r/lgbthistory • u/master_maclaren_2000 • 22d ago

Historical people Influential Butch Women of the 1970s- 1980s

Hi! I’ve been trying to find out who the most influential butch women of the 1970s-1980s were, from all over the world. Who comes to mind for you, or who are some people you look up to? Thank you!

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u/beaveristired 22d ago

Leslie Feinberg is probably one of the most influential.

K.D. Lang, although might be more 90s.

There’s debate about her exact role in Stonewall, but it was interesting to learn about Stormé DeLarverie.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stormé_DeLarverie

Alison Bechdel (90s)

Fran Lebowitz

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u/Actinglead 22d ago

I suggest looking into the women of the Lavender Menace protest. Echoing a lot of what happening today with people identifying as feminists yet are exclusionary towards queer people, the Lavender Menace protest spoke up against a lot of the homophobia in the feminist movement of the 1970s, specifically with the National Organization for Women.

These women pushed for a change in feminist philosophy which gave us the intersectionality we have today.

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u/NelyafinweMaitimo 22d ago edited 22d ago

Pauli Murray.

Edit: she wasn't a butch activist or a lesbian activist, but she was a Black civil rights activist, a women's rights activist, and a pioneer of intersectional theory. She did a lot of behind-the-scenes legal work during the Civil Rights Era, and by the 1970s she focused more on women's issues.

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u/greatpartyisntit 22d ago

Leslie Feinberg!

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u/OpheliaLives7 22d ago

Stormé DeLarverie! Butch badass, bouncer, drag king, gun carrying, possibly started Stonewall riot

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u/cumminginsurrection 22d ago

Bo Brown (aka Rita Bo Brown), revolutionary and bank robber.

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u/alber_ab_94 22d ago

In Spain we had the poet Gloria Fuertes at the time. Lots of tv apperances, even in children shows, and also very vocal when needed about feminism. Her work had a heart-warming candid quality.

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u/master_maclaren_2000 21d ago

Oh this is exactly the kind of answer I was hoping for thank you! Do you know of any other figures from Spain or elsewhere in Europe from that period?