CSW u p d at e2013 Making Invisible Histories Visible: Preserving the Legacy of Feminist Activism and Writing in Los Angeles SPECIAL ISSUE on the NEH/Mazer Project, a collaboration between CSW, the UCLA Library, and the June L. Mazer Lesbian Archive

1 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 Preserving the history of lesbian writers and publishers in Los Angeles

unique partnership—be- three-year effort to arrange, describe, Lesbian Archives and the UCLA Li- tween CSW, the UCLA Library, digitize, and make physically and brary, grew out of CSW’s two-year A and the June L. Mazer Lesbian electronically accessible two major “Access Mazer: Organizing and Digi- Archives—is making the materials clusters of collections related to West tizing the Lesbian Feminist Archive related to the history of lesbian writ- Coast lesbian/feminist activism and in Los Angeles” project, which was ers and publishers in Los Angeles writing since the 1930s. Principal supported in part by the UCLA Cen- available for scholars, researchers, and Investigators are Kathleen McHugh, ter for Community Partnerships. This the public. CSW DIrector and Professor in the project processed five collections: The project is “Making Invisible His- Departments of English and Cinema Connexxus/Centro de Mujeres Collec- tories Visible: Preserving the Legacy and Media Studies at UCLA and Gary tion, Margaret Cruikshank Collection, of Lesbian Feminist Activism and Strong, University Librarian at UCLA. Collection, Southern Writing in Los Angeles.” Funded in This project, which continues California Women for Understand- part by an NEH grant, the project is a CSW’s partnership with the Mazer ing (SCWU) Collection, and Women

2 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 Against Violence Against Women (WAVAW) Collection). The Mazer Lesbian Archives is the sole archival repository on the West Coast dedicated to preserving lesbian and feminist history. Its holdings in- clude over 3500 books, 1000 unique video and audio recordings, and close to a hundred unprocessed. This project will process and make accessible paper collections and re- cordings documenting lesbian political acts and effects in their communities, and materials documenting the lives and literary imagination of this bur- geoning community. In addition to while ensuring the future of the Mazer Finding Aids are available at the Online Archive of California providing crucial materials to humani- and its collections. Currently, the Mazer ties scholars and historians, the project does not have the physical space to will also grow the Mazer’s infrastruc- grow. Moving collections to the UCLA ture, preserving content that exists now Library gives the Mazer the capacity to 3 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 collect new materials and will enhance UCLA’s holdings in two significant areas of interest: LGBT archives and Los Ange- les collections. Scholars and historians throughout the world will benefit di- rectly from the primary research materi- als this project will make available. In this special issue, we share an interview with Ann Giagni, President of the Board of the Mazer, an interview with Angela Brinskele, a member of the Mazer’s Board and a well-known pho- tographer whose photos are included in the Mazer’s collections. In addition, we provide overviews of some of the collections that are now available for researchers. Finding aids for 27 of the collections that are to be processed

Finding Aids and digitized materials are available at the under the project are now available UCLA Library’s website. 4 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 through the Online Archive of California Tyger-Womon Papers For more information on the activities (http://www.oac.cdlib.org/) and at the Lesbian Schoolworkers Records of the Mazer, visit http://www.mazer- UCLA Digital Library (http://digital2. Red Arobateau Papers lesbianarchives.org or https://www. library.ucla.edu/mazer/): Lesbian Catholics Together Records facebook.com/pages/The-June-Mazer- Joan Robbins Papers Lesbian-Archives/51347743934?fref=ts Women’s Building Records Ruth Reid & Kent Hyde Papers Records Linda Farin Papers Terri de La Pena Papers Robin Ruth Linden Papers Diane Germain Papers Marion Zimmer Bradley Papers Marie Cartier Papers Barbara Guest Papers Linda Garber Papers Judy Freespirit Papers Lesbian Nurses of Los Angeles Re- Margaret Amanda Porter Papers cords Broomstick Magazine Records Elaine Mikels Papers Barbara Grier Periodical Collection Bunny MacCulloch Papers Jewish Feminist Conference Records The UCLA Digital Library includes digi- Lesbian Visibility Week Records tized materials as well. Kitty Tsui Papers For updates on this project, visit National Lesbian Feminist Organiza- http://www.csw.ucla.edu/research/proj- tion Records ects/making-invisible-histories-visible.

5 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 Interview with Ann Giagni President of the Board recalls how her history and the Mazer’s intertwined

nn Giagni demonstrated many to a 10-year stint as a children’s librarian, talents and had various careers including three years at the Alma Reaves Abefore becoming president of the Woods–Watts Branch of the Los Angeles board of the June L. Mazer Lesbian Ar- Public Library. chives in 1996: she trained as a ballerina “I loved that…that was a fabulous job,” throughout high school, studied math says Giagni during an interview over and English at New York University, and coffee at Literati Café in Santa Monica. Celebration of the launch of the directed a production of “Berlin to Broad- “And that’s sort of where my interest in partnership between UCLA Center for the Study of Women, UCLA Library, way with Kurt Weill” that was nominated joining the Archives board came from: and the June L. Mazer Lesbian for a Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle my experience being a librarian. And I Archives, November, 2009: left to right, Kathleen McHugh; Ann Giagni; Award in 1986. However, Giagni traces just had an affinity for libraries, even as a Sheila J. Kuehl; Abbe Land; Gary E. her interest in archival work to her love of kid. I used to spend a lot of time in them. Strong; and April De Stefano. libraries as a child, which eventually led I just liked the environment.”

6 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 Although Giagni, an avid reader, was drawn to the quiet spaces and free books offered by libraries, her work in Watts helped her discover the library as a place of social engagement and a way to inter- act with new communities. “[We started] doing activities for the kids because we had a lot of kids that were latchkey kids, so they would hang out…There was a housing project across the street, so a lot of the kids from the housing project would just hang out with us because it describes as “one of the most fun jobs Giagni’s love of books and libraries led her to work for the Los Angeles Public was safe and something to do. We would I’ve ever had.” Library, including three years at the keep them occupied. It was a very, very “When you go to the community Alma Reaves Woods–Watts Branch (above right) and to operate a bookmobile in enriching experience for me, and I think it sites, you’re only there for an hour or South Central and East Los Angeles. was good for the kids, too.” two,” says Giagni. “For that little piece Giagni became even more intertwined of time you become one thread in with the communities of South Central the fabric of that community, and I and East Los Angeles when she operated still remember that. There would be a a book mobile in those areas, which she crowd of people waiting for us when 7 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013

