Sandra Gail Lambert

Lesbian, queer, dyke - all that.

Sometimes, something makes you look at your website with "fresh eyes."  I did that today and, yikes, I had a panic that it wasn't lesbian enough.  It's great that these days we don't have to proclaim "lesbian here, right here" all over the place just to keep the world from closeting us, but maybe I've become too casual.  And it doesn't help that I'm single and so don't have all those homey couple pictures to post.  And that as of late I'm not the type to write much about sexcapades.  (Although I appreciate those who do.  Ummm, maybe I should think about that.)  

So, here you go.  A little bit of "lesbian visibility."  And the image above is by Tamara de Lempicka.  Ellis Avery has written a grand novel about, sort of, this artist's life called The Last Nude. 

Nikky Finney's NBA for Poetry Speech

"I am now officially speechless," she ends it.  More accurately, we all are speechless. Start at the four minute mark to hear Nikky Finney's awesome acceptance speech for her collection Head Off and Split. 

LGBT Writers in Schools

Did you ever dream that some day you, in all your queer writing self, would be invited back to speak at your high school, middle school (if they had those then), or even your elementary school?  The Lambda Literary Foundation is wanting just that to be possible.  They, along with The National Council of Teachers of English, are pulling together a pilot program to place authors with classrooms. 

Right now, I think they're just "taking names" for this LGBT Writers in Schools program.  Go sign up.  They are especially looking for authors that write for young adults. 

Books Save Lives - The Make It Safe Project

Reading.  In my childhood it offered hope and a way to thrive.  And in our bookstore I saw books change, expand, rescue, lighten, and actually save people's lives.  And now fifteen-year-old lesbian Amelia Roskin-Frazee has started the Make It Safe Project to provide packages of LGBTQ themed books to schools and youth homeless shelters.  

Here's a Lambda Literary interview with Amelia.  Her favorite book right now is Annie on My Mind by Nancy Garden.  I remember when it came out in 1982.  I remember the joy of selling it. I remember arguing for it to be put in the the young adult section of our catalog rather than adult fiction.  I lost.  Things have changed, haven't they?  

Adrienne Rich is Eighty-two years old today

 

Adrienne Rich - poet, essayist, lesbian, feminist.  The woman who wrote "When a woman tells the truth she is creating the possibility for more truth around her" and "The moment of change is the only poem."  The woman whose chapbook "On Lies, Secrets, and Silences" I used to carry around with me.  Happy, happy birthday to you. 

 
Audre Lorde, Meridel Le Sueur, and Adrienne Rich in 1980.

  

 

 

Girls! Girls! Girls! The 19th Annual Lesbian Variety Show

 
Tomorrow.  The Thelma Boltin Center.  8pm.  Except for that year my mother was in a coma, I've been to them all.    

Lambda Literary Awards - Read Any Good Queers Lately?

 
If you look at this list of Lambda Literary Award Finalists and are appalled by how few of them you've read, you are not alone.  I've read The Big Bang Symphony (oh, so good) and Just Kids, and that's it. 

This must be rectified.  For me, since I hope one day to be listed in the category, Lesbian Debut Fiction is a good place to start.  My choices are Alcetis by Katherine Beutner, Fall Asleep Forgetting by Georgeann Packard, The More I Owe You by Michael Sledge, One More Stop by Lois Walden, or Sub Rosa by Amber Dawn. 

P.S.  One of these novels, it seems, is by a man, Michael Sledge.  Now I'm sure it's a lovely piece of fiction, but I thought the purpose of a Lesbian Debut Category was to support and promote lesbian writers. 

The Little Print Shop That Could

Our own Dragonfly Graphics and Gainesville have made the New York Times.  It's a relief that the media have finally widened their story to include Gainesville's response to this Muslim-hating, fame-seeking creep.  Of course, the story leaves out the lesbian activism aspects and that our queer community has been dealing with this man and his few followers for awhile now.  It seems that anti-gay protests are where fanatics cut their teeth.    

