The Lavender Line: Exploring lesbian social spaces in Chicago’s recent past and present

In this last episode, we’re talking about queer nightlife. We’ll explore the history of gay parties in and beyond the bars, why parties are more important than we think, and what role lesbians spaces will and won’t play in the future. Stay tuned to hear about Executive Sweet, a “traveling party” for women of color, as well as queer dance parties, bingo and open mic nights. We’ll ask ourselves: What does lesbian community look like today? How and why is that changing? What do we gain from spending time with each other? Sources Orne, J. (2017). Boystown. The University of Chicago Press. Web sources https://www.lesbianbarproject.com/http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/509.html#:~:text=After%20the%20repeal%20of%20Prohibition,on%20Clark%20Street%20near%20Division.https://www.aidschicago.org/queer-bronzeville-a-short-history-of-black-queer-chicago-and-aids-activism-1920-1985/https://www.jacobpieczynski.com/disappeared-chicago-s-lost-lesbian-https://www.chicagomag.com/city-life/June-2019/For-Black-Gay-Chicagoans-Its-Always-Been-Jeffery-Pub/https://blockclubchicago.org/2023/06/15/chicagos-lesbian-bars-vanished-for-years-but-sapphic-spaces-are-making-a-comeback/https://www.npr.org/2023/03/02/1160484070/chicago-birth-of-house-musichttps://www.chicagogayhistory.com/video_bio.php?id=633https://chicagolgbthalloffame.org/mccombs-patricia/https://windycitytimes.com/2013/07/14/executive-sweet-hosts-reunion/Music All the Good by Jana Stanfield performed by Artemis Singers, 2024 Kid Kodi by <a href="https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/272428">Blue Dot Sessions</a>Long Await by <a href="https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/272431">Blue Dot Sessions</a>Charcoal Lines by <a href="https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/272441">Blue Dot Sessions</a> Lupi by <a href="https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/273496">Blue Dot Sessions</a>

In this episode, we are talking about how lesbians have always found more “underground” or “informal” spaces and what actually is a lesbian potluck. We’ll look into 3 organizations started in the mid-1990s, WACT Brunch, Amigas Latinas and Alma. We’ll ask ourselves:  Why is lesbian community needed? How have those needs changed over time? What does it mean to forge a community based on sexuality and race? Sources Baim, T. (2007). Gay Games VII: Where the world meets, Chicago 2006. Published by Windy City Media Group for the Federation of Gay Games.Rogers, S. F. (1995). Sportsdykes: Stories from on and off the field. St. Martin’s PressZipter, Y. (1988). Diamonds are a Dyke’s best friend: Reflections, reminiscences, and reports from the field on the Lesbian National Pastime. Firebrand Books. Web sources https://chicagolgbthalloffame.org/metropolitan-sports-association-msa/https://chicagomsa.org/aboutcmsa/https://windycitytimes.com/2010/09/29/wct-25-sports-and-the-lgbt-community-back-in-the-80s/ Music Kid Kodi by <a href="https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/272428">Blue Dot Sessions</a>Long Await by <a href="https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/272431">Blue Dot Sessions</a>Charcoal Lines by <a href="https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/272441">Blue Dot Sessions</a> Lupi by <a href="https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/273496">Blue Dot Sessions</a>

In this episode, we are talking about how lesbians have always found more “underground” or “informal” spaces and what actually is a lesbian potluck. We’ll look into 3 organizations started in the mid-1990s, WACT Brunch, Amigas Latinas and Alma. We’ll ask ourselves: Why is lesbian community needed? How have those needs changed over time? What does it mean to forge a community based on sexuality and race? Web Sources https://www.almachicago.org/teamhttps://chicagolgbthalloffame.org/amigas-latinas/https://interactive.wttw.com/firsthand/segregation/mapping-chicago-racial-segregationhttps://scholar.google.com/citations?view_op=view_citation&hl=en&user=sm1y8HwAAAAJ&citation_for_view=sm1y8HwAAAAJ:2osOgNQ5qMEChttps://www.bu.edu/articles/2022/impact-of-losing-queer-spaces-in-cities-and-how-dyke-bars-commemorated/Music Kid Kodi by <a href="https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/272428">Blue Dot Sessions</a>Long Await by <a href="https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/272431">Blue Dot Sessions</a>Charcoal Lines by <a href="https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/272441">Blue Dot Sessions</a> Lupi by <a href="https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/273496">Blue Dot Sessions</a>

In this first episode, we will explore the idea of lesbian community, “women’s music” and what it means to be, not just a feminist, but a lesbian feminist. This episode will feature 2 lesbian social organizations that started in the mid to late 1970s.These include Artemis Singers, the U.S.’s only lesbian feminist chorus, Mountain Moving coffeehouse, a volunteer-run space for womyn’s music performances and MichFest, a popular and controversial women-run music festival. We’ll answer the questions: What is lesbian community? What does it mean to be exclusively lesbians? And what determines if groups survive or disappear? Web Sources https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/10894160.2015.1083815?casa_token=ulO7QzWpi4MAAAAA:yPiW7vhr5Shjg14brPtoKt_GzCQBIPJTBehTzdduoh5C_KpTi1JUfDXcNbbKz4lThl3cNquuZAMkeMkhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352250X22002299https://outhistory.org/exhibits/show/lesbians-20th-century/lesbian-feminismMusic I am the Expert by Martha Burrows performed by Artemis Singers, 2024 Hymn to her by The Pretenders performed by Artemis SIngers, 1991  Women of the World performed by Artemis Singers, 1991Wildflowers by Paula Walowitz recorded in 1990 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soZqfOfK6m8&ab_channel=TracyBaim All the Good by Jana Stanfield performed by Artemis Singers, 2024 Kid Kodi by <a href="https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/272428">Blue Dot Sessions</a>Long Await by <a href="https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/272431">Blue Dot Sessions</a>Charcoal Lines by <a href="https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/272441">Blue Dot Sessions</a> Lupi by <a href="https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/273496">Blue Dot Sessions</a>Further reading The Day the Mountains Move by Yosano Akiko (1911): https://danceinexile.wordpress.com/2021/01/17/the-day-the-mountains-move-by-yosano-akiko-1911/ The Combahee River Collective: https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/combahee-river-collective-statement-1977/