we pulled up. They were regulars, and service, but I got to know L.A. really, re- Giagni came into her own as a lesbian and an activist during the boom of we got to know them and we knew ally well.” and LGBT activism that took what they liked. So we were always look- These combined interests in working place in the 1970s. ing for books: oh, this book for so-and-so with communities and archiving and at this stop, and this book for so-and-so disseminating meaningful stories made at that stop. It was a very personalized the Archives an ideal venue for Giagni to 8 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 find meaningful work and community. but I never saw two women in a similar health and the way the medical com- Giagni, who was born in 1948, also union.” munity was mistreating us. So there was found herself invested in the Mazer Giagni was at NYU when Stonewall, women’s health, and then there was Lesbian Archives because she remem- one of the major events to raise cultural women’s publishing, and then there was bered a time when and les- consciousness about gay men, lesbians, women’s music, and then there were bian history seemed to be invisible. and the Gay Liberation Movement, took women’s bookstores, and then there “I grew up in a theater family; my place. However, she wasn’t “out or aware were collectives everywhere. There was dad is a choreographer. I knew about of [her]self” at the time. Giagni came a lot of what was called “consciousness gay guys because my parents would into her own as a lesbian and an activist raising.” It went from nothing to every- have gay male couples over for dinner. during the boom of feminism and LGBT thing so fast. It was breathtaking. It was I was aware of that as a little kid. I just activism that took place in the 1970s. very, very exhilarating to live through never knew that two women could “There was just an explosion. There’s that.” love each other,” says Giagni. “It was no other way to describe it,” says Giagni. Giagni points out that this boom also not anywhere. It was not visible at all. “It was kind of like the Big Bang start- led to the birth of the June L. Mazer Les- They were not apparent in the general ing the universe. There was nothing, bian Archives, originally called the West culture. The invisibility was stunning. I and then there was everything. It was Coast Lesbian Collections, which were was vaguely aware that Tim and Hugh just like that. One of the catalysts was founded in 1981 in Oakland, CA. Lillian were together. They lived together, Our Bodies, Ourselves, out of the Boston Faderman describes its orgin on www. they came to dinner together, they did [Women’s Health Book] Collective, and mazerlesbianarchives.org: “In the 1970s, things together, I was aware of that, there was a lot of interest in women’s the lesbian world began to change. We 9 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 realized, as we dreamt of the Lesbian stigmatized and neglected them. “It Nation, that we could and must make was the lesbian community at the very our lesbian communities strong. Part beginning that stepped in to help,” says of our struggle was to fight the erasure Giagni. “And that, I think, really diverted that had always been used to keep a lot of our money and our energy into us weak. We had to proclaim not only saying, ‘Wake up world. You can’t let our immediate presence but the fact these people die.’ And that was a long that many went before us, that we did effort.” indeed have a history. It was in this Groups and organizations also began climate that the June L. Mazer Lesbian to fade simply because it is difficult Archives was created.” to maintain grassroots organizations In the 1980s, many of the lesbian over a long period of time: financial and feminist organizations that flour- resources run out, staff members come ished in the 1970s began to wane. and go, and group’s goals lose and June L. Mazer Archives, originally called the West Coast Lesbian Giagni attributes this waning to sev- gain momentum as culture changes. Collections, was founded in 1981 eral factors. Perhaps primarily, lesbi- “Creation and maintenance have two in Oakland, CA. Six years later it moved to Los Angeles. The Archives acquired ans began to pool their resources to different skill sets,” says Giagni. “One is its present name after the death of help, fight for, and fight with gay men very exhilarating, and the other is a lot June Mazer, to honor her work as a community activist and invaluable who were dying of AIDS while the of hard work.” supporter of the Archives. government and population at large Giagni also stopped her work as an 10 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 activist when she fell ill in 1984. After re- the passion that was born in libraries. Because the gal who was going to covering from an illness in the mid 1990s, Both organizations satisfied Giagni’s be the president was going off the she sought to rejoin the activist commu- desire to be an active part of Los An- board, and they all looked at me,” says nity. She was shocked to find how much geles’s LGBTQ community. She joined Giagni. “I said, ‘I can’t be your presi- it had diminished. the board in 1996. dent, you don’t even know me!’ And “When I got well enough and I was “I had a friend of mine call some- I became president at that meeting. I ready to re-enter being active….It body on the board of the archives. was the only one, nobody else would was like everything had disappeared!” She said, ‘Well, I know this person, do it, and I was just the new kid in says Giagni. “It was like, ‘Well, where is and she’s interested in joining the town, and I said, ‘Well, this is ridicu- everything?’...I was just stunned that so board.’ Because I had decided that I lous.’ So I was copresident for three much that had been there when I had to wanted to be involved at the board months, to sort of get me acquainted. drop out just wasn’t there anymore. So I level, not as a volunteer,” says Giagni. And there I was, and here I am.” Giagni talked to some friends of mine and asked “They didn’t call for a really, really long has remained president of the board ‘What’s around? I’d like to reconnect. I’d time…So, finally, they called me, and for 17 years. like to get involved again.’” I came in, they interviewed me, and I Given her lengthy tenure with Through her contacts, Giagni discov- was accepted onto the board.” the Mazer, Giagni seems uniquely ered the Celebration Theatre in West Hol- Giagni’s interview, also her first equipped to assess why they have lywood, which allowed her to draw on board meeting, brought with it a big managed to stay open and succeed her experiences in the theater, and the surprise. “At the same meeting they in the decades during which other Mazer Lesbian Archives, which fulfilled said, ‘Now, who will be our president?’ lesbian institutions and organizations 11 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 founded during the same period shut tory. It’s a mission that goes on forever.” their doors. Giagni highlights several The support of the City of West Hol- potential reasons for the organization’s lywood has been fundamental to the longevity, the first being its long-term, success of the Archives. “We have a timeless mission. space [from the city of West Holly- “I was in a collective and our goal was wood], and we don’t pay for it; it’s rent- to provide an alternative to the bars free. That has allowed us to stay afloat. on Friday night. We ultimately stopped We went through a very difficult time; doing what we were doing…because at one point, there were only three there was so much going on that that people left on the board, and we had need was being met and the atten- to rebuild ourselves from that.” dance at our activities was declining. So Giagni points out that, while the we thought, ‘Well, they don’t need us Archives always tries to attract young anymore. Mission accomplished! Who people to its board and as volunteers, bian history (partly because they remem- would have thought its mission would the organization has thrived because ber when it was impossible to find). still be valid decades later? One [rea- of the dedication of a group of women “[Younger women often] come in, son for the archive’s longevity] is that who are established in their careers, who they’re very enthusiastic, they finish the purpose of the Archives, just by its have made Los Angeles their permanent school, and they move out of town. So nature, is long term. It’s to collect and home, and who have a deep personal our board is made up of older women… preserve lesbian history and feminist his- investment in the maintenance of les- who have a career now or are retired. And 12 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 we’re on the board because we have logue about five collections,” says a commitment to the mission. We’ve Giagni. “We knew that Outfest had a been very clear that we are a work- relationship with UCLA, where they ing board.. We’ve developed a process deposited their moving images in where we invite on to the board people the UCLA Film & Television Archive. that we’ve gotten to know, people who So I said to [CSW Director] Kathleen have exhibited, independent of us, an [McHugh], ‘Could we have something interest in and a caring for the Archives like that, where we put our materials and for the whole concept of preserving on file?’ Because I knew that our space history. I think we’ve been very fortu- was limited. We had stuff in garages, nate that, as a board, we have been able we had [boxes] and we didn’t even to conduct activities and grow the Ar- know what was in them, and we didn’t chives in a way that has attracted other have any of the proper conditions for responsible lesbians.” maintaining material over time.” In 2007, the Mazer Lesbian Archives affiliated with UCLA’s Department of McHugh arranged a meeting with formed a relationship with the UCLA Education at the time, set up meetings UCLA’s University Librarian, Gary Center for the Study of Women, a with various campus organizations. CSW Strong, and several other library admin- union that has also contributed to the learned of the interest and contacted istrators, to discuss a possible collabo- Archives’ longevity and supported its them. ration between CSW, UCLA Library, and growth. Board member Ann Powell, “Originally we were going to cata- the Mazer Lesbian Archives. 13 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 that when I left and when he left we both thought to ourselves, ‘This is never going to work.’” However, Giagni and the members of the board met and came up with a list of goals that they hoped to achieve through a potential relationship with UCLA. “We wanted our materials preserved properly, and we wanted the expanded space,” says Giagni. “What was most criti- cal to us was that the material not disap- pear, that it stay in L.A., and that it get processed. If it stayed unprocessed, that “We had a conversation in which they said, ‘Well, what you should do is go would be a form of disappearing it.” asked us what we were interested in, back and think about what you really Giagni and her colleagues had anoth- and I laid out what I knew about the want, and we can meet one more er meeting with Strong, Sharon Farb, As- Outfest relationship, and he told us why time and see if anything comes of it.’ sociate University Librarian for Collection he couldn’t do that and gave all the Later, after things were going well, we Management and Scholarly Communi- reasons. At the end of the meeting he each acknowledged to each other cation, and McHugh. The group began 14 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 a discussion that led to the agreement that the three units have today. In 2007, the UCLA Center for Com- munity Partnerships awarded a two-year Competitive Support for Campus Part- ners grant to McHugh and CSW—“The ‘Access Mazer’ Project: Organizing and Digitizing the Lesbian-Feminist Archive in Los Angeles—to inventory, organize, preserve, and digitize several key Los Angeles-themed collections. During the first year of the project, CSW collabo- rated with the UCLA University Archives and the University Librarian’s office on Papers, the Southern California Women Many of the materials in the Mazer Lesbian the processing of the five collections; for Understanding Collection, and the Archives reflect a collection policy that seeks to document the lives of “ordinary” the CSW project staff worked with the Women Against Violence Against Wom- lesbians Mazer to assess, organize, and create ex- en Collection. tensive finding aids for the Connexxus/ “[CSW and the board] agreed that we Centro de Mujeres Collection, Margaret want to keep the relationship going,” Cruikshank Papers, the Lillian Faderman says Giagni. “We think that it’s been very 15 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013

