Out in the Ozarks: A Sneak Peek of the Documentary Featuring Arkansas’ Lesbian Community of the 70’s and 80’s
Location
Ponderosa Room C
Presentation Type
Presentation
Presentation Topic
Audio visual, documentary, lesbian, history, women's history, lgbt activism, queer history
Start Date
3-3-2023 9:05 AM
Event Sort Order
8
Abstract
Fayetteville, Arkansas was an unexpected oasis for lesbians looking for a new community in the 70s and the 80s. The draw of the land movements and the desire for “women-only space” led to an influx of lesbian women to the Fayetteville and Eureka Springs area. Foraging new life in adversity proposed some unique challenges and even some special memories, all of which culminated into a unique community surrounding the women’s center, Spinsterhaven, now known as Elder Tree. Spinsterhaven was unique due to the focus on providing space for elderly and differently-abled individuals. During the summer of 2022, a group of five student researchers and their faculty mentor traveled to Fayetteville to capture the stories of those who created and maintained this community. Sixteen unique individuals were interviewed about their experiences with lesbian separatism, back-to-the-land movements, feminist activism, and more. Stories of life, love, aging, and rebellion are featured in this brand new documentary from the team at the Women’s Research and BGLTQ+ Student Center. The presentation will consist of a 5-10 minute extended trailer for the documentary showcasing the stories that brought them to Arkansas in the first place.
Out in the Ozarks: A Sneak Peek of the Documentary Featuring Arkansas’ Lesbian Community of the 70’s and 80’s
Ponderosa Room C
Fayetteville, Arkansas was an unexpected oasis for lesbians looking for a new community in the 70s and the 80s. The draw of the land movements and the desire for “women-only space” led to an influx of lesbian women to the Fayetteville and Eureka Springs area. Foraging new life in adversity proposed some unique challenges and even some special memories, all of which culminated into a unique community surrounding the women’s center, Spinsterhaven, now known as Elder Tree. Spinsterhaven was unique due to the focus on providing space for elderly and differently-abled individuals. During the summer of 2022, a group of five student researchers and their faculty mentor traveled to Fayetteville to capture the stories of those who created and maintained this community. Sixteen unique individuals were interviewed about their experiences with lesbian separatism, back-to-the-land movements, feminist activism, and more. Stories of life, love, aging, and rebellion are featured in this brand new documentary from the team at the Women’s Research and BGLTQ+ Student Center. The presentation will consist of a 5-10 minute extended trailer for the documentary showcasing the stories that brought them to Arkansas in the first place.
Presenter Bio
The documentary crew comprises Emma Stewart (they/she), Mikele Smith (she/they), Maya Fitch (she/ they) and is managed by graduate student Alexis McKernan (she/her). They previously traveled and completed the interviews in Arkansas and have began working on researching and editing the documentary. Unfortunately Maya Fitch could not be here today due to scheduling conflicts, but they send all of their good energy to this conference. The documentary is hoping to be finished within the next year.