Unnamed Desires: A Sydney Lesbian History

(Paperback)

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Description

The first in-depth study of female same-sex desire in twentieth-century Australia, this book explores the compelling stories of ordinary women who struggled to build lives and express their love for other women in a hostile society. Focusing on Sydney and country New South Wales in the mid-twentieth-century (1930-1978), it traces the development of lesbian culture, identities and gathering places from the interwar period to the first Mardi Gras. Drawing on major oral history interviews, conducted by the author, and archival research, this book offers fascinating new insights into the social and cultural history of mid-twentieth-century NSW.

Reviews

Elegantly written, Unnamed Desires tells stories of sadness and persecution, but also accounts of bravery, ingenuity and fun It is a very welcome and important addition to the scholarship on sexuality in Australian history.

Author Bio

Dr Rebecca Jennings is ARC Future Fellow in the Department of Modern History at Macquarie University. She has published widely on Australian and British lesbian history and is the author of Tomboys and Bachelor Girls, A lesbian history of post-war Britain, 1945-71 and A Lesbian History of Britain: Love and sex between women since 1500.