Documenting lesbian lives is the Mazer Lesbian Archives’ mission

16 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 beneficial to us. Giagni has particularly Wall of history at the Mazer valued board members’ one-to-one Lesbian Archives relationships with CSW’s administrators and staff. “Sharon [Farb] and Kathleen [McHugh] have been our liaisons with UCLA, and myself and Angela [Brinskele] have been the Mazer’s liaisons, so that foursome is where most of the com- munications and decisions get made. At worst, it’s been merely cordial, but most of the time it’s fun and we have a great time and it works really well.” In 2011, CSW applied for and received a National Endowment for the Humani- ties grant for another Mazer project, titled “Making Invisible Histories Visible: Preserving the Legacy of Lesbian Femi- nist Activism and Writing in Los Angeles.” Over three years, CSW archivists will arrange, describe, digitize, and make 17 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 physically and electronically accessible out and really urge people to give to us two major clusters of Mazer Lesbian Ar- because we don’t have the space limita- chives collections related to West Coast tions. That has been a real gift out of this lesbian/feminist activism and writing relationship.” since the 1930s. The relationship with UCLA has been In addition to helping the Mazer Lesbi- mutually beneficial. Giagni emphasizes an Archives board members achieve the that the Mazer Lesbian Archives board’s goals they set out in their early meet- role in curating and maintaining the ings, their partnership with UCLA has Archives and encouraging acquisitions also led to the expansion of their collec- is as strong as ever. The partnership has tions. “We’ve gotten gifts because of the also allowed the Mazer Lesbian Archives UCLA connection,” says Giagni. “We got a to grow in productive new directions, gift from a woman, Beverly Hickok, up in increasing projects geared toward com- the San Francisco area. Margarethe Cam- munity outreach and education. Recent mermeyer, the lesbian officer [featured events have included a reading of Aleta’s of activist and Lesbian News founder in the movie Serving in Silence, starring Stories by Angela Bowen—a dancer, Jinx Beers in celebration of her 80th Glenn Close] gave us her collection, teacher, mother, activist, professor, and year; and an open house to introduce including a uniform. We’ve gotten some author—accompanied by a documenta- the public to the Mazer Lesbian Ar- other important collections because of ry in progress about Bowen by Jennifer chives board, inform them of current the UCLA relationship, and we can go Abod; a celebration of the life and work and future activities, and encourage 18 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 community building. ture of LGBTI Histories,” which took place Giagni and the board have also in Amsterdam. worked on building relationships inter- Giagni and the Mazer Lesbian Archives nationally. In May of 2011, the Mazer continue working to contribute to the Lesbian Archives hosted “ALMS 2011: future of LGBTI histories. Board member Highlighting Archives, Libraries, Muse- Angela Brinskele and CSW’s student ums and Special Collections: An Inter- archivists currently work on digitizing national LGBT Conference,” which was the collection in order to expand its organized by the Mazer Lesbian Archives reach. The Mazer Lesbian Archives board in association with the City of West Hol- continues to do a great deal of produc- lywood, the UCLA Center for the Study tive fundraising. Giagni points out that of Women, and the UCLA Library. This they had a higher income last year than conference was the third international the year before, an impressive feat for a conference focused on public, private, not-for-profit organization in the current academic, and grassroots archives col- challenging economy. is success. So we’re focused on that. We lecting and preserving materials of all “I think I would say primarily that our try to put a lot of time, attention, and types from LGBT communities to ensure goals these days are to survive and to self-training into learning how to be the history survives unchanged. Last expand, both in terms of the materials more sophisticated in fundraising, and year, Giagni arranged to send two board coming in and the education programs to really nurture the giving of materials members to ”LGBTI ALMS 2012: The Fu- that we can do,” says Giagni. “Just survival to us.” 19 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 ans. “We don’t know elite lesbians,” says to let them know…We really feel that Giagni. “We don’t know stars, we don’t to have an accurate understanding of know mega-scientists. We don’t know what the lesbian life was, you need to those folks. We know the teachers, and hear from people who had to work for the nurses, and the electrical workers. a living, and who struggled with fam- That’s who we know as a board. Our ily, and were or were not involved with responsibility is that if there isn’t some- other activities. So we think that our role body out there talking to ordinary, ‘un- is really to be that link between people exciting’ lesbians, telling them that their who don’t necessarily see themselves lives are important, and that the material as important, as historically significant, from their lives, their letters, their photos, and the concept that they are. The more their diaries, their personally-created we can collect from people, grassroots memorabilia, are important, if there isn’t people, for future generations, particu- somebody out there telling these wom- larly for younger lesbians who are trying Giagni is perhaps most passionate en, ‘Actually, your life is really important, to understand ‘What’s our history?’ the about her role, through the Mazer Les- and someday 10 years from now a re- more complete and accurate the history bian Archives, in interacting with the searcher is going to be thrilled to look will be.” – Ben Sher community and encouraging archival at your photos,’ they’ll throw them away. Ben Sher is doctoral student in the Department of donations by insisting on the vital im- So that’s our role, and we’re trying to Cinema and Media Studies. portance of the lives of “ordinary” lesbi- expand how we reach out to women 20 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 Angela Brinskele Her photos and memories chronicle L.A.’s lesbian community from 1991 to 2013

