MF 186 LGBTQ

Northeast Archives of Folklore and Oral History: MF 186 LGBTQ

Number of accessions: 21
Dates when interviews were conducted: 190s -2000s
Time period covered: 20th and early 21st centuries
Principal interviewers: various
Finding aides: some indexes and transcripts
Access restrictions: NA1952
Description: This is an arbitrary collection of accessions created in July 2014 to bring together interviews that deal with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer issues.

0203 Various, Elizabeth Hoyt for CP 180, fall 1966, UMaine, Orono, Maine. Paper deals with anecdotes: embarrassing situations; homosexual stories. Text: 28 pp. paper.

1944 Lois, interviewed by Deo McKaig, MLS, spring 1986, Orono, Maine. 3 pp. Tape: 1 hr. First in a series of interviews by McKaig for her Master’s Thesis: “Value Formation in Lesbian Lives.” Due to the sensitive nature of the material, only the first names of the interviewees are given. Recording: C 0441 1 hour.

1945 Cindy, interviewed by Deo McKaig, MLS, spring 1986, Hermon, Maine. 3 pp. Tapes: 1 hr. and 10 min. From a series of interviews by McKaig for her Master’s Thesis: “Value Formation in Lesbian Lives.” Due to the sensitive nature of the material, only the first names of the interviewees are given. Recording: C 0442, C 0443 1 hour and 10 minutes.

1946 Chris, interviewed by Deo McKaig, MLS, spring 1986, Dexter, Maine. 3 pp. Tape: 1 hr. From a series of interviews by McKaig for her Master’s Thesis: “Value Formation in Lesbian Lives.” Due to the sensitive nature of the material, only the first names of the interviewees are given. Recording: C 0444 1 hour.

1947 Diane M., interviewed by Deo McKaig, MLS, fall 1986, Orono, Maine. 3 pp. Tape: 1 hr. From a series of interviews by McKaig for her Master’s Thesis: “Value Formation in Lesbian Lives.” Due to the sensitive nature of the material, only the first names of the interviewees are given. Recording: C 0447 1 hour.

1948 Linda, interviewed by Deo McKaig, MLS, fall 1986, Bangor, Maine. 3 pp. Tape: 1 hr. From a series of interviews by McKaig for her Master’s Thesis: “Value Formation in Lesbian Lives.” Due to the sensitive nature of the material, only the first names of the interviewees are given. Recording: C 0448 1 hour.

1950 Theresa, interviewed by Deo McKaig, MLS, fall 1986, Orono, Maine. 3 pp. Tapes: 1 3/4 hrs. From a series of interviews by McKaig for her Master’s Thesis: “Value Formation in Lesbian Lives.” Due to the sensitive nature of the material, only the first names of the interviewees are given. Recording: C 0450, C 0455 1 3/4 hours.

1951 Kay, interviewed by Deo McKaig, MLS, spring 1986, Stonington, Maine. 97 pp. Tapes: 2 hrs. w/ trans. From a series of interviews by McKaig for her Master’s Thesis: “Value Formation in Lesbian Lives.” Due to the sensitive nature of the material, only the first names of the interviewees are given. Recording: C 0456, C 0457.

1952 Darrah, interviewed by Deo McKaig, MLS, fall 1985, Old Town, Maine. 3 pp. Tapes: 1 1/4 hrs. RESTRICTED. From a series of interviews by McKaig for her Master’s Thesis: “Value Formation in Lesbian Lives.” Due to the sensitive nature of the material, only the first names of the interviewees are given. Recording: C 0445, C 0446 1 1/4 hours.

1959 Diane D., interviewed by Deo McKaig, MLS, fall 1986, Old Town, Maine. 3 pp. Tape: 1 hr. From a series of interviews by McKaig for her Master’s Thesis: “Value Formation in Lesbian Lives.” Due to the sensitive nature of the material, only the first names of the interviewees are given. Recording: C 0453.

2273 Michael Gaboury, Royal Fraser for AY 425, fall 1992, University of Maine, Orono, Maine. 92 pp. Tape: 2 interviews with transcripts. Gaboury, a University of Maine student, talks about being homosexual in Maine and other associated issues. Also included is the interviewer’s journal. Text: transcript, interviewer’s journal. Recording: C 1046 – C1047.

3233 Brenda Jordan, interviewed by Sarah Brasslett, November 10, 2001, at her home in Maine. Jordan talks about her experience at West Point 1983- 1987 and her family and community’s reaction; her experience as a communications officer in the Army 1987- 1992; her pregnancy during the Persian Gulf War; marriage and children; Jumpmaster School; the reaction of the media and the Fort Bragg community to the Persian Gulf War; a typical day at Fort Bragg; communications equipment; duty and patriotism; leadership skills; view of military politics and policies; place of women at West Point and in the military; gender discrimination and justice at West Point and in the military; experience in the Maine National Guard, ROTC, and Air National Guard in the late 1990s; diversity and friendship in the military; growing up in Bristol, CT; leisure activity; the relationship between men and women in the military; female relationships and lesbians in the military; her experience as a woman in the military and the view of society; women in combat; military promotional policies; ROTC summer camp. Text: 48 pp. transcript. Recording: C 2338, C 2339 1 hour 30 minutes.

