On Our Backs
Encyclopedia
On Our Backs was the first women-run erotica magazine and the first magazine to feature lesbian
erotica
for a lesbian audience in the United States.
("On Our Backs" is also a book written by Rosita Sweetman being a look at sexual attitudes in 1980s Ireland)
The magazine was first published in 1984 by Debi Sundahl and Myrna Elana, with the contributions of Susie Bright
, Nan Kinney, Honey Lee Cottrell, Dawn Lewis, Happy Hyder, Tee Corinne
, Jewelle Gomez, Judith Stein, Joan Nestle
, Patrick Califia
, Morgan Gwenwald, Katie Niles, Noreen Scully, Sarita Johnson, and many others. Susie Bright became editor-in-chief for the next six years. Later editors included Shar Rednour, Tristan Taormino
, and Diana Cage
. "On Our Backs" defined the look and politics of lesbian culture for the 80s, as well as playing a definitive role in the feminist sex wars of the period, taking the side of sex-positive feminism
.
The title of the magazine was a satirical reference to off our backs
, a long-running feminist
newspaper that published the work of many anti-pornography
feminists during the 1980s, and which the founders of On Our Backs considered prudish about sexuality. Off our backs regarded the new magazine as "pseudo-feminist" and threatened legal action over the logo OOB.
In 1985, Sundahl and Kinney spun off the first in a series of precedent-making lesbian erotic videos, called Fatale Video. Distribution of the magazine in Australia
began in 1986. By the late 1980s, Fatale Media was the largest producer of lesbian pornography in the world.
In 1994, the magazine experienced financial problems, and, after being bought out by a new publisher, Melissa Murphy (who released only one issue), disappeared from the market until 1998. H.A.F. Publishing then owned the magazine. The original creators moved on to other projects.
In 1997, a photography book based on the pioneering work of On Our Backs artists called Nothing but the Girl was published by Cassell Press, edited by Susie Bright and Jill Posener.
H.A.F.'s publication of On Our Backs, and its sister publication, Girlfriends, both ceased publication in March 2006 after being bought out by the publishers of Velvetpark Magazine
.
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
erotica
Erotica
Erotica are works of art, including literature, photography, film, sculpture and painting, that deal substantively with erotically stimulating or sexually arousing descriptions...
for a lesbian audience in the United States.
("On Our Backs" is also a book written by Rosita Sweetman being a look at sexual attitudes in 1980s Ireland)
The magazine was first published in 1984 by Debi Sundahl and Myrna Elana, with the contributions of Susie Bright
Susie Bright
Susannah "Susie" Bright is an American writer, speaker, teacher, audio-show host, and performer, all on the subject of sexuality....
, Nan Kinney, Honey Lee Cottrell, Dawn Lewis, Happy Hyder, Tee Corinne
Tee Corinne
Tee Corine was a lesbian visual artist notable for the portrayal of sexuality in her artwork.-Early life and education:Corinne was born and grew up in Florida. Her mother introduced her to principles and techniques for making visual art...
, Jewelle Gomez, Judith Stein, Joan Nestle
Joan Nestle
Joan Nestle is a Lambda Award winning writer and editor and the co-founder of the Lesbian Herstory Archives.-Life:Nestle's father died before she was born, and she was raised by her widowed mother Regina Nestle, a bookkeeper in New York City's garment district, whom she credits with inspiring her...
, Patrick Califia
Patrick Califia
Patrick Califia , born 1954 near Corpus Christi, Texas is a writer of nonfiction essays about sexuality and of erotic fiction and poetry. Califia is a bisexual trans man.-Biography:...
, Morgan Gwenwald, Katie Niles, Noreen Scully, Sarita Johnson, and many others. Susie Bright became editor-in-chief for the next six years. Later editors included Shar Rednour, Tristan Taormino
Tristan Taormino
Tristan Taormino is a feminist author, columnist, sex educator, activist, editor, speaker, and pornographic film director . She graduated Phi Beta Kappa with her Bachelor's degree in American Studies from Wesleyan University in 1993...
, and Diana Cage
Diana Cage
Diana Cage is an American lesbian-identified author, essayist, radio personality, cultural critic, and performer. Her work examines sexuality, feminism, and LGBT issues.- Career :...
. "On Our Backs" defined the look and politics of lesbian culture for the 80s, as well as playing a definitive role in the feminist sex wars of the period, taking the side of sex-positive feminism
Sex-positive feminism
Sex-positive feminism, also known as pro-sex feminism, sex-radical feminism, or sexually liberal feminism is a movement that began in the early 1980s...
.
The title of the magazine was a satirical reference to off our backs
Off our backs
For the MEN song, go to Off Our Backs .off our backs is a radical feminist periodical published in Washington, D.C....
, a long-running feminist
Feminism
Feminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and equal opportunities for women. Its concepts overlap with those of women's rights...
newspaper that published the work of many anti-pornography
Anti-pornography movement
The term anti-pornography movement is used to describe those who argue that pornography has a variety of harmful effects, such as encouragement of human trafficking, desensitization, pedophilia, dehumanization, sexual exploitation, sexual dysfunction, and inability to maintain healthy sexual...
feminists during the 1980s, and which the founders of On Our Backs considered prudish about sexuality. Off our backs regarded the new magazine as "pseudo-feminist" and threatened legal action over the logo OOB.
In 1985, Sundahl and Kinney spun off the first in a series of precedent-making lesbian erotic videos, called Fatale Video. Distribution of the magazine in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
began in 1986. By the late 1980s, Fatale Media was the largest producer of lesbian pornography in the world.
In 1994, the magazine experienced financial problems, and, after being bought out by a new publisher, Melissa Murphy (who released only one issue), disappeared from the market until 1998. H.A.F. Publishing then owned the magazine. The original creators moved on to other projects.
In 1997, a photography book based on the pioneering work of On Our Backs artists called Nothing but the Girl was published by Cassell Press, edited by Susie Bright and Jill Posener.
H.A.F.'s publication of On Our Backs, and its sister publication, Girlfriends, both ceased publication in March 2006 after being bought out by the publishers of Velvetpark Magazine
Velvetpark
Velvetpark - Dyke Culture in Bloom, is a lesbian arts and culture site that regularly features music, literature, theater, fine arts, film, television, and social activism as it impacts queer culture...
.
See also
- Lesbian feminismLesbian feminismLesbian feminism is a cultural movement and critical perspective, most popular in the 1970s and early 1980s , that questions the position of lesbians and women in society. It particularly refutes heteronormativity, the assumption that everyone is "straight" and society should be structured to serve...
- Lesbian literatureLesbian literatureThis is a list of books portraying sexual relations between female characters, who may include lesbians, bisexuals and WSWs.-Classic fiction and drama:*The Bachelor Girl – Victor Margueritte –...
- List of Lesbian Periodicals, Journals and Magazines, Past and Present
Further reading
- Rebecca Whisnant, Christine Stark, "Not for sale: feminists resisting prostitution and pornography", Spinifex Press, 2004, ISBN 1876756497, pp. 287–288
- Bonnie Zimmerman, "Lesbian histories and cultures: an encyclopedia", Encyclopedia of lesbian and gay histories and cultures, vol.1, Taylor & Francis, 2000, ISBN 0815319207, p. 582