A review by little_dog
Parker & Hulme: A Lesbian View by Julie Glamuzina

5.0

All the information I had ever gleaned about this case has been highly sensational, so I wasn't sure what to expect when I requested this book from the library. Whilst this book is not long the authors manage to present an incredibly comprehensive and sensible view of the case in a way that is clear and easy to follow. I learned a lot about Aotearoa history, particularly in terms of society in the 50s and also, the ways in which our lesbian liberation differed from other countries. I thought the survey of lesbians at the end and the way the case affected their perception of self, and the behaviours of others around them to be particularly important (in terms of it's affect on attitudes towards female homosexuality in a specifically NZ context). Although Juliet Hulme (now author Anne Perry) has in recent years stated that they were not lesbians, it is undeniable that this case had a profound affect on societal attitudes and lesbians (or potential lesbians) of the time because of how their relationship was framed. Most informative and enjoyable(?) read of 2019 so far.