ne of the treasures of the June L. Mazer Lesbian Archives Oat UCLA is a collection of ap- proximately 800 photos chronicle Los Angeles’ lesbian community from 1991 to 2013 (with the majority covering the last 10 years). These photos were taken by Angela Brinskele, Director of Commu- nications at the Mazer Lesbians Archives. Brinskele first began taking photographs as a teenager in Orange County in the late 1970s. Los Angeles is perennially a Sarafemme Multicultural Women’s Music Event, August 17, 2008 smorgasbord of images waiting to be 21 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 captured, and Brinskele and her friends photos of people if they didn’t want us document the community as much as I went to places like Chasen’s Restaurant, to. We watched how the celebrity pa- could. I used to look at my pride photos The Beverly Hilton Hotel, and the stage parazzi treated celebrities, and we didn’t for years in boxes and think ‘I love these,’ door of The Merv Griffin Show to photo- like it.” but I was sure that nobody else would graph stars including Bette Davis, James However, Brinskele fell in love with ever care about them.” Stewart, Bob Hope, Audrey Hepburn, photography as an art form, and decid- Brinskele realized that there were, in Johnny Carson, and Gene Kelly. ed to study it in college. She was imme- fact, many who would care about her “My favorite thing ever was to watch diately drawn to documenting lesbian photographs when she became in- the Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly subjects. volved with the June L. Mazer Lesbian Hilton Hotel,” says Brinskele. “There was “The reason I started this was almost Archives in 2007. hardly any security at the time, so we subconscious,” says Brinskele. “I thought I “When I got to the archive, it was a would sit in the lobby, and somebody was the only one for most of my life, un- perfect fit for me. I didn’t know that like François Truffaut would walk by til I was about 16. So when I got to col- other people cared about that history because he was staying there, and we lege and studied photography I wanted and were preserving that history, and I would ask for his picture. Or Dolly Par- to document our community, especially was thrilled to find that.” ton. We would bring money for lunch women and lesbians, because I wanted Although the Mazer Lesbian Archives and dinner, and film. It was one of the to make really, really sure that nobody contained photographs, Brinskele felt, best experiences of my young life. We else felt that they were the only one on as a photographer, that the collection didn’t want to be celebrity photogra- the planet. I used my own money and needed more. In particular, she felt that phers because we didn’t want to take my own time for at least 25 years to there was a dearth of contemporary 22 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 work. The Mazer’s board was enthusias- tic when she offered to donate a collec- tion of several hundred prints. Brinskele is thrilled that the photographs have gotten so much recognition. “I never dreamt that anyone else would care,” she says. “I didn’t have a future plan for how [my photographs] were going to get out there, it just hap- pened organically. I never thought in a million years that I would donate them to the Mazer and that then they would go to UCLA.” Brinskele and I had a chat about sever- al photographs from the collection. She explained when and where they were subjects of this photo]. I know, just by The Silverlake March, June 12, 2005 taken, and why the images, and the the fact that they were at the Silver- people and places that they document, lake march, instead of the one in West are meaningful to her. “I really don’t know a lot about [the Hollywood, that they tend to be more 23 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 radical, politically and otherwise. Actu- ally, the Silverlake march exists because the Silverlake group was really adamant about only having women marching, so that’s one of the reasons that there are two marches in LA. I often shot both marches every year for many years, and I like shooting this march because they are more radical. I always wish I had shot many more ACT UP events, because they would do things like light things on fire, and lay down like they were dead somewhere, as part of their activism. They really inspired people to action. They were very effective politically but they were also visually radical, and I think that the Silverlake march was always like that, too.” “[The photo of Kristen Schaffer] was Kirsten Schaffer (right) and Nina Landey just a photo waiting to be taken, right? 24 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 How could I ignore that? I know Kirsten Schaffer very well, because I’ve taken pictures as a volunteer for Outfest for 12 or 13 years, and she is the head of Out- fest now. I think that she’s a wonderful person, and she’s done a fantastic job. I didn’t know, taking the picture, who the other woman was to her. I didn’t know if it was her partner or her friend, but they were marching in the march, and it was kind of a radical thing to do, right? So I had to take a picture of it.” “Sarafemme is a women’s multicultural music festival put together by Marquita Thomas. She put that on for several years, and I think I photographed it most of the years it was going. They’re wonderful. There were different women Sarafemme Multicultural Women’s Music Event, singers every 15 or 20 minutes, or wom- August 17, 2008 en doing spoken word art or theater. 25 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 It was really great. I really loved that it Wendy Averill and Marilee France getting married, was multi-cultural. Visually, the women June 17, 2008, West there were always so interesting. I loved Hollywood shooting that event all the time, and I re- ally had fun because I saw women there I never saw anywhere else, and they were very unique looking.” “I think it’s so wonderful for me to be at a festival like that where women of color seem out and comfortable, and are having a good time. I started taking pictures of the community when most people were closeted, and I would never see women like this at an event in 1986. It would just be a little more rare.” “What’s really great about [the photo of Wendy Averill and Marilee France] is that those are the first two women ever legally married in the city of West Holly- wood. They were married by Mayor John 26 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 Duran. That was on the first day that throughout that process. They went in Initiative, and would have lost her whole it was legal in California. One of them, line, got the marriage license and paid career as a teacher then had Prop 6 Marilee France (right), is a board member for it, and then they went out to the ga- passed! I’ll never forget that when I of the Archive. The other, Wendy Averill zebo and John Durand met them there. asked to take their photo years before (left), is a big supporter. After the ceremony, there was a chef this, they were the only women or men I went because they are my very with cupcakes asking, “Would you like I knew who said ‘Not only will we give good friends and they told me they some wedding cake?” And all of this was you our first names, we want to give you were going to get married that day. I donated by people in the community. our last names, too.’ And nobody ever was also a witness for them. Even if this It was amazing. I don’t shoot weddings, said that when I was taking pictures in hadn’t been the case, I never would I don’t like to usually. I refused to shoot the community. No one ever did that, have missed it, because what actually them until 2008. But this was wonderful, unless they wanted their names in the ended up happening was that the city because all of these people were getting newspaper or something. So they really had a Wedding Village that day in West married all around you, and all of these stood out for being brave and out.’ Hollywood Park. Musicians asked each people were providing music and cake. “I can say that The L Word was one couple, “When are you having your cer- I’ll never forget it. of the biggest things that ever hap- emony, do you want violin music?” They Both of these women have been out pened to the lesbian community in L.A. had five or six gazebos set up, because for 30 years or maybe longer. They’re At the beginning of each season they they had hundreds of people signing up both retired school teachers from the had a party somewhere and I would for marriage licenses at the City Council Pasadena School District. Wendy Aver- shoot it. One of these years it was at Chambers. I followed Wendy and Marilee ill came out in 1976 during the Briggs The Hard Rock Café at Universal Studios, 27 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 and women came in and packed every floor of the Café. My friend Ann Bradley said ‘I have not seen anything like this since Paul McCart- ney and The Beatles.’That’s exactly what it felt like. She was likening the actress who played Shane to Paul McCartney and it really fit well.T he women were just crazy to see her anywhere, were just packed to the walls just to get a glimpse of her and the rest of the cast. That’s what I think when I look at that picture of the actress who played Max, I think about how insane the lesbian com- munity was about The L Word. Even if they hated it, they still watched Danela Sea (“Max” on The L Word) at The Power Up Annual Premiere it…” Gala, November 21, 2005 ”I met Pat and Jennie when I shot their 50th anniversary. I had photo- 28 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 wonderful, wonderful people, I really wanted to know them. So I started go- ing to things that they would go to, and they actually have group events at their house once in a while that I would at- tend, and I eventually did an oral history with them. They sat there on the couch with the dogs, because they said they couldn’t do anything with them, and the dogs are so much a part of who they are. For the oral history, it was hilarious, because they would jump up and down on their lap as I was videotaping, and very specifically as they were telling me the story of one of them going AWOL

Pat and Jennie and their dogs, 2012 graphed them before at a women’s holi- [Absent without Leave, or Unauthorized day party in Long Beach and so I knew Absence] from the Air Force in the 1950s their faces, but I hadn’t become friends to be with the other. Now they’ve been with them yet. After I shot their 50th an- together for about 53 years. That was niversary, and I thought they were just about three years ago. The fact that one 29 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 of them went AWOL for the other is such emphasized that she most loves pho- everything, it still feels like it should an amazing story, so I loved taking the tography because she sees it as a mirac- be an impossible thing to do. So it’s oral history of that, too. We have the oral ulous medium. She describes the uncan- still an absolutely amazing thing to history digitally at The Mazer Lesbian ny phenomenon of looking back over me, that I love.” Archives, and there’s a clip from it on our photos from decades ago and seeing – Ben Sher website where they tell the AWOL story.” that she had randomly photographed Ben Sher is doctoral student in the Department “It’s so funny how important our pets people who, years later, became close of Cinema and Media Studies and a writer for are in the LGBT community. It’s a really friends. She remains in awe of photog- CSW Update. significant thing. It can’t be ignored. So raphy’s ability to capture people, places, Visit the Mazer Archives online: http://www. that was a fun picture for me for that and moments in time. mazerlesbianarchives.org reason, too. These women have had “I always thought it was an absolute kids and raised them, but these are miracle. Even after I studied photog- [also] their kids. They can’t do enough raphy and knew every step of how it for them. One of those chihuahuas had worked, how I got the image onto the health problems, and they took her to paper, chemical compounds, and all a specialist for eyes, for ears, for every- of that, I still thought that it was abso- thing. They would tell me how they lutely incredible. To this day I think it’s a would drive all over, 30 and 40 miles, to miracle that we can do that, that we can see a specialist for that dog’s eyes.” take someone’s image exactly, and have At the end of our interview, Brinskele an image of that forever after. Knowing 30 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 Ruth Reid and Kent Hyde collection An insightful archive documenting a life-long bond

orking with the collections ship of over forty years. What makes this at the June L. Mazer Lesbian collection so rich is the breadth of ma- WArchives is a unique experi- terials which includes a large amount of ence. Each collection has its own sense correspondence between Ruth and Kent of itself, serving as a window into indi- and an array of their friends and fam- vidual lives, formative political moments ily. These letters range in subject matter and the growth and development of the and through their reading one can get a lesbian community. One of the first col- sense of each woman’s particular sense lections that I processed was the Ruth of humor, specific interests and profes- Reid and Kent Hyde collection. Ruth and sional tone. Kent were both writers, lifelong intel- Throughout their relationship, Kent lectuals, weavers and lovers. Their collec- passed as a man, working in research tion covers the duration of their relation- laboratories and hospitals. Ruth took Ruth Reid and Kent Hyde, Santa Cruz, 1951 31 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 Materials from the Ruth Reid and Kent Hyde Collection include photos, newspaper clippings, articles, writings, and correspondence from their life together.

