‘Lesbian Liberation in the Sexual Revolution’

In 1973 the Boston Women’s Health Collective published an updated edition of Our Bodies, Ourselves which incorporated a chapter entitled ‘In Amerika they call us Dykes,’ written by a group called Lesbian Liberation. This prompted an outpouring of correspondence to the organisation from women all over the United States praising the courageously open discussions about lesbianism in the book. In these letters women articulated a resounding plea for the integration of lesbian liberation into the wider women’s liberation movement. This letter-writing also provided a safe space for women to openly share their sexual desires, fears and concerns surrounding homosexuality. Most importantly, the letters provided the opportunity for women to celebrate and claim their sexuality, often for the first time. Many correspondents nationwide also hoped that Lesbian Liberation in Boston could direct them to similar organisations in their own area. Reflecting on the development of lesbianism identity and community during the Sexual Revolution, this paper will discuss the creation of an ‘imagined community’ through epistolary networks, as women expressed a desire to connect with their ‘sisters’ and searched for a sense of communal solidarity and kinship.