Today's Out Spotlight is JEB (Joan E. Biren) best known for her photographic portraits, some of the earliest documents of late 20th-century lesbian
life and an internationally recognized documentary artist, she began chronicling the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people over 30 years ago. JEB grew up in Washington D.C., graduated from Mount Holyoke College in 1966, and pursued graduate degree in she studied political science and sociology at Oxford University and communications at American University.
She joined the women's liberation movement in D.C. in 1969. One of the first out lesbians in the movement, Biren and others (including Rita Mae Brown and Charlotte Bunch) formed a lesbian-separatist collective, the Furies, in 1971. Though the collective was short-lived, it had, through its publications, a significant impact on the strategies of the women's movement.
Realizing the need for affirming images and self-expression she chose photography as a way to make lesbians more visible. She took a correspondence course in photography and worked in a camera store, in the audio-visual division of a large trade association, and on a small-town weekly newspaper in order to develop her talent and technique.
Between 1971 and 1991, JEB concentrated on making photographs of lesbians. Her images reached a national--and sometimes international--audienceher work has appeared in off our backs, The Washington Blade, Gay Community News, and on countless album and book covers. Her two ground-breaking collections of her photography: Eye to Eye: Portraits of Lesbians (1979) and Making a Way: Lesbians Out Front (1987), made lesbian life visible in a way never seen before. In the 1990s, JEB turned from photography to filmmaking. She documented the 1987 and 1993 gay and lesbian marches on Washington. With the Mautner Project for Lesbians with Cancer, she produced the first lesbian video funded by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Removing The Barriers, used throughout the nation to train health care providers. Her latest work is the documentary No Secret Anymore: The Times of Del Martin and Phyliss Lyon.
Queerly Visible: The Work of JEB (Joan B. Biren) (pdf)
OMG Season of Sharing
Founded in 1977, Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice is a dynamic global foundation providing critically needed financial support to lesbian-led, LGBTI and progressive organizations. Separated by continents, language and culture, Astraea grantees are seizing opportunities, and laying the groundwork necessary for women and LGBTI people to claim their human rights. Today, Astraea is the only foundation in the world solely dedicated to supporting LGBTI organizations in both the U.S. and internationally. They raise funds and issue grants based on the belief that all women can participate in the philanthropic process - from giving to grantmaking.
I'm always amazed at the number of people you come up with for the spotlight that I've never heard of, and JEB is another one. It's great to have someone documenting people's lives and creating a history. I have to admit though that the photos are too much in that 70s/granola/wymen style for my tastes. :-D
ReplyDeleteSo not nice of Wicked to not thank everyone on the last thread for the birthday wishes and songs after we took the time to write them and she only thanbks a few who did, unbelieveable.
ReplyDeleteRealizing the need for affirming images and self-expression she chose photography as a way to make lesbians more visible. She took a correspondence course in photography and worked in a camera store, in the audio-visual division of a large trade association, and on a small-town weekly newspaper in order to develop her talent and technique.
ReplyDeleteAmazing Out Spotlight today. I love art, and I love seeing human creativity. Always amazing to see that when someone really wants something, they will find a way to do it.
I like this pic - it reminds me of a woman of the Old West or a pioneer woman, because of the sepia tone of it. Or an indigenous tribal woman, or just the basic spirit of woman. :)
I beg to differ, put out. She did.
ReplyDeleteNormally, I wouldn't even address a statement like that, but I can't have someone saying an untruth like that. Besides that fact anyway, one doesn't give a gift expecting lavish acknowledgement or thanks or anything else. One gives a gift because one wants to. Please don't tarnish a wonderful day like yesterday with statements like that.
This has been an unbelievably beautiful morning. Just a splendid message this morning from my pastor and we sang one of my favorite Christmas songs, In the Bleak Midwinter. I love that song. Then I zipped up to my park because the weather is supposed to turn nasty later this day and got a small walk in. Had some holiday music updated on my Ipod and listening to Whitney Houston sing Who Would Imagine a King brought tears to my eyes. What joy there is in this day! Oh, and Kenny G singing Ave Maria. What an undeniably beautiful song. Whoever wrote that melody was just, I don't know. Just something, words fail me. Drat it, it's frustrating when you can't think of words to describe how you feel.
oops, Kenny G doesn't sing. He plays! lol! got carried away.