32 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 care of Kent’s mother and kept writing. Their political consciousness evolved as they reacted to the dramatic changes in political and social realities in the . Also included in the collection is an illuminating interview, conducted by volunteers at the June L. Mazer Lesbian Archives upon Ruth’s donation of the collection. After reflecting upon her and Kent’s life together, she also delves into the relief and sense of belonging she found once she actively sought out a lesbian community. Turning her efforts to activism in her later years she seems surprised at her and Kent’s own aversion to gay and lesbian life. Their collection serves to witness the intricate emotion- al, political and intellectual lives of these women while simultaneously remind- ing us that in order to understand the 33 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 impact of change, we must look to the words of the people who weathered that change themselves. The Ruth Reid and Kent Hyde Collection has already been requested by researchers and Ruth herself used the interview done by the June L. Mazer Lesbian Archives as an aid in writing her autobiography, which mainly focused on her relationship with Kent.

– Stacy Wood Stacy Wood is a graduate student in the Depart- ment of Information Studies at UCLA and a graduate student researcher at CSW. The finding aid for this collection is available at http://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/ c8f47pwh/admin/

34 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 Margaret A. Porter PAPERS Journals, photography, and poetry of a lesbian pioneer

s I processed the papers and almost the entire twentieth century. other materials in the Margaret Margaret Porter was most known AA. Porter Collection, I learned for her poetry and for her translations about much about Margaret’s life and from the French of poetry by Renee work but I also came to realize the im- Vivien and Natalie Clifford Barney. In portance of bringing such collections addition to Porter’s original and trans- like this into the light. The Porter papers lated poetry, the collection contains provide an excellent example of how her personal diaries, which span over significant archival material can docu- six decades of her life, photographs, ment the life of someone from an un- and correspondence. In addition, derrepresented community and also there are materials from her activity demonstrate the struggles and achieve- in San Diego–based lesbian orga- Margaret A. Porter (left) ments of a lesbian whose life spanned nizations and documents from her in the 1930s.

35 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013

Scenes from a active life: Margaret A. Porter Collec- tion in the Mazer Lesbian Archives

36 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 of nine but she didn’t know the word While in college, Porter first published “lesbian.” Later she thought of herself as under the name Pierre E. Renet. All her “one of a chosen few” like Sappho, Oscar life, she always made it a point to clarify Wilde and Tchaikovsky. As she was grow- that she was not a “lesbian poet” but ing up, she could see no profit in be- rather, a poet that wrote and translated ing a woman, girl’s clothes, or women’s some lesbian poetry. roles and wanted to be a boy. So she The materials in the collection also pretended she was one, and developed cover several other periods in Margaret’s a detailed imaginary life at a young age. life, including her trips to France, her This imaginary life would turn out to be service in the Women’s Army Corps (her the foundation for much of her poetry uniform is also in the collection), and her as she later used it to create several time traveling around the United States noms de plume. Margaret had a lifetime as a vagabond. While living in Oceanside research on Vivien, Barney, and other interest in France and anything French, in her later life, she worked closely with women in expatriate France. which was reflected in the characters in William Moritz to research and translate Porter was born in Milwaukee, Wis- her imaginary life. These included Pierre poetry of Vivien and others. Moritz, who consin, on April 30, 1911 and raised in E. Renet, Gabrielle L’Autre, and an ideal was best known for his research in film the Midwest. In an interview with the woman and muse named Alys. history, was fluent in Greek and translat- historian J.R. Roberts, she explained that She attended Marquette University, ed the poetry of Sappho, while Margaret knew she was “different” from the age where she received a B.A. in journalism. translated the poetry of Vivien. Mar- 37 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 Vivien’s poetry in their book, Muse of the to the June L. Mazer Lesbian Archives. Violets, which was published in 1977. In a 1979 letter to Porter, a friend wrote, Although the majority of Porter’s own “…what a great need that exists for written work remains unpublished, she your words to be preserved for future often contributed to small press publi- lesbian women.” The processing of the cations including The Archer, New Ath- Porter papers—a cooperative effort by enaeum, South and West, Tres , between the Mazer Lesbian Archives, and The Ladder in the 1960s and 1970s. the Center for the Study of Women, During the same period, she became ac- and UCLA Special Collections—fills that tive in lesbian and feminist groups. Porter need by ensuring that Margaret’s work is served as editor for the local chapter of not only preserved but also made wide- the Daughters of Bilitis and later as co- ly accessible. founder of the groups Search and Tres garet’s translations received high praise Femme, for which she also wrote and ed- – Gloria Gonzalez because she often successfully projected ited newsletters and serial publications. Gloria Gonzalez is a M.L.I.S. student in the Depart- the meter and rhyme of the French origi- When Porter died on May 30, 1989, at ment of Information Studies at UCLA and a fellow nal in the English translation, as well as the age of 78, she donated some ma- at the Center for Primary Research and Training. capturing the emotional qualities. Along terials to the Kinsey Institute Library at FInding aid: http://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ with Catherine Kroger, Porter was the Indiana University and gave the rest to ark:/13030/c8pv6jbq/?query=Margaret+A.+Porte first to publish English versions of Renee William Moritz, who later donated them r+Collection 38 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 AUDIO-VISUAL COLLECTIONS Interviews, radio programs, readings, and musical performances

he material in the audio and Etc collection, which includes interviews includes a recording of the Jewish me- video collections in the June L. with Mazer and MacCulloch concerning morial service that honored the life and TMazer Lesbian Archives material the Southern California Women for Un- work of Mazer after her death in 1987. includes recordings of conferences, derstanding (SCWU), the archive, Mazer’s The rest of the (mostly audio) audio-vi- workshops, meetings, performances, death, and lesbian culture in the San sual collections that have been digitized radio and news broadcasts, interviews, Francisco Bay Area. The audio record- so far has included many well-known and oral histories concerning topics ings provide great insight into the life people and significant events. Lesbian- such as homosexuality, lesbian issues, and work of both Mazer and MacCull- feminist activist Diane Germain’s video feminism, racism, discriminations, och, who were prominent figures in the collection includes interviews with literature, music, history, and so on. lesbian community of the West Coast. Southern California lesbians and record- These collections are being processed The women conducted interviews with ings of Germain’s various appearances and digitized. scholars and other experts on lesbian on news broadcasts and talk shows. The Of particular note is the June L. Ma- culture and history and were also the Reading Performances 1980-1983 col- zer and Bunny MacCulloch Interviews subjects of interviews. The collection lections features readings by a variety