1930's Lesbian Autobiography - Next on the History Detectives!

 
You know how I love The History Detectives on PBS. (Did you see the one about the Space Boot!)  Anyway, this Monday Tukufu Zuberi will be searching for the author of Diana: A Strange Autobiography.  It was supposedly written in the 1930's and is supposedly an early lesbian autobiography that somehow escaped censorship.  All shall be revealed. 

 

Ferron: Girl on a Road

 
For all of us Ferron Fans, there's a documentary just out about her life and music.  I ordered a copy as a birthday present for a friend and barely managed not to rip the plastic off and watch it first.  That wouldn't have been right, right? That woman (and her music) give me the shivers all over.  Here's a snippet.   

Gainesville Pride Weekend

It's LGBT Pride time in Gainesville.  I know, other places hold theirs in June, but after one too many incidences of heat stroke during the march/parade, we moved it to October.

Here's a link to all the events courtesy of the Pride Community Center.  Me, I'm going to the pre-Pride kick off at Kickin' Devil Cafe this evening.  Tomorrow is the downtown party, and after wards I'm driving out to the lesbian hotbed of Melrose for a friend's seventieth birthday party. 

I'll just have to take more anti-inflammatories and go have fun.  I remember when I used to go to a party and use drugs.  Now I use drugs to get myself to the party.    

The Same Love - Lesbian Relationships

And this is just Part One of a documentary by Bernadette.

Nostalgia

It's odd, but listening to Pandora on my new I-Touch is making me remember a road trip I took in 1976 (7?).  It was me, barely out, and the only two other lesbians that I knew.  We drove from Augusta, Georgia through back roads for hours.  They knew two more lesbians who lived in a single wide in the middle of a patch of North Florida pine woods.  We arrived.  And then the five of us listened to two albums - Chris Williamson's Changer and the Changed and Meg Christian's I Know You Know.  Then we drove all the way back.  It was a huge deal.   

Soon after, a lover gave me Linda Tillery's album Womanly Way.  And now, here I am with my I-Touch.  Somehow, today, it all seems so connected. 

Astraea Lesbian Writers Fund - there is still time

Are you a lesbian-identified poet or fiction writer?  Have you had at least one piece of writing published somewhere but no more than one book?  Could you use an award ranging from $1500 to $10,000?  Astraea Foundation has extended their deadline to July 15th.  Check out the other requirements and apply now.  

Here's some info about Astraea from their website:

"Astraea is a dynamic global foundation providing critically needed financial support to lesbian-led, trans, LGBTI and progressive organizations. Separated by continents, language and culture, Astraea grantees are seizing opportunities, and laying the groundwork necessary for women and LGBTI people to claim their human rights. Astraea staff, board, members and grantees all share a deep commitment to feminist principles, racial and economic justice and human rights."

 

Yodeling Lesbian Twins - Jools and Lynda Topp

I want to move to New Zealand and have one of these sisters (I don't care which one.  Either or both would be fine.) leave her girlfriend for me.  My far distant second choice is that this movie is soon available from Netflix.

Memories - Brought to me by Facebook

Lorraine in Atlanta has been posting old photos on Facebook, and there I am, thirty years ago, in photographs I've never seen before.  It's odd and wonderful.  Here are a few of the images - some I'm in, some not.  To see them all, here's the link.

 

 

 

The New York Times and Dykes to Watch Out For

The NYT has a glowing, intelligent review of Alison Bechdel's The Essential Dykes to Watch Out For.  Which means, sort of, that they did a glowing, intelligent review of my life. Which means that they said "dyke" in the NYT.  Which means that Alison Bechdel's talent and devotion to her own and our lesbian selves has, among so many other things, opened a bit more space for lesbian writers. 

P.S.  Me, I'm a combination of Mo and Clea who in the past years has relaxed enough to add a good bit of Harriet.  How about you?