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bananahulk's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.0
chamomiledaydreams's review against another edition
3.0
The author's voice and imagery are both very strong in this book, which makes learning about LGBTQ+ history effortless and entertaining. It's great to read a first-hand account of events I've previously only learned about through textbooks. The events and people really come alive this way!
patroclusbro's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
tense
slow-paced
4.0
I spent several weeks with this book; revisiting it and making my way through it chapter by chapter. There is something so intriguing about this little portal into 1970s lesbian feminism, political activism and gay movement that Córdova created.
I am glad that first-hand reports like these exist. A time capsule into (mostly) one eventful summer of 1975, it taught me a lot about the tensions between communist, gay, feminist, lesbian and lesbian feminist movements of the USA at the time.
I had no previous knowledge about the strikes that lesbians invoked at the Los Angeles Gay Community Services Center (first of its kind in the country) - after being fired by the gay men that led it. In a way it is reassuring to know that fights within the queer communities have always existed. Political stances, group dynamics and language around us has always been shifting and we have to keep this in mind whenever we try to look for easy, edible answers! I also believe that we absolutely need more inter-generational spaces for queers to talk about our different histories and perspectives - so that Zillenials like me don't have to learn about it from books that need to get shipped around half the globe!
Following Córdova through political and personal heartbreak, seeing her put to much on her plate and being constantly overwhelmed, making too little time for lovers and having to be built up again by friends had me cringe, but also feel with her. In a way, little has changed about queer activists. The ending felt somewhat unravelled, but after all this is an autobiography and life doesn't always follow clear narratives.
That being said, the book is also pretty dense: If you can get excited by the intricate schemes, twists and turns of political strategising, the story might read like a thriller. If you are not, it can dry at times!
Nevertheless, this book is absolutel recommendable for any one who wants to learn more about lesbian history and queer movements of the past!
I am glad that first-hand reports like these exist. A time capsule into (mostly) one eventful summer of 1975, it taught me a lot about the tensions between communist, gay, feminist, lesbian and lesbian feminist movements of the USA at the time.
I had no previous knowledge about the strikes that lesbians invoked at the Los Angeles Gay Community Services Center (first of its kind in the country) - after being fired by the gay men that led it. In a way it is reassuring to know that fights within the queer communities have always existed. Political stances, group dynamics and language around us has always been shifting and we have to keep this in mind whenever we try to look for easy, edible answers! I also believe that we absolutely need more inter-generational spaces for queers to talk about our different histories and perspectives - so that Zillenials like me don't have to learn about it from books that need to get shipped around half the globe!
Following Córdova through political and personal heartbreak, seeing her put to much on her plate and being constantly overwhelmed, making too little time for lovers and having to be built up again by friends had me cringe, but also feel with her. In a way, little has changed about queer activists. The ending felt somewhat unravelled, but after all this is an autobiography and life doesn't always follow clear narratives.
That being said, the book is also pretty dense: If you can get excited by the intricate schemes, twists and turns of political strategising, the story might read like a thriller. If you are not, it can dry at times!
Nevertheless, this book is absolutel recommendable for any one who wants to learn more about lesbian history and queer movements of the past!
dar1a_m0rg3ndorff3r's review against another edition
4.0
Great book! With a historically-accurate framework, Jeanne Córdova tells her escapades as an activist and as a lesbian non-monogamous lover. She easily merges historically significant moments of the queer movement with her own activism as a lesbian and with her (chaotic) love life. We get the full picture of what it must have been to be a politically involved lesbian in the 1970s. It reads like any other novel but with a great twist: you get to learn about all the great work lesbians were doing for the movement in the '70s! It is not necessarily a short book, but you'll find yourself turning page after page until the day turns to night! I definitely recommend it. Yay lesbians!
laurakingdickens's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
5.0
eren_reads's review
challenging
informative
medium-paced
4.5
As a queer person, I loved this book and loved every bit of information that it presented me with. Not just that, but it reads like a novel whilst still being informative and so it feels very accessible for anyone just getting into non-fiction.
emilyofthegreenwood's review against another edition
4.0
This book paints such a clear picture of lesbian feminist activism in the mid '70s, and how women both embraced and struggled to find intersectional footing in two different civil rights movements with competing values. This book is an essential piece of lesbian history, and I can't recommend it enough.
mkat303's review against another edition
3.0
I almost gave this 4 stars, as I found Cordova's description of 1970s lesbian feminism in L.A., lesbian involvement in underground movements (e.g. the S.L.A.) and the battle at the gay community center really interesting. However, I quickly bored of her relationship drama. Also, the book could have used some copy editing.