39 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 of lesbian and feminist writers, includ- Suzanne Lacy, “Three Weeks in May, 1977.” ing , Peg Cruikshank, Judy Freespirit, Kent Hyde, Terri de la Pena and others in lesbian bars, bookstores, events, and on KPFA radio. There are a number of recordings from radio shows, including a KPFK presentation about the Stonewall Riots and the KPFA show, Women’s Magazine, which featured Del Martin discussing domestic violence within heterosexual and homosexual relationships. The digitized collections present a range of topics with a variety of hosts and speakers. From music recordings to scholarly talks to small group medical information sessions, the Mazer audio- visual collections capture the culture, diversity, politics, scholarship, and activ- ism that feminist and lesbian communi- ties have produced throughout the last 50 years. 40 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 The tapes also describe a great deal of activism that women were involved with in Los Angeles throughout the latter half of the twentieth century. One recording, titled “Rape City Mall,” includes materials from a project that took place over three weeks to raise awareness about the frequency of assaults against women across Los Angeles. The event included speeches, interviews, self-defense dem- onstrations, and an art piece by Suzanne Lacy. The recording includes Lacy ex- plaining her intentions in producing the piece and interviews with the public as they passed by, reacted to, and watched her as she indicated the number of re- Sisterhood Book Store, which was located on Westwood ported rapes that had occurred in three Blvd, opened in 1972 and closed in 1999. In addition to stocking lesbian, feminist, and progressive books, the weeks that May. owners (Adele and Simone Wallace) organized readings A number of recordings were taken and other events. at the Women’s Building, which was a nonprofit arts and education center founded in 1973 by Judy Chicago, Sheila 41 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 Levrant de Brettville, and Arlene Raven Women’s Words, on KPFK 90.7. Other and was originally located in MacArthur recordings feature Healy and other writ- Park. The Women’s Building closed its ers reading their work at the Sisterhood doors in 1991, but it was a vital base for Bookstore, a unique establishment on the feminist movement in Los Angeles. Westwood Blvd. that specialized in femi- It also was a safe space for women to nist and non-sexist literature and music create art, write, collaborate, meet, and for more than 20 years. develop their sense of identity and com- Before doing this processing, I was munity. not well-versed in lesbian and feminist Another set of recordings in the Wom- history, but I have gained so much from “Eloise Klein Healy, Poet” en Writers Series features events held listening to these voices. I not only have photo by Nancy Rosenblum at the Women’s Building. These events learned about the development of were mostly organized by the L.A.– lesbian-feminist activism but I have also based author Eloise Klein Healy. She is an been given a chance to help make avail- American poet who has published five able an integral piece of the story of Los books of poetry, founded Arktoi Books, Angeles and of California. and taught at the Women’s Building and – Angel Diaz served on its Board of Directors. She was Angel Diaz is a graduate student in the Depart- recently named Poet Laureate of Los ment of Information Studies at UCLA. Angeles. The recordings include Healy reading her work but also her interview- ing other writers on her radio show, 42 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 Lesbian Schoolworker Records, 1977–1978 Rallying against Prop 6, an initiative to ban gays and lesbians from the public schools

n 1978, Proposition 6 was presented on the California State ballot. This ini- Itiative, proposed by conservative leg- islator John Briggs as well as California Defend Our Children (CDOC), and later nicknamed the Briggs Initiative, rallied to ban gays and lesbians from teaching within the public school system. This later extended to possibly include any supporters of gays or lesbians as “advo- cates of homosexuality.’’ A CDOC pam- phlet in circulation at the time argued that the purpose of the initiative would not deny gays or lesbians their human rights, but instead “protect the rights 43 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013

of innocent children from people who One of the first (and smallest) col- zational history, principles of unity and choose their position as a teacher,” main- lections I processed was the Lesbian structure, press releases, newsletters, fly- taining that “there is no inherent right Schoolworkers Records, which con- ers, paste-ups, and photographs. With a for an individual to hold a teaching job.” tained information regarding its organi- commitment to “fighting racism, sexism,

44 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 class and oppression within our own Schoolworkers planned educational information about both pro and anti- movement and this society,” the Lesbian activities, sponsored cultural events, and Briggs organizations; a San Francisco Schoolworkers organized in 1977 to produced leaflets and newsletters aimed Board of Education study on the pos- defeat the Briggs Initiatives, Proposi- at defeating the legislation and educat- sibility of including “gay lifestyle” into tions 6 and 7. While this organization ing voters. Representatives often went school curriculum on family and health was among the many to rally against the before various civic groups, councils studies; and a Oregon State Task Force of anti-lesbian and gay bill, it was uniquely and educational organizations to speak 1977 report, which collected “informa- also actively campaigned against the against the measures, and were notori- tion on homosexual men and women anti-lesbian and pro-death penalty laws, ous for their slideshow, “Don’t Let It Hap- in Oregon in order to make recommen- and sought to identify the relationship pen Here.” Designed to inform others of dations on legislation and administra- between Third World oppression and the dangers of the Briggs Initiatives, the tive policies that would ensure the civil the oppression of all lesbians. Through- slideshow drew together such crucial rights of all Oregonians.” out the election fight, the Schoolwork- issues as abortion, death penalty, and of In the end, the Briggs Initiative failed ers emphasized that the struggle against course, women and lesbian oppression. miserably, even after first receiving over- Proposition 6 was not a single campaign Amber Hollibaugh, political activist from whelming support. With the help from issue or just a fight for civil rights, but San Francisco, traveled throughout small Harvey Milk, public opinion was soon instead, “that we are all suffering at the but crucial Northern California towns swayed; groups seen as traditionally hands of a common enemy.” presenting the slideshow and participat- heterosexual, such as the trade union Comprised of a core group of twenty, ing in public debates. movement, the teachers’ associations and over seventy participants, the Within this collection there is also and unions, child-care workers, health- 45 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 care workers, and even churches, largely opposed Proposition 6 in the end. While the defeat of the Briggs’ Initiative did not solve the discrimination of California’s gay and lesbian citizens, it did for the first time—as explained by Hollibaugh in a 1979 interview—“expose sexual dynamics as central in this society” by discussing homophobia as an intrusion of basic human rights. –Kimberlee Granholm Kimberlee Granholm is an M.A. candidate in the Moving Image Archive Studies program, where her interests focus on film curatorship, exhibi- tion, and public access. She currently acts as the Graduate Student Association’s Director of Melnitz Movies. Finding aid: http://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ ark:/13030/c8wq04k3/?query=Lesbian+Schoolwo rker+Records

46 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 Diane Germain Papers Collection reflects the many facets of lesbian life

y collecting and preserving the documentation and materials that Bare central to women’s lives, The June Mazer Lesbian Archives preserves details of American culture that have long been invisible in archival histories. The Diane F. Germain papers exemplify this fact. Germain is a French-American lesbian- feminist psychiatric social worker. She conducts the Lesbian History Project and created and conducted a strength group for Women Survivors of Incest and/or childhood molestation for five years. She was one of the founding

47 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 Hermanas and Califia, a separatist les- also in documenting the representa- bian community. tion of women in the media as well as She worked at Lambda Archives preserving lesbian culture on the whole throughout the 1990s, interviewing for posterity. Therefore, the content of women in order to preserve lesbian his- this collection is varied. The collection tory and gathering collections. She later contains materials from activist organi- returned to serve as their Student Volun- zations in which Germain was herself teer Coordinator. She was the staff car- involved, as well as information and toonist for HotWire: The Journal of Wom- resources for other like-minded orga- en’s Music, Culture of Chicago and Lesbian nizations. She also collected magazine News. Her writing and artwork was and newspaper clippings that included featured in various publications, includ- her art work (some of which include her ing Les Talk: The Magazine for Empower- commentary). Financial documents and ing Lesbians/Womyn. She is featured in other organizational records relating members of Dykes on Hikes, the Lesbian both the anthology Tomboys!, edited by to the Las Hermanas coffee house and Referral Services, Beautiful Lesbian Thes- Lynne Yamaguchi and Karen Barber, and presentations meant for the Califia Com- pians, and California Women’s Art Collec- Lesbian Culture: An Anthology, edited by munity are included in the collection. tive. She was an early principal member Julia Penelope and Susan J. Wolfe. Materials also include videotapes of of the San Diego Lesbian Organization Germain was not only interested in community events and speakers, exten- and a collective member of both Las documenting her own experiences, but sive flyers, brochures, and other papers 48 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013

49 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 regarding lesbian and feminist political events, clippings documenting offensive depictions of LGBT people and women in media, photography, correspondence, and other ephemera and realia. Because Germain has worn so many hats, from cartoonist to historian to leader of a strength group for abuse sur- vivors, her collection offers documenta- tion of many diverse facets of lesbian life and culture throughout the second half of the twentieth century. – Ben Sher Ben Sher is doctoral student in the Department of Cinema and Media Studies and a writer for CSW Update. Finding aid for the Diane Germain Papers is Califia, a separatist lesbian community available: http://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ ark:/13030/c8jd4xjg/

