Notable Lesbians
This week’s Notable Lesbian is:
Kay Lahusen also known as Kay Tobin
January 5, 1930
Kay Lahusen
is considered the first openly gay photojournalist of the gay rights movement. Her photographs of lesbians have appeared on several covers of The Ladder, A Lesbian Review from 1964 to 1966. She help found the GAA (Gay Activists Alliance) in 1970 and frequently contributed to a New York-based weekly newspaper called Gay Newsweekly.
Lahusen was born and brought up in Cincinnati, Ohio and developed her interest in photography as a child. “Even as a kid I liked using a little box camera and pushing it and trying to get something artsy out of it,” she recalled. She currently resides in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania in an assisted living facility.
Interesting tid bit:
Lahusen was the longtime partner of Barbara Gittings. She photographed Gittings and other people who picketed federal buildings and Independence Hall in the mid to late 1960s. Lahusen also worked with Gittings in the gay caucus of the American Library Association, and photographed thousands of activists, marches, and events in the 1960s and 1970s, working closely with Frank Kameny and Jack Nichols and many other gay activists. In 2007, all of Lahusen’s photos and writings and Gittings’ papers and writings were donated to the New York Public Library. Lahusen and Gittings were together for 46 years when Gittings died of breast cancer on February 18, 2007.
Don’t forget about the Lez Keep it Real Contest! It’s still going on people because I haven’t had enough submissions. Submit and you can win!
More Notable Lesbians
If you have a suggestion for a Notable Lesbian, e-maill me at lyndsey.darcangelo@451press.net or use the contact form above and I’ll highlight her in an upcoming post.
*Some information provided by Wikipedia.com
notable lesbians, famous lesbians, kay tobin, kay lahusen, barbara gittings
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