Lesbian history preserved

Lesbian history preserved

The ever-changing face of Sydney’s lesbian scene -” from underground bar broads to out there leaders of the burgeoning feminist movement -” forms the basis of a new book produced by the Pride History Group, to be launched on Saturday February 28.

Out and About: Sydney’s Lesbian Social Scene 1960s-1980s is the culmination of a two-year research project by co-authors Rebecca Jennings and Sandra Mackay into the memories and experiences of lesbians from the time.

Featuring a number of hard-to-find images from the era, it is a book designed for nostalgic purposes as well as an educational tool for younger women interested in the experiences of their older sisters, Jennings explained.

We did a series of live history interviews, where we talked to people about how they first started to think about their sexuality and how they found other lesbians and socialising. We also talked to them about work and political engagement, so the social scene is just one of the things we’ve covered.

We’re hoping that women who were out on the scene during that period will be able to pick up the book and see things they remember and they’ll hear people talking about things they did as well. But we’ve also tried to write in a way that explains what was interesting about Sydney, both for people who are from overseas and for younger lesbians who are coming up on the scene now to get an idea of what it used to be like.

Looking back on that period in lesbian history, which saw the social scene expand, will hopefully create an understanding of the current lesbian social scene, Jennings told Sydney Star Observer.

The biggest shift was obviously that in the early ’60s lesbians were mostly socialising in mixed groups with gay men in the CAMP scene. Most venues were dominated by gay men but by the ’60s onwards, lesbians started to become a more visible presence.

In the early ’70s you started to get a number of venues which were dominated by women -” Ruby’s is obviously the most well-known example. Everyone we interviewed had been to Ruby’s at least once, and many used to go once a week.

The other factor in the ’70s was the impact of the feminist scene. You started to get women’s dances and pubs that ran women’s nights, so that really expanded the women’s-only social scenes.

Perhaps now as a result of that, women can reflect their individual interests, in terms of music and sexual preferences and age as well, in their choices of where they socialise. Now there are a lot more possibilities.

info: Out and About: Sydney’s Lesbian Social Scene 1960s-1980s will be launched on February 28 at the Rex Centre, 2pm.
RSVP: [email protected].

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