50 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 WOMEN AGAINST VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN COLLECTION

omen Against Violence Against Women (WAVAW ), Wa feminist activist organiza- tion, was founded in 1976 in Los Ange- les by anti-pornography activist Marcia Womongold. The Los Angeles chapter of WAVAW was formed out of an ad hoc coalition of feminist groups who joined forces to protest a film called Snuff and the advertising campaign for the Rolling Stones album, Black and Blue. WAVAW first began as a reaction to the Los Angeles debut of Snuff in March of

51 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 1976. This film was advertised as having in cooperation with the California state been made in South America where “life chapter of the National Coalition for is cheap” and falsely claimed to show the Women (NOW), protested, and the sign actual murder and dismemberment of a was subsequently removed during the woman. In Southern California this film night before the group held its press opened in twenty-two theatres in Los conference beneath the billboard on Angeles and Orange County, including Sunset Boulevard and picketed at the the Mann Theaters. Due to WAVAW pro- site. test over the ad and the film, Snuff was In response to pressure from WAVAW, withdrawn from circulation in the entire Atlantic Records scaled back its Black Southern California area one week after and Blue advertising campaign but did it opened. not eliminate it. In light of this, WAVAW’s In June of 1976, Atlantic Records— campaign to stop the use of images of a Warner Communications, Inc. (WCI) violence against women in advertis- subsidiary—put up a billboard on Hol- ing began. When Warner, Elektra and lywood’s Sunset Strip to advertise the Atlantic Records--subsidiaries of War- Rolling Stones’ album Black and Blue. ner Communications, Inc.—failed to It depicted a beaten, bound young reply to demands that they cease and woman saying, “I’m ‘Black and Blue’ from desist in the use of images of violence the Rolling Stones and I love it!” WAVAW, against women, and sexual violence, as 52 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 an advertising gimmick, WAVAW, in In 1979, after three years of national coalition with California state chapter protesting, presenting community slide of the National Coalition for Women shows, letter-writing, phone-calling, at- (NOW) called a boycott of all WEA tending shareholders’ meetings, leaflet labels (Warner Bros., Reprise, Elektra, distributions, and boycotting, WAVAW Asylum, Nonesuch, Atlantic and Atco) secured a policy from Warner Com- in December 1976. The WCI boycott munications, Inc. stating they agreed to generated letters from thousands of cease and desist with the use of images individuals and organizations such as of violence against women and sexual NOW chapters, YWCAs, and rape crisis violence in advertising. As a result of hotlines demanding that WCI compa- the agreement, WAVAW and California nies institute a responsible advertising NOW ended a three year boycott of WCI policy. The letter-writing campaign Records. On November 8, 1979, WAVAW developed as a follow-up to WAVAW’s and WCI made joint statements to the slide show, a presentation of offensive press at dual news conferences in New album covers and advertisements York and Los Angeles announcing that that had been shown to hundreds of an agreement had been reached. The women’s groups, schools, universities agreement, announced on November 8, and community organizations across 1979, was presented to the public in the the country. form of a joint press statement, which 53 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 was negotiated by representatives from WAVAW’s national coordinating com- mittee and from the office of David H. Horowitz who is in charge of WCI’s re- cord division. Subsequently, the Los Angeles chap- ter of WAVAW turned to local projects involving protests against films and campaigns against advertising includ- ing The Story of O (1975, directed by Just Jaeckin), Bloodline (1979, directed by Terence Young), Windows (1980, directed by Gordon Willis), and Dressed to Kill (1980, directed by Brian De Palma). They also regularly protested violence in pornography (with other organiza- tions), and Playboy’s First Amendment Awards in 1982. The Women Against Violence Against Women (WAVAW) Collection is a mixture 54 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 of papers and organizational records, publications, ephemera and audiovi- sual materials collected by organization member Dani Adams (from the national office in Los Angeles).T he collection includes a range of materials, beginning with minutes from early meetings estab- lishing the organization, and continuing to document all of the group’s activities until it disbanded in 1984. Of particular interest are the internal memos and complete run of national newsletters produced by the Los Ange- les Chapter for national chapter distri- bution and slides and scripts from the WAVAW slide show, the presentation that chapter members showed to audi- ences nationwide. There is also extensive coverage of WAVAW’s actions against the film Snuff and various other films, 55 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 hensive portrait of a feminist organi- zation that had substantial influence on the social and cultural institutions of its time. It provides rare archival documentation of the film and music industry’s behind the scenes efforts to grapple with (or try ignore) feminist issues, and respond to feedback from social groups. It also serves as a potent reminder of the serious that permeated advertising from the mid- 1970s to the early 1980s. – Ben Sher Ben Sher is doctoral student in the Department of Cinema and Media Studies and a writer for CSW Update. the Rolling Stones’ Black and Blue adver- releases, correspondences, and protest Finding aid : http://www.oac.cdlib.org/find- tising campaign and national boycott pamphlets. aid/ark:/13030/kt4t1nf1vc/ of Warner Communications, Inc. (WCI), This collection is useful to researchers including background research, press on several fronts. It provides a compre-

56 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 Ester Bentley PHOTOGRAPHS AND PAPERS, 1940–2003

he best thing about working with a large number of differ- Tent collections is that you never know what you’re going to discover next. In the past year I’ve worked with collections featuring lesbian and femi- nist comic books, boxes full of T-shirts from music festivals, passionate love let- ters, and organizational materials from different activist groups. Because the June L. Mazer Lesbian Archive has such a generous collection policy, the materi- als not only represent individual people but also provide snapshots of commu- nities and political movements. Many of the collections come to us with no contextual information; in some cases,

57 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013

58 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 elor’s of Science at Catherine Spalding College (also in Louisville, Kentucky). She earned her Master’s in Social Work at two institutions, beginning at Kent School of Social Work and finishing it at the National Catholic School of Social Service at Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C. She also acquired a real estate license from the Scadron Business College in San Bernardino, Cali- we may not even know a donor’s real referencing or involving other donors fornia, and attended San Bernardino Val- name. Sometimes the collections are in to the collection. These overlaps and ley College part-time. She spent the bulk conversation with one another, giving interweavings don’t come as a complete of her career as a social worker in both us a broader picture of a time or place surprise, given that Ester Bentley was an administrative and field capacities. Upon or movement than any individual could. active and integral part of the lesbian her retirement, she focused on local The Ester Bentley Collection functions activist community in Los Angeles for lesbian activism and Catholic ministry. A simultaneously as an individual collec- many years. large part of her collection is made up tion and as connective tissue between a Born in Louisville, Kentucky, on Octo- of photographs documenting friends, handful of other collections containing ber 24, 1915, she attended the University family, and community life. My favorite letters, photographs, and journal entries of Louisville but completed her Bach- photographs in the collection come 59 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 from a series of road trips Ester took with her partner, mostly photos of landscapes along the way. She had an eye for cap- turing not just a moment but a mood in time. Her photographs provide a deep sense of time and space both of her own life but also of the communities of which she was a part. –Stacy Wood Stacy Wood is a graduate student in the MLIS program at UCLA and a GSR for the NEH/Mazer project. Finding aid: http://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ ark:/13030/c8319wpx/?query=Ester+Bentley+Coll ection

60 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 Grier Periodical Collection and Diana Press Records Materials that document the strategies, successes, and struggles of progressive publications

ver the course of the winter quarter I had the opportunity Oto work with two different col- lections from the June L. Mazer Lesbian Archives. The first collection I processed was the Barbara Grier Periodical Col- lection. Barbara Grier (1933-2011) was a lesbian-feminist activist, writer, and publisher. She is perhaps best known for her work with The Ladder, the monthly magazine published by the Daughters of Bilitis, the first national lesbian organiza- tion in the United States. Writing under the pseudonyms Gene Damon, Vern 61 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013

Niven, and Lennox Strong, Grier began lisher that opened up lesbian writing to Although the collection spans 1969 to contributing copy to The Ladder in 1957, the world. 1992, the bulk of the material is from and continued until 1968 when she as- The Barbara Grier Periodical Collection the 1980s and features periodicals from sumed the role of editor, and then pub- represents a rich assemblage of feminist large U.S. metropolitan areas as well as lisher, in 1970. In 1973, Grier co-founded and lesbian themed newspapers, maga- smaller towns. A notable strength of the Naiad Books, which later became Naiad zines, journals, and small press publica- collection is the range in type of periodi- Press, the preeminent lesbian book pub- tions amassed by Grier over the years. cal: ad-heavy weekly LGBT newspapers