ReplyDeleteCan't linger long. Time is a 'wastin. Get this. It was 61 degrees on the bank sign when I left his morning @ close to 0800. It was still that when I headed for my park. It was 55 when I sat down to eat breakfast here. Now it's 43. Unbelievable how temperatures can just drop like that. I'd marvel at the change in wind direction, but I reckon it's not that interesting for reading, lol. But it did change instantly just like that! Snap!!
ReplyDeleteWell said, Put Out. ITA.
ReplyDeleteThanks guys! This is a great gift.
ReplyDeleteI wrote the above in yesterday's thread at 11:54 am. I'm sorry if that's not enough of a thank you for you.
only people who did their messages before 11:54 am eastern time got recognized!
ReplyDeleteWell, speaking as one of those after 11:54 am people, I don't feel slighted one bit. Pixel thanks was not my motivating factor in Wicked's musical gift. Joining others here at OMG celebrating her day was.
ReplyDeleteContinued kvetching about the amount of pixel thanks one receives is the epitome of petty.
Wicked you also did a message on yesterdays thread today this morning at 7:41 am EST, but did you thank or even acknowledge the ones who did their birthday greetings and well wishes to you after 11:54? Noooo, no sense having to say thank you twice in one day in one thread especially to people who missed the 11:54 am cutoff time. Acknowledging people in advance even though you don't know who will wish you happ0y birthday should be enough right?, personalization isn't important. But no worries Wicked, I've learned not to expect much anymore.
ReplyDeleteThe troll is just mad that we didn't fall on our swords after Ted's latest BV.
ReplyDeleteWow, all those people that are only willing to do something good for others if they get something back out it...
ReplyDeleteDid all of those complaining even wish Wicked a happy birthday? And if you did why are you complaining under other names now?
Continued kvetching about the amount of pixel thanks one receives is the epitome of petty.
ReplyDeleteMaybe you're right m but if I feel petty its for a damn good reason - and ignoring people who make an effort for you is the epitome of rudeness. "Thank you everybody" is 3 words. It could have been said at that very last Saturday post and covered everyone who contributed but it wasn't. I always thank Wicked and Spesh for their blog posts. From now on, it won't be happeneing as much since I can save everyone pixels by saying thank you! right now and it will cover me for the next year.
no sense having to say thank you twice in one day in one thread especially to people who missed the 11:54 am cutoff time.
ReplyDeleteI actually agree with this statement. I thought had thanked people. How many times was I supposed to say thanks? I thought saying it again would be kind of redundant. I do thank everyone who gave me a song, and I look forward to getting them all on CD.
I picked 2 songs and it took time to do being on the interenet looking for bitch dog songs and I got Wicked the bag of cookies and I worked on my happy birthday really hard so there weren't no m,istakes and she didn't even say boo to me. Ok maybe boo isn't the right word because it brings up some bad stuff and she shouldn't say it nobody should say it anymore but she coulda said hello and patted me on the head. i go hide under the bed now.
ReplyDeletehey just wanted to send wicked a late birthday wish and also advise her and others to ignore troll tactic #3,932.
ReplyDeleteWow - woke up from a long lazy Sunday nap and see this. Knowing Wicked like I do I know she appreciates everything and everyone came by yesterday.
ReplyDeleteAnd hey you're welcome Wicked. Hope you enjoy the songs and you had a good day.
Hope that everyone who wanted to send a song got a chance, if you didn't just send the song and stil want to just send it to OMG's email address.
Put out must be one needy person.
ReplyDeleteI am still stewing over the BV, which got repeated on WFT2 today. If Toothy told the tale himself to others, it could have got back to Ted from another source. But to have enough info to know the exact sex act, it must have been the participant himself who contacted Ted. Ted's lawyers would require some sort of verification. Do you suppose the escort emailed a copy of the confidentiality agreement to Ted as well?
I'm all out of troll food. I did want to say thanks for the out spotlight. These are my favorite posts.
ReplyDeleteNow if someone could say You're Welcome TR I will be able to sleep tonight.
(((TR)))
ReplyDeleteMy guess M is that the person involved was the source. And if the person was someone involved with PoP, particularly another actor, that might have been enough confirmation for Ted. I also think we got this item now because PoP is close to wrapping up and whatever went down is now over.
ReplyDeleteBut to have enough info to know the exact sex act, it must have been the participant himself who contacted Ted. Ted's lawyers would require some sort of verification.
