9780774830676
Distributed for University of British Columbia Press
Making a Scene
Lesbians and Community across Canada, 1964-84
In the 1960s, a youthful and ambitious lesbian movement began taking shape in Canada. After decades of being pathologized, disparaged, or erased from public view, lesbians were ready to make a scene – both by calling attention to themselves and by creating places to come together and forge their own culture. Making a Scene tells this story, revisiting the spaces lesbians created across rural and urban Canada, from physical locations, such as bars, bookstores, and members’ clubs, to ephemeral sites, such as conferences, festivals, and protest marches. Enriched with interviews, this volume captures the exuberance and challenges of this transformational period.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Part 1: Creating Places
1 “The Lesbian, Drinking, Is Never at Her Best”: Beer Parlours, Taverns, and Bars
2 “No Drugs, No Straights”: Members-Only Clubs
3 “Let’s Decide What We Are – A Drop-In or a Café with Entertainment”: Buildings
Part 2: Overcoming Geography
4 “It Was an Incredible Conference”: Getting Together
5 “An Event That Is Talked About as Far Away as Toronto”: Claiming Public Space
6 “Be Daring – Live the Unbelievable and Challenging Life of a Rural Lesbian!”: Outside the Big City
Conclusion
Notes
Bibliography
Index