A Living Archive: Joan Nestle, DAAFT, and the Queer Histories That Shape Us

Meeting Joan Nestle at the Letters From Ger exhibition felt like stepping into living queer history. Everything I’d learned about the 1950s, Stonewall, and the early days of lesbian activism had always come from books or documentaries. Hearing Joan speak — a woman who has been out since the 1950s and founded the Lesbian Herstory Archives — awakened a hunger in me for real, tangible stories from elders in our community. What began as a chance encounter quickly became a friendship that reshaped my understanding of queer lineage, activism, and love.

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From ’78 to Now: Kate Rowe on Lesbian Storytelling, Activism, and Aging Out Loud

Activist, athlete, 78er and late‑blooming storyteller Kate Rowe joins Silke for a powerful conversation about lesbian identity, protest, community, and aging out loud. From the night of the 1978 Mardi Gras arrests to the shifting “queer alphabet” of today, Kate reflects on courage, conflict, humour, and finding her voice in her seventies. Her stories bridge generations - reminding us why lesbian history matters now more than ever.

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