ReplyDeleteWell that's crap. It's a BLIND VICE. Ted could say that Toothy was snorting coke off his sister's naked ass in the middle of a family festive orgy whilst feasting on roasted panda washed down with blood and he'd be safe from getting sued, as long as he never actually says the words "Toothy Tile is Jake Gyllenhaal". Yes, Ted has made it obvious that he's talking about Jake, but he hasn't said it is, so he hasn't libelled Jake, so the lawyers can put their feet up and wave Ted on his way.
And to the whiny troll from early, is Wicked supposed to just sit in front of her computer constantly refreshing OMG just on the chance that someone has said something nice to her and will have a nasty meltdown if they don't get a thank you? Sorry to feed the troll but I can just see them ruining someone's christmas with that attitude and I'm hoping some of our words might get through to them.
I'm biting my tongue really hard right now; about to draw blood. Just kidding.
ReplyDeleteNot going to say anymore about it. It's totally, absolutely ridiculous & elementary and it's not worth wasting any more negative energy on.
Okay, it's 17 degrees now! We started out at 61 and it's now 17. Is that some kind of record or what.
m, I just finished the most wonderful story. I had read 48 days awhile back but had not read Book of Dreams. Have you read either of those? Wow, are those good. I was totally wrapped up, cocooned & transported away while reading Book of Dreams. I have got to write to her tonight & tell her how much I loved it.
Tonight I'm going to make some of my Almond Bark Cookies to take to work. These things are quite the winner. Got them out of the KC paper several years ago and have made them every Christmas since. They are excellent! Listen to this sugar-filled lineup of ingred:
almond bark
Peanut butter
Miniature marshmallows
dry roasted peanuts
rice krispies
But they are very quick & easy to make.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteWhat would an actor make a lover sign, anyway?
ReplyDeleteNot ridiculous at all.
Just Jared has pics posted of Ryan & Abbie leaving airport in Sydney holding hands. Reese's brain must be leaking out of her ears. I didn't believe before, but now I believe that we will absolutely see pics of Jake leaving London and pics arriving at LAX to attend the birthday party Reese is giving him and then going back to London. Reese has to take the spotlight back from Ryan. Just like she planned and booked the paps for her vacation in Mexico when Ryan's movie was opening. I bet Mr. Witherspoon is already packed and has his leash on.
ReplyDeleteInteresting to see if we'll get birthday pics for the 19th....
ReplyDeleteDon't know if Mr Witherspoon has his leash on or is still running around contracts in hand! Wonder if the Ice Princess will say he's not being uh, supportive! God, I love that word...I use it in RL as much as I can. Drives everyone up the wall :)
As for Wicked not acknowledging her b'day wishes, geeze. a bit of a storm in a teacup!!
Just like she planned and booked the paps for her vacation in Mexico
ReplyDeleteSo I wonder how far in advance Ryan had to book the paps to be at the airport in Sydney?
Abbie went early to pick him up. Awww. She was waiting anxiously for him according to the reports. I really don't think they are avoiding photographers right now. When they want to they do so very successfully.
ReplyDeleteWicked...
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to pass along my belated but very sincere Birthday Greetings. Hope you enjoyed yesterday and today in the company of those you love and with the wonderful musical selections provided.
Hugs,
S
Prairie Girl, thanks for the tip. I checked 48 days and it does not sound familiar. I have read so many though that I sometimes have to read 2 chapters before I say oh yeah, I already read that one. But I love complete stories so will read them both if I find I have not done so.
ReplyDeleteWe got hit by some trolls and new posters a week or so ago and wondered if something was up. Then the BV. Trolls and new posters again today. They are definitely worried.
How comes you deleted that post? What was so offensive about it?
ReplyDeleteIf it was anonymous they delete it.
ReplyDeleteI think you're right, m. We don't get these little onslaught visits just for the neighborliness of it all. The one today was just too ugly for me. Someone (s) had a little too much time on their hands.
ReplyDeleteOne of the reasons I liked 48 Days and Book of Dreams so much was that it was like reading a really good novel, in the true sense of the word. She had these other totally original characters and I got wrapped up in them as well. And she would delve into the daily conversations that made them seem like everyday normal folk. And there was underlying humor in the way Ennis would think & rationalize himself & how he felt about Jack. The relationships between the characters were really focused on. I could go on & on but I know it's not the right forum to do it. Hope they're new ones for you and you like them. I see what you mean about reading completed stories. It's torture reading some and waiting for the next chapter.
Gotta go! Everyone have a great day today!