Description
Description
A deeply researched and highly readable cultural history of queer women's lives in the second half of the twentieth century, told through six iconic spaces
For as long as queer women have existed, they've created gathering grounds where they can be themselves. From the intimate darkness of the lesbian bar to the sweaty camaraderie of the softball field, these spaces aren't a luxury--they're a necessity for queer women defining their identities. In A Place of Our Own, journalist June Thomas invites readers into six iconic lesbian spaces over the course of the last sixty years, including the rural commune, the sex toy boutique, the vacation spot, and the feminist bookstore.Thomas blends her own experiences with archival research and rare interviews with pioneering figures like Elaine Romagnoli, Susie Bright, and Jacqueline Woodson. She richly illustrates the lives of the business owners, entrepreneurs, activists, and dreamers who shaped the long struggle for queer liberation. Thomas illuminates what is gained and lost in the shift from the exclusive, tight-knit women's spaces of the '70s toward today's more inclusive yet more diffuse LGBTQ+ communities.
At once a love letter, a time capsule, and a bridge between generations of queer women, A Place of Our Own brings the history--and timeless present--of the lesbian community to vivid life.
About the Author
About the Author
June Thomas is a journalist and the cohost of Slate's Working podcast. Thomas was formerly senior managing producer of Slate podcasts and was the founding editor of Outward, Slate's LGBTQ section. Her work has appeared in outlets including Bloomberg Businessweek, Marie Claire, the New York Times' T magazine, and the Advocate. After forty years in America, Thomas now lives in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Critical Reviews
Critical Reviews
"In the words of Joan Baez, action is the antidote to despair. Immensely readable, A Place of Our Own charts the inventive actions of queer women in the latter half of the twentieth century. Far more than an elegy for past times, this book is a warts-and-all how-to guide to forging community in the face of what seem like insurmountable obstacles. It's a celebration of what was--and can be--built, with all its hurdles and ecstasies. Ultimately encouraging and empowering, A Place of Our Own is a reminder that you can't change the world, but you can change your neighborhood."
--Rosie Garland, novelist, poet, and singer "Thomas's meticulously researched book pulses with delicious dykes and the spaces we have made for ourselves over the years. It is a timely reminder that many lesbian spaces have always welcomed trans women, and also that few lesbian spaces ever included all of us--women of color, women without disposable income, women who didn't look 'lesbian enough' or who looked 'too lesbian' have been excluded accidentally or intentionally. While not every space was as hopefully inclusive as we might now desire, it is important to recognize how we got to where we are now and those who paved the way. I welcome this story, and I very much look forward to one set on this side of the Atlantic."--Stella Duffy, author of Theodora "Thomas's riveting account of what life was really like for lesbians in the mid-to-late twentieth century is an indispensable corrective to nostalgia, ahistoricity, fading memory, and the usual erasure. It's so jam-packed with fascinating nuggets of cultural history, movement lore, and gossip (the gossip as meticulously documented as everything else), that it will provide you with years' worth of dinner party conversation fodder. A Place of Our Own is suffused with Thomas's wit and nerdily brilliant insights, as well as a humane warmth which she extends to the younger generation of queer women, nonbinary folks, and trans men and women who are continuing the (unfortunately) ongoing struggle. If only a bunch of dykes were running things by consensus, and on a shoestring, this sorry world could be a very different place."--Alison Bechdel, author of Fun Home "As a queer musician, I know firsthand how important it is to have community spaces where queer people can gather and feel comfortable being themselves. In A Place Of Our Own, Thomas masterfully delves into the essence of six spaces pivotal to queer women's culture, highlighting the resilient bookstores, lively softball leagues, vibrant vacation hot spots, and under-the-radar lesbian bars that provided both refuge and revolution to a generation of queer women. As sapphic spaces vanish, so too does a part of our culture, making this book a must-have for any queer bookshelf."--Tegan Quin, musician co-author of High School "Thomas's lively, hugely engaging book is a fascinating chronicle of the courage, tenacity and vision with which queer women have carved out spaces for themselves in an often less than friendly world. An inspiring celebration of lesbian camaraderie, activism and fun."--Sarah Waters, author of The Little Stranger "An engaging and informative study that defies attempts to erase people or their places."--Kirkus "Thomas' readable, interesting, and detailed book will be invaluable to lesbians, queer people, and all readers interested in American culture."--Booklist (Starred) "A terrific chronicle of lesbian-created spaces ... Told with warmth, wit and meticulous rigor, this is a record of a pre-internet, diverse, real-time dyke world breathtaking in its range of possibilities - and also recording the too-frequent exclusion of women of color and the not-unusual inclusion of trans women."--Kate Charlesworth, author of Sensible Footwear "A cracking read, and a reminder of what shaped where we are now."--Val McDermid, author of Forensics
Publishing Information
Publishing Information
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