Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Section of the American Folklore Society
LGBTQA Section Report
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Québec City, QC, Canada
Conveners: Mickey Weems (present at section meeting) and Eileen Condon (absent from section meeting). There were fourteen people in attendance.
Section Discussion
Section Name
The section name had recently been changed from LGBT to LGBTQ (for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer), and the question was raised of whether to add “A” for Allies into the name as well. In the interests of inclusiveness, the consensus was to add it so that all would know that they are welcome. There was also a suggestion to spell the name out on the web site so that the meaning of the acronym is clear. The new section name is as follows: Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer and Allies Section.
Encyclopedia of Gay Folklife
Mickey Weems passed around a list of unclaimed topics in the Encyclopedia, which, according to the contract with publisher M.E. Sharp, is due to be published in 2009. A master list of all proposed entries was also made available and passed around. With Mickey as general editor, the editorial board includes Joe Goodwin, Pauline Greenhill, Guillermo de los Reyes, and Polly Stewart.
General discussion of the encyclopedia project included the considerations and concerns:
The title: Publisher M.E. Sharp dictates that the title include the word “Folklife,” but the designation as an encyclopedia of gay folklife was discussed, since Gay, though used often as a general term, is still a very gendered word. Among the suggestions offered was that there be an extensive second title (after a colon, of course).
Theory, structure, and framework: This discussion reflected a concern about what makes this an encyclopedia of folklife, and suggestions included reviewing the list of topics and structuring the encyclopedia to have a grounding in folklore theory. Specifically, the idea is that we can get away from alphabetical item listings and provide readers with a more meaningful conceptual and contextual experience by putting groups of subject headings into larger and hierarchical groupings.
Navigation, clarity, and use.
LGBTQA Section Student Prize
Mickey indicated that Eileen, who was not present, has been overseeing the Student Prize submission and review process. (See “Addenda,” below.)
Addenda to the Section Report
Deborah Blincoe
With the death on September 19, 2007 of upstate New York folklorist Deborah Blincoe, the world of LGBTQ scholarship has lost a great supporter and ally. Blincoe, who with her husband John Forrest edited New York Folklore, initiated and produced a special issue of NYF called “Prejudice and Pride” (1993), the first folklore periodical publication explicitly and exclusively devoted to LGBTQ folklore. Blincoe's courage in calling for papers and for carrying the publication through to completion, and her perseverance under bitter opposition from certain members of the New York Folklore Society board and from within the society's membership at large, are to be remembered and honored by all of us who appreciate pioneers who do important work under pressure. Blincoe died of cancer at a young age. She is survived by her husband and their son.
Treasury
Fiscal Year 2007 (September 2006-August 2007) financial summary for the section is as follows:
9/1/06 balance: $719.00
9/06-8/07 revenue: $130.00
9/06-8/07 expenses: $123.00
8/31/07 balance: $726.00
Student Prize
No submissions were received this year for the Section’s student essay award. Requests for submissions will be sent out earlier in 2008, beginning in January, with repeated calls to listservs and academic programs throughout the year.
Section Listserv Sign-On
New section members may sign on to the Section’s listserv by sending an e-mail to: elizabeth.t.adams@csun.edu.
Submitted October 24, 2007 by Jennifer Spitulnik, and reviewed by Mickey Weems, Polly Stewart, and Eileen Condon, October 2007.
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