an interview. And feel free to spread the word!

YOUR NAME CAN BE KEPT CONFIDENTIAL!

Alix Genter
LesbianOralHistory@gmail.com
(646) 470-2549

Chancie · 01-13-2011, 01:33 PM

Are you connected to The Lesbian Herstory Archives?

LesbianOralHistory · 01-13-2011, 01:51 PM

Absolutely! I love that archive and all the women involved. They've pointed me toward some wonderful interview subjects and friends. Thanks

Greyson · 01-13-2011, 02:30 PM

I realize you had to restrict your area in terms of time and geographical area but I wish Los Angeles and/or San Francisco were included. I bet there would be greater representation of POC if the West was included. Latino/Mexican/Chicano and African American to be exact. There is a strong his/herstory of the Butch-Femme culture in POC communities.

LesbianOralHistory · 01-13-2011, 02:48 PM

Greyson-- I wish the study could be more expansive than it is, but I am a grad student and I live on the east coast so that's really all I can do right now. Maybe when I'm (hopefully) turning it into a book someday I can expand it. But I totally agree that POC need to be represented, and one of the reasons I chose NYC was for its diversity. It is extremely important to me that this not be a white-only story, so please send any lesbians of color from this time and place my way!

By the way, there is a wonderful book on queer San Francisco by Nan Alamilla Boyd called "Wide-open town: a history of queer San Francisco to 1965."

01-13-2011, 12:42 PM	#1
LesbianOralHistory Junior Member How Do You Identify?: Femme Preferred Pronoun?: She/Her Relationship Status: In a relationship Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: New Jersey Posts: 3 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 1 Post Rep Power: 0	Butch-Femme Oral History Project I am a Ph.D. candidate in history at Rutgers University. My dissertation looks at lesbian cultures, identities, and experiences in New York City from the 1940s to the 1960s, with an emphasis on butch-femme. I am conducting oral history interviews with lesbians who were either living in or visited NYC during this period. Help contribute to our shared history! Please contact Alix Genter with any questions or to set up an interview. And feel free to spread the word! YOUR NAME CAN BE KEPT CONFIDENTIAL! Alix Genter LesbianOralHistory@gmail.com (646) 470-2549

01-13-2011, 02:30 PM	#4
Greyson Infamous Member How Do You Identify?: Transmasculine/Non-Binary Preferred Pronoun?: Hy (Pronounced He) Relationship Status: Married Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 6,589 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 21,132 Thanked 8,165 Times in 2,007 Posts Rep Power: 21474857	I realize you had to restrict your area in terms of time and geographical area but I wish Los Angeles and/or San Francisco were included. I bet there would be greater representation of POC if the West was included. Latino/Mexican/Chicano and African American to be exact. There is a strong his/herstory of the Butch-Femme culture in POC communities. __________________ Sometimes you don't realize your own strength until you come face to face with your greatest weakness. - Susan Gale

01-13-2011, 02:48 PM	#5
LesbianOralHistory Junior Member How Do You Identify?: Femme Preferred Pronoun?: She/Her Relationship Status: In a relationship Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: New Jersey Posts: 3 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 1 Post Rep Power: 0	Greyson-- I wish the study could be more expansive than it is, but I am a grad student and I live on the east coast so that's really all I can do right now. Maybe when I'm (hopefully) turning it into a book someday I can expand it. But I totally agree that POC need to be represented, and one of the reasons I chose NYC was for its diversity. It is extremely important to me that this not be a white-only story, so please send any lesbians of color from this time and place my way! By the way, there is a wonderful book on queer San Francisco by Nan Alamilla Boyd called "Wide-open town: a history of queer San Francisco to 1965." Last edited by LesbianOralHistory; 01-13-2011 at 02:50 PM. Reason: adding more information

01-13-2011, 01:33 PM	#2
Chancie Senior Member How Do You Identify?: queer femme-inist Relationship Status: I'm lucky. Join Date: May 2010 Location: Western Mass Posts: 3,694 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 9,208 Thanked 14,346 Times in 2,667 Posts Rep Power: 21474853	Are you connected to The Lesbian Herstory Archives?

01-13-2011, 01:51 PM	#3
LesbianOralHistory Junior Member How Do You Identify?: Femme Preferred Pronoun?: She/Her Relationship Status: In a relationship Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: New Jersey Posts: 3 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 1 Post Rep Power: 0	Absolutely! I love that archive and all the women involved. They've pointed me toward some wonderful interview subjects and friends. Thanks