3251 Olive Benton, interviewed by Miranda Coombs, May 2, 2003, in Benton’s home in Bangor, Maine. Benton was born in Etna, Maine. Topics covered include Benton’s experiences in the Army during the Korean War; basic training; segregation of men and women in the military bases; being in Tokyo during the Korean War; treatment of lesbians; homosexuality unacceptable in the military; Benton’s relationships within the military; her marriage and death of her husband; treatment of soldiers in foreign countries; Benton’s willingness to rejoin the military. Text: 27 pp. transcript. Recording: C 2364 41 minutes.

3351 Michele Warhola, interviewed by Betty Parker Duff, April 3, 2001, at Stevens Hall, University of Maine, Orono, Maine. Warhola talks about moving to Millinocket in 1962; the 99 year land leases granted from Great Northern; her mother’s life as a housewife; the Daughters of Isabella; limited jobs for women in the mill; ethnic groups in Millinocket; an abundance of churches in East Millinocket; class systems; alcoholism among men and women and the affects of it on working; growing up in East Millinocket as a child; the effects of her father’s mill job on her family; unions; people depending on Great Northern; attitudes about homosexuality; and the advantages and disadvantages of growing up in a mill town. Text: 21 pp. transcript. Recording: C 2477 1 hour.

3355 Ashley Burns, interviewed by Kristen Hirsch, April 21, 2006. Burns talks about MAPS/My Choice; gay and lesbian adoption access; people who utilize these services; the finality of adoption; open adoptions; women; roadblocks. Text: 2 pp. selective transcript. Recordings: C 2481 / CD 1022 143 minutes.

3363 Peg Cruikshank, interviewed by Karen Johnson, March 5, 2006, at her home in Corea, Maine. Cruikshank talks about Gay Foundation in San Francisco; Women’s Studies program at Mankato State College; moving to San Francisco in 1977; Nancy Manahan; wrongful firing lawsuit; being hypnotized; her education; being Resource Director of Gay Foundation; Brigg’s initiative, Harvey Milk, Sally Miller Gearhart; Anita Bryant; her book The Lesbian Path and one about Thomas McCauley; Daughter of Bilitus; being a writer; pros to living in San Francisco; aging; fixed income; keynote speaker about Learning to Be Old; living in Maine; Medicare; care giving; parents with dementia; loss of power; being a Tribal Elder; housing for elderly; class; gay communities in Maine; lesbian culture; gender discrimination; Gay Studies; no spousal Social Security; ageism; religion and gays; convents. Text: 6 pp. index with selective transcription. Recording: C 2489 / CD 1030, CD 1031.

3364 Gabrielle Wellman, interviewed by Karen Johnson, March 26, 2006. Wellman talks about her mother, a Holocaust survivor; becoming a teacher of languages; coming out to herself and her parents; Adrienne Rich; job; Smith College and feminism and lesbianism; lesbian culture; Caren McCourtney; gender roles; Jewish lesbian subculture; Shiram a singing group in the Midcoast; Old Dyke’s Home; grandfather; retirement planning; class issues; her father; ageism; practicing Shiatsu, acupuncture massage, and the Feldenkrais Method. Text: 2 pp. index with selective transcription. Recording: C 2490 /CD 1032.

3365 Sarah A. Bigney, interviewed by David Kujawa, May 9, 2006, Maine. Bigney talks about her involvement with the UMaine Won’t Discriminate Campaign; being a co-campus organizer with Smatthew Small; student organizations involved; Progressive Student Alliance; social justice issues; campus attitude; why this time the PSA referendum succeeded; next step for gay rights in Maine. Text: 2 pp. index with selective transcript. Recording: C 2491 / CD 1033 80 minutes.

3366 Suzanne “Sue” Estler, interviewed by David Kujawa, May 9, 2006, Maine. Estler talks about her involvement with the No one 1 campaign; history of sexuality and the Maine Civil Rights Bill; Charlie Howard; being director of Equal Opportunity on UMaine; attitude toward gay people at the time; change it attitudes; why the outcome was successful; attitude of UMaine compared to the rest of the state; next steps for gay rights in Maine. Text: 3 pp. index with selective transcript. Recording: C 2492 / CD 1034.

3370 Matthew Blake Small, interviewed by Meghan Lucas-Maguire, April 21, 2006. Small talks about the state wide campaign; campus campaign; his involvement; working with Sarah Bigmy; his opinion of the attitude of the people in Maine; difference of discrimination; cause for change; stories verses statistics; hearing the stories; most effective strategy; stories; spread the word; getting them to the polls; next step for equal rights; gay marriage; supporting GLBT friendly officials; defense rather than offense; events he helped run; debate between Michael Heath and Ted O’Meara; students at the debate; member story. Text: 1 pp. index. Recording: CD 0968 14 minutes (video CD).