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I& #39;ve been working on research projects looking at lesbian magazines since second year of undergraduate study. That& #39;s oh god, it& #39;s 20 years. Today something kind of magical happened and I want to tell you about it.
Most of my magazine& #39;s research has focused on DIVA magazine, which started in 1994, but I& #39;ve always tried to contextualise that in terms of the magazines and newsletters that preceded it - in Britain, that& #39;s basically Arena Three (1964-1971) and Sappho (1971-1982).
When DIVA reached its 200th (?) issue, I wrote a feature about that history, and a little while later, they had a letter from a woman called Doris. She was 88 and not your typical DIVA reader, but she was thrilled to see Arena Three and its ed, Esmé Langley, get a mention.
She had worked as Langley& #39;s secretary, typing out the magazine for copying. She met her life partner in the group. We talked about meeting up so she could share with me her stories, but I think I scared her off by asking if I could bring a tape recorder.
That was seven years ago. Recently I& #39;ve been expanding my work on the history of lesbian periodical publishing, and thinking about Doris again. She would be 95 by now (and maybe moved house!). I sent a letter with my return address on the envelope, expecting it to be returned.
I& #39;ve just opened an envelope containing a letter of several pages, from Doris, telling me all about her life. The tenderness with which she remembers her partner of 28 years, is, well, I don& #39;t even know the words. She& #39;s had such a life, but is now largely stuck indoors.
