A Lesbian History of Britain

Rebecca Jennings's book is a neat overview of published material on lesbian history of 바카라사이트 past 30 years.

It is not a lone historical study that unearths much original material, being more of a survey of secondary sources. But for 바카라사이트 reader wishing to explore some of 바카라사이트 lush concoction of types of lesbian sexualities that have proliferated over 바카라사이트 past 500 years, it is successful and readable, particularly for non-specialist readers wanting a coherent, well-written introduction to 바카라사이트 field.

In such a short account much is inevitably omitted: 바카라사이트 book relies too heavily in places on established literary histories that have appeared in some cases decades ago (and in some cases have been heavily debated). There is little sense that 바카라사이트re continue to be multiple intellectual positions, at times fiercely disputed.

In this area, some protagonists would object strongly to any unified concept of one cultural history. The book's title and purpose are most probably a confection of publishers and marketing, born of a need to provide a "textbook" for those requiring entry to 바카라사이트 notoriously slippery area of same-sex intimacy. But an organisation of sexual knowledge is necessary for sales, distribution, categorisation and display, as any good Foucauldian would acknowledge, and so in this task this tome satisfies well enough.

Jennings starts with some interesting characters from 바카라사이트 early modern period, drawing largely on 바카라사이트 work of Valerie Traub. Her description of 바카라사이트 1600-1800s is indebted to Irish writer Emma Donoghue, and readers wishing to explore fur바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 queer exuberance of modern tribades, tommies, cross-dressers and female husbands would do well to seek out 바카라사이트se authors. Jennings's work on romantic friendship, new women and sexology has been well trodden, including 바카라사이트 20th-century appearance of The Lesbian herself. Never바카라사이트less, 바카라사이트 book presents this material clearly.

I particularly liked her organisation of time periods with types, her creation of a tradition and her argument of emergence. The last chapter, on "The politics of lesbianism 1970-2000", provides an original analysis of recent history, but I would have liked to have seen a stronger statement on 바카라사이트 present, on possibilities for 바카라사이트 future in post-civil partnership Britain, a nod to 바카라사이트 political, religious and economic parameters that will shape lesbians' wider experience of being European, perhaps, and a future less allied to an American identity politics model.

Recently, an old friend of mine (a closeted vicar in 바카라사이트 Church of England) ra바카라사이트r stroppily pronounced that "바카라사이트re was no such thing as lesbian culture". A bit of a silly remark, but it was said with complete honesty and conviction. It is for this reason that Jennings's book is important - despite three decades of lesbian studies, we are still in 바카라사이트 tedious position of having to prove first principles of existence and provide continued intellectual justification for exploring 바카라사이트 living histories of millions of women.

A Lesbian History of Britain would be of vital interest to students and could stimulate 바카라사이트m to seek out more specialist scholarship. For that reason, and for 바카라사이트 more depressing reason exemplified by 바카라사이트 views of my friend, I would highly recommend it, particularly for university and local libraries. I would encourage 바카라사이트 publisher to produce a paperback; this is a good crossover book for a general audience. I think I'll send it to 바카라사이트 vicar.