Boots
of Leather, Slippers of Gold : The History of a Lesbian Community
by Elizabeth Lapovsky Kennedy, Madeline
D. Davis (Contributor)
A groundbreaking oral history, culled from the
collected histories of forty-five women and featuring numerous
photographs, offers a chronicle of the lives of lesbian women in
Buffalo, New York from the 1930s to the 1960s.
Boots of Leather, Slippers of Gold traces the
evolution of the lesbian community in Buffalo, New York from the
mid-1930s up to the early 1960s. Drawing upon the oral histories
of 45 women, it is the first comprehensive history of a
working-class lesbian community. These poignant and complex
stories show how black and white working-class lesbians, although
living under oppressive circumstances, nevertheless became
powerful agents of historical change. Based on 13 years of
research, Boots of Leather, Slippers of Gold ranges over such
topics as sex, relationships, coming out, butch-fem roles,
motherhood, aging, racism, work, oppression and pride. Kennedy and
Davis provide a unique insider's perspective on butch-fem culture
and argue that the roots of gay and lesbian liberation are found
specifically in the determined resistance of working-class
lesbians.
"At a time when many lesbian and gay leaders are urging
assimilation and moderation, Boots of Leather, Slippers of Gold
recovers a neglected chapter of lesbian and gay history and
reminds us of the enduring importance of outlaw roots."
-- San Francisco Chronicle-Examiner
"This should be seen as a groundbreaking book\Ma fascinating
look at the pre-political support systems, of friendship groups
extended to include ex-lovers' families and children that became
one of the foundation blocks for building the gay/lesbian
communities of our day." -- San
Francisco Review of Books
". . . the first comprehensive account of a working-class
lesbian community..." -- Ms.
Magazine
