Finding and Studying Lesbian Culture

On a Wednesday afternoon in the dead of winter, twelve lesbians met to begin a six-week exploration of our culture. Our most immediate and persistent awareness was lack of precedent; our sense of breaking new ground added excitement and urgency to all our meetings . We felt a deep frustration at how hard it is to study something for the first time. Out of our experience together, we want to share what we found, and, even more, our process . We hope this process may serve as a model from which others can begin their investigations within their own communities. By sharing method, we can evolve a fruitful way to talk about lesbian culture, leaving behind the bankruptcy of social science

Out at the University: Myth and Reality

For the first eleven years I taught at the University of Minnesota, I stayed in the closet I\u27d fled to within the first month of recognizing my lesbianism. During those years, I was awarded tenure quite early (the end of my third year); I won both a collegiate and an all-University award for outstanding teaching; I almost got a book on Shakespeare\u27s last plays published; I was active in my regional professional organization. During those years, I experienced increasing pain at the dislike my immediate superiors [sic] had for me, no matter what I did. I learned quickly that it was not helpful to talk of my devotion to teaching or about my hard-working, enthusiastic students. So I tried a variety of ways to win approval. One year I spent over $1,000 throwing cocktail parties and feeding people elegant dinners; the next I was hardly ever seen at social functions. One year I served on numerous departmental committees; the next I refused all nominations. One year I went to every department meeting and spoke vigorously to the issues; the next I sat silent at those few meetings I attended. One year I frequented the faculty coffee lounge daily; the next I stayed inside my own office except to go to class or check my mail. Nothing worked. I was confused, angry, hurt, and exhausted

NWSA News

REPORTS FROM THE STEERING COMMITTEE May 30 to September 1, 1977 At the May 26-29 meeting of the NWSA Coordinating Council in Milwaukee, it was decided that a Steering Committee of six members would be responsible for the day-to-day decisions/operations of the NWSA. The intention was that the Steering Committee would work with the National Coordinator of the NWSA, who would fill one of the six slots. Four Coordinating Council delegates were elected to serve on the Steering Committee until the next Coordinating Council meeting: Elizabeth Baer (Student Caucus), Sherna Gluck (Pacific Southwest/Community delegate), Barbara Hillyer Davis (Treasurer, Women\u27s Studies Program delegate), Toni McNaron (Lesbian Caucus). The two remaining slots are to be filled by the National Office Coordinator and the 1978 National Conference Coordinator

The Future of Women\u27s Studies (Continued)

from the CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, CHICO Women\u27s Studies at Chico developed from courses offered by women in their different departments, gathered to form a minor degree program in spring, 1973. Two specifically women\u27s studies courses were designed at that time: a team-taught Introduction to Women\u27s Studies (draws around 80 students a semester, changes women students\u27 expectations and horizons by projecting models of achieving women) and a Senior Research Seminar designed to integrate the students\u27 major and minor. Both are taught by the Women\u27s Studies Coordinator. Student demand has led to the development of new courses whose content received a great deal of student input: Women\u27s Health, Women in the Working World, Women in Art, Minority Women and the Re-Entry Program for Mature Women. There are now 20 courses offered through the Women\u27s Studies Program. Students are designing special degrees on the B.A. and M.A. level in areas such as Women and Counseling, Psychology and Art. ...from the CITY COLLEGE OF THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK... ...from FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY... ...from the JERSEY CITY STATE COLLEGE... ...from the UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND... ...from UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS/AMHERST... ...from the UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA... ...from the UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA..