Sinister Wisdom: Dykes in Amerika in the 70s

In the editor’s note to the Spring 2011 issue of Sinister Wisdom, Julie R. Enszer comments on attending the October 2010 conference sponsored by the Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies (CLAGS) titled In Amerika They Call Us Dykes: Lesbians in the 70s. This issue is compiled of works from this conference by Agatha Beins, Evelyn Torton Beck, Cheryl Clarke, Madeline Davis, Tucker Pamella Farley, Myriam Fougere, Alexis Pauline Gumbs, Patricia A. Gozemba, Jeri Hilderley, Bonnie J. Morris, Amanda Ream, Mimi Iimuro Van Ausdall, Fran Winant, Renee DeLong, Lisa C. Moore and Tiona McClodden.

Enszer writes: “Attending the conference and compiling this issue of Sinister Wisdom, I’ve been thinking about these questions: How do we narrate and share history between generations? How can we pass on traditions, ideas, and values to new generations while still giving younger women the space to experiment and formulate their own traditions, ideas, and values? How do we honor the past and think critically about it as a way to refine our strategies for change? How do we honor the past while still celebrating the current achievements and future dreams of women who have already made extraordinary contributions? Contributors to this issue of Sinister Wisdom grapple with these questions and more.