A Place of Our Own

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 destinationsFor 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.