62 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 such as Pittsburgh’s Out, newsletters fortunes including a fire in 1975 and a from organizations like Seattle’s Lesbian crippling incident of vandalism in 1977. Resource Center, bibliographic resources Economic setbacks, coupled with dis- including the University of Wisconsin’s agreements amongst leadership, led to Feminist Periodicals, and personal publi- a cease in publication in the late 1970s. cations such as Dorothy Feola’s Women’s The Diana Press collection contains Network. an assortment of administrative mate- The second collection, which is still rials, author files, unpublished manu- being processed, is the Diana Press scripts, press materials, and a substantial Records. Diana Press was a lesbian amount of correspondence. The corre- feminist printing and publishing house spondence is fascinating in terms of its which was started by Coletta Reid and scope and content, documenting every- Casey Czarnik in Baltimore, Maryland in thing from simple requests for catalogs 1972, then relocated to Oakland, Cali- to major business disagreements with fornia in 1977. Most notably, Diana Press authors. The assemblage of letters of published titles by the likes of Rita Mae support following the 1977 vandalism Brown and Judy Grahn, and reprinted of the Diana Press office is a particular Jeannette Foster’s pioneering Sex Variant highlight of the collection, featuring cor- Women in Literature. However, the press respondence from feminist luminaries was also plagued by a series of mis- such as and . 63 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 Both the Grier Periodical Collection and the Diana Press Records represent narratives that are too often excluded from the historical record. I’m excited to be a part of preserving and making these materials available. –Courtney Dean Courtney Dean is a graduate student in the Department of Information Studies

Letters of support written to Diana Press by Audre Lord and Adrienne Rich

64 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 Elaine Mikels papers, 1977-1984 Activist rallied againist war and for peace and helped found Older Lesbians Organizing for Change

ne of the processed collec- ests. In the late 1960s, she became, in tions from the June L. Mazer her own estimation, political. She sup- OLesbian Archives now available ported the anti-war movement, joined for viewing in UCLA Library’s Digital lesbian-feminist communities in Oregon, Collections is the Elaine Mikels Papers, and participated in peace actions. In 1977-1984. 1976 she founded the Older Women’s Mikels was born in 1921 in Los An- Network in order to bring older lesbian geles and spent much of her early life feminists together to share resources there. Like some other closeted women and achieve their activist goals. She coming of age in the 1940s, she had would go on to participate in similar little concept of how to deal with her groups and helped to found the group own relationships, much less how to Older Lesbians Organizing for Change. build community though shared inter- Mikels eventually settled in Santa Fe,

65 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 NM, but most of the photographic col- PeaceWalk from Gainesville, FL, to Key Mikels’ autobiography, Just Lucky I lection represents the years she lived in West, FL, in 1984. Also represented in Guess: From Closet Lesbian to Radical Oregon and North Carolina. the collection are photographs docu- Dyke (Desert Crone Press), as well as Most of the collection is composed of menting the Women’s Pentagon Action, a copy of the final published version. about 200 photographs taken by Mikels. a two-thousand– woman protest that Papers, journals, correspondence, draw- Included are scenes of activist gather- surrounded the Pentagon in 1981. ings, and other pesonal materials make ings, social gatherings and sports clubs, her involvement in the Older Women’s up the rest of the collection. writing groups. One set of photos, titled Network is documented through ex- it is collections like this one that make “Dyke Olympics,” includes photos of amples of the organization’s newsletter, the Mazer such a special repository. Hav- women lifting weights, wrestling, sprint- which was called Our Own. ing these images from Mikels’ life avail- ing, and wearing togas from an event Contained in the Mikels collection are able for viewing on the UCLA Library’s held in 1983. Another includes photos also photos related to Feminary, a news- Digital Collections means that lesbians, of women working on roofing a house. letter published by an women’s collec- feminists, and researchers from all over Softball games are the subject of anoth- tive in Durham, NC, in 1969. In the words the world can get a glimpse of an im- er series. of Minnie Bruce Pratt, “we were a group portant time and one woman’s legacy of Mikels participated in demonstra- of anti-racist, anti-imperialist Southern lesbian activism. tions including Nuclear Disarmament lesbians.” Photographs of Pratt are con- FInding aid: http://www.oac.cdlib.org/ Rally in 1982, a PeaceWalk from Durham, tained within the Mikels collection. findaid/ark:/13030/c8fx7b5w/?query=Elai NC, to Seneca Peace Camp, which took the collection also includes materi- ne+Mikels+papers place from June 3 to July 4, 1983, and als related to the publication of Elaine 66 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 RECORDS OF BROOMSTICK MAGAZINE Combatting ageism and gender stereotyping

roomstick was an indepen- lated to radical feminist politics, les- dent, self-published radical bian culture and art, spirituality of the Bfeminist magazine dedicated to Crone, women and aging, and feminist supporting and promoting women coalitions and communities. The col- and lesbian activism and art for an au- lection contains a complete run of dience of women over forty. Founded the magazine, organizational records, by Maxine Spencer and Polly Taylor in financial statements, correspondence,

Berkeley, California, in 1978, it ceased submissions and rejections, and many publication in 1993. of the plates used for printing the its main goals were confronting age- magazine. The collection also contains ism, stereotypes of the disabled, and Spencer’s personal papers document- breaking down gender conventions in ing her personal experiences with publishing. It also explores topics re- radical feminism, lesbianism, disability,

67 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 sexism, and age discrimination. published and funded magazine, but the idea for Broomstick was born financial insolvency led to its demise. when eight women over forty attended The materials are organized into four a Crone’s Caucus and organized a loose series: Magazine Production, Publicity, coalition that would support, fund, and Administrative Records, and Author Files. collectively address concerns specific The Magazine Production series docu- to older women. This peer-led group ments the creative and physical produc- would also function as a supportive net- tion process of Broomstick from start work for activism. Together, Spencer and to finish. It offers a unique perspective Taylor approached “OPTIONS for Women on the process of creating a grassroots, Over Forty,” a newly formed feminist or- independent magazine. It contains lay- ganization in Berkeley. They asked for its outs, typesettings, artwork and cartoons, endorsement and financial support to articles used for research, letters to the create a feminist political journal for and editor, ideas for editorials, drafts and

Broomstick sought to provide about women over forty. In exchange, potential content for magazine columns, materials, information, and support Spencer and Taylor pledged to publicize promotional contests, as well as a com- for women over forty. OPTIONS in the journal and promote plete set of finished Broomstick issues, its programs. Though OPTIONS gave including indexes—published annu- initial support and funding, Broomstick ally cataloging authors, themes, and eventually grew into an independently published issues—and a self-produced 68 making invisible histories visible CSW u p d at e2013 Writer’s Packet to guide contributors in the submission process. The other series are equally rich in material about the process of publishing, including devel- oping ideas, managing finances, and getting attention. FInding aid: http://www.oac.cdlib.org/ findaid/ark:/13030/c8br8sth/?query=Broo mstick+Magazine

69 UCLA CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF WOMEN supporting innovative research on women, gender, and sexuality CSW u p d at e

ACTING DIRECTOR Rachel Lee Associate Professor, English and GENDER Studies

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR Julie Childers, Ph.D.

MANAGING EDITOR Brenda Johnson-Grau

ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIALIST Allison Wyper

STUDENT ASSISTANTS Olga Desyatnik, Kimberlee Granholm, Angel Diaz, Angelica Lai, Magaly Martin, Josh Olejarz, Rylan Ross, Bessie Sanchez, Ben Sher, Cathy Son, Laura Swanbeck, and Stacy Wood

UCLA Center for the Study of Women 1500 Public Affairs Building/Box 957222 Los Angeles, CA 90095-7222

campus mailcode: 722203 310 825 0590 / 310 825 0456 (fax)

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