An Army of Lovers: Lesbians in the women's movement in the 1970s and 1980s

Abstract

This public exhibit marks the fiftieth anniversary of the Report of the Royal Commission on the Status of Women (1970) and the fiftieth anniversary of the partial decriminalization of same-sex sex acts (1969) by exploring the diverse experiences of lesbian women as they came out as lesbians, and came into the women's movement. Through a mix of audio documentary and textual and photo documents, visitors will learn about the past through the intimate stories of lives as they were lived. Their recollections of their formative experiences remind us of the value of struggle, of tactics of resistance, and ultimately of the power of resilience. The research utilizes edited oral testimonies of fifteen different women, illustrated with photographs and documents from their personal archives. This exhibit is travelling to various locations across Canada throughout 2020, starting at the Vancouver City Archives on International Women's Day (March 8th).