A Place of Our Own: Six Spaces That Shaped Queer Women's Culture

(Paperback)

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Description

A cultural history of queer women's lives in the second half of the twentieth century, told through six iconic spaces: lesbian bars, feminist bookstores, sports pitches, communes, sex toy stores and holiday destinations

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.

Journalist June 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.

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 20th Century. With chapters devoted to lesbian bars, bookstores, softball teams (and more), the book is far more than an elegy for past times. It's a warts-and-all / how-to guide to forging community in the face of what seem like insurmountable obstacles. A celebration of what was - and can be - built, with all the hurdles and ecstasies. Ultimately encouraging and empowering, A Place of Our Own serves as a reminder that you can't change the world but you can change your neighbourhood. And the world starts at the front door * Rosie Garland *
Fun-to-read, this breathless tour through the worlds we built, is also sobering. Lesbians accomplished so much when we weren't confused about what the straight world felt about us. The depth of culture, sub-culture, and fascinating history that comes alive in this book captures a world before the internet, when In Real Life was real life, and before corporate white-washing, obscuring the complexity of our connections and experiences. A PLACE OF OUR OWN illustrates a time when each woman had to venture out into the world of the unknown to create her lesbian life, and all the unforeseen adventures she encountered and created. Bravo June Thomas! * Sarah Schulman *

Author Bio

June Thomas is a journalist and the co-host 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. She was born and raised in Manchester, England, and now, after forty years in America, Thomas lives in Edinburgh.