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peachnpoison's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
ursulab's review against another edition
challenging
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.0
ricoocri's review against another edition
5.0
Truly incredible!! The more things change the more they stay the same, kind of sobering to see how many problems from the 50s and 80s we're still dealing with, or that made a resurgence.
pretzelcoatl's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
laurelinwonder's review against another edition
5.0
This is a very important book. A seamless collection of essays, written with such fierce passion, such hope in the worst of it. Nestle is an important woman, who speaks for those perhaps most harshly judged & over looked, in a way that they have not been spoken for before. A powerful collection you should not miss.
jennycn__'s review against another edition
5.0
I dipped in and out of this book, but I know I’m going to go back to all of it because it’s so dense. A mixture of essays and erotica, this gets 5 Stars simply because it’s such a fundamentally important part of lesbian/queer history.
tlaynejones's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
4.25
This is very much a book of its time, particularly in terms of Trans people - there aren’t any. All diversity of gender, in people assigned female at birth, seem to be attributed to gender expression, being butch, or hiding a lesbian relationship by passing as a straight couple. No apparent consideration that any of this diverse representation may have included Trans men. There are also mentions of attending the Michigan Women’s Festival, but no mention of the controversy about excluding Trans women.
In addition, the discussions of the birth of lesbian feminism seem to be largely about white feminism, but that distinction doesn’t seem to be clear.
However, having said all that, I was fascinated and challenged by these essays. I really appreciated having this insight into the life of a fierce and vulnerable Queer, cis, Jewish, white, sexual, lesbian activist, who came of age in 1950s America. Nestle shares autobiographical stories about growing up as a Jewish child of a single mother in the McCarthy era, and goes on to her time in the civil rights movement. Nestle then writes about living as a sexual queer woman. About being sexual. About being a writer, and about being an activist.
I sincerely hope that this curious and thoughtful mind continued to challenge herself, and broaden her understanding of the world. I was intrigued by this insight into a little bit of what queer life was like in mid 20th century USA. Recommended.
In addition, the discussions of the birth of lesbian feminism seem to be largely about white feminism, but that distinction doesn’t seem to be clear.
However, having said all that, I was fascinated and challenged by these essays. I really appreciated having this insight into the life of a fierce and vulnerable Queer, cis, Jewish, white, sexual, lesbian activist, who came of age in 1950s America. Nestle shares autobiographical stories about growing up as a Jewish child of a single mother in the McCarthy era, and goes on to her time in the civil rights movement. Nestle then writes about living as a sexual queer woman. About being sexual. About being a writer, and about being an activist.
I sincerely hope that this curious and thoughtful mind continued to challenge herself, and broaden her understanding of the world. I was intrigued by this insight into a little bit of what queer life was like in mid 20th century USA. Recommended.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Rape, Sexual violence, and Racism
marionberry's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
sophiem_ng's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
I read this because Ann Cvetkovich analyses it in Archive of Feeling and it was really great! A mix of essays/reflective pieces and erotic writing, v moving v well written, really really good read!