Lesbian Quarterly

Lesbian Dating sites and 'Friends First' I have been seeing a rash of the term 'friends first' on dating sites recently, and I am not even sure what that means. So... a person on a
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Why can't we just all get along? I have a lot of close bi friends.  I have dated bi women. I hear a lot about how bi women feel pressure to 'prove' their queerness and
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One of the things about the first heart-rending, eviscera stomping, soul draining lesbian breakup is that you don’t know at the time that it’s because its the first, and because heterosexism makes things worse at every point.
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How can bi women with male partners looking for women to sleep with get their needs met without hurting anyone?
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Lesbian culture is built on family – the families formed by women, their exes and their ex’s exes. Here's how we maintain that network.
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Special events in July for the Bold Old(er) Lesbians and Dykes
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Get your free dating, housing, employment or other ad for queer women and folks who identify with queer/lesbian/bi women's communities.
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An oasis in a desert of systemic oppression.
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Congratulations - you are facing something about yourself, something you might have suspected for a long time, and are ready to take action. Good for you!
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STI risk charts are so so heteronormative! So I’ve summarized the information from the few resources I’ve found so you don’t have two weed through pages of info that focusses on straight, gay and bi sex, and doesn’t center lesbians.
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models and internalized homophobia can make it difficult for women to let you know that they are interested in you. Here's how to make it easier to tell.
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by Renée Wood - Guest contributor to LQ I spent the years of my youth in church and eventually came out as a lesbian. My church didn’t accept me, but I learned to accept myself.
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Infighting doesn't help us Lesbian communities (and LGBTQ communities too) are broad and diverse. Like many marginalized groups, we experience infighting and project a lot of the discrimination we experience onto one another. I'm tired
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Wondering about the legal and practical aspects of making a baby as a lesbian in Canada? Here are some places to start.
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Have you noticed that there are a lot of similarities between lesbian dating profiles for women over 40? I have a brain that finds patterns and here are the one's I've found so far. Please
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I watched the Happiest Season recently. This movie, starring Kristin Stuart (Bella from Twilight) and Alison Brie (Trudy from Mad Men) as those most lesbian of star crossed lovers (and most frequent young dyke hearbreak)
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One of the positive changes to come out of the pandemic is the rise of remote work. As a lesbian who has been working remotely for 20 years, I find it fits how I want
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Belle Ancell is a queer identified professional portrait photographer in Vancouver Canada. She is celebrated for  her ten year 'Unveiled' photo project, honouring the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, which will be published in book form
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LQ's editor did a guest article for What's on Queer BC about strap on sex. Here's an excerpt and link to the full story. A woman friend asked me recently for advice about buying a
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Bushy Park sings country songs about dykes Country music is a style of music based on stories about regular people's lives. Lesbians are regular people, but there are very few country songs about us.  The
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My hope was that through the magic of science, I could figure out how to make good choices. How to find and love women who would be steady eddies, loving, stable, loyal, affectionate, and sexy as Xena to boot. Here's what I learned, from this book (and a few others....), adapted here to be of help to single lesbians.
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Tripasista is a website that promotes women's destinations and travel. They seem to have a great offering of events if you're ever looking for a sun holiday or retreat that is by for and about
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Based loosely on the wisdom according to Greg of "He's Just Not That Into You" fame, and updated with almost 30 years of lesbian community experience, here’s my lesbian version.
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by Sophia Kelly (c) Lesbian Quarterly I bought my genderqueer girlfriend a silk bow tie for Christmas. It looks fabulous - green silk with a nice subtle pattern on it and super classy. For extra
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By Sophia Kelly (c) Lesbian Quarterly Most resources for learning tantra are extremely hetero-normative.  All the exercises and and practice assume that everyone is in opposite sex, opposite gender pair and that all the women
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Loudon Wainwright III is not (to my knowledge) a lesbian, but this song, and especially the video, is very funny. Click on the link above for more details.
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The first Lesbian Quarterly came out of a lesbian entrepreneur's group in 2004, and was the brainchild of Sophia Kelly. The magazine profiled members of that group and was intended as a way to make
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I'm taking part in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) again this year and invite you to join me. Participants write a 50,000 word novel during the month of November, with support from the NaNoWriMo organization. Check it out at www.nanowrimo.org You can follow my progress (or lack thereof) and be one of my 'writing buddies' and compete against me by visiting my profile at: http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/563340 You can do it! The world needs more lesbian novelists, don't you think? Click on the link above to see the whole post.
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Some of you may have read the post I made during November when I was in the middle of writing a 50,000 word novel.. I completed that task, with a day to spare, which qualified
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This poem was submitted by Cherilyn Fry. Copyright Cherilyn Fry, Nov 1 2009 Eons Ago a past where womyn lived as the female head of tribal lineage welding marked ability to act with strength, to
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Latest word count: 7177  (41,833 words to go...) I'm writing a novel for National Novel Writing Month. I've decided to do it here, and will be adding to this post throughout the month. The task
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Rainbows for Beginners Pride season is in the air. Last year I wrote a post-pride advice guide for straight people hosting floats in the parade. It seems like time to bring it to the surface
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On May 12th, British Columbian voters will be asked the following question when we vote: Which electoral system should British Columbia use to elect members to the Provincial Legislative Assembly? The existing electoral system (First-past-the-post)
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Review by Jeanette Nelson I was intrigued by our lesbian heroine, Maggy Gale, and her qualifications. At the age of 37 she has acquired and accomplished so much. She has an arts degree and then
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Some friends and I were at the All India Sweets restaurant on New Years Eve, prior to going to the Dreamweaver women's dance at the Coast Plaza on Denman for a little end of year
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I think I have some insight into the bigotted actions of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons), now. I'm Facebook friends with more Mormons than any lesbian normally is,
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The wife and I got back from an Olivia Cruise to Mexico a few weeks ago (more on that later). The ship sailed from San Diego, and Olivia organized a party the night before, which
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Are you a lesbian cancer survivor? ⇒ The Cancer Support Network is hosting online and teleconference support groups for lesbian and bi-sexual cancer survivors. ⇒ The six-week pilot support groups are being held this fall
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BOLD beautiful Lesbian holding my hand walking sprightly with me down the Drive    we unfettered by the stares we usually garner in the Kit's Area, enjoy each other like minded women walk as well
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by Tania Zulkoskey When you are lesbian and traveling with your partner outside of a Pride Weekend celebration, even if you manage to locate a LGBT friendly venue, whether it be a bed and breakfast
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Well, here we are at the 19th edition of Lesbian Quarterly. Fall, well yes, it does feel like fall, now. We've got elections coming up here in Canada, and I can't be the only one
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I received a link to this video recently, which gives excerpts from speeches given by Democratic Presidential Candidate Barack Obama. Now, I'm always keen to have women in political power, so was hopeful Hilary Clinton
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Some friends and I went early to the Vancouver pride parade on Sunday to get a good seat to watch the parade. Sitting there for what seemed like 6 hours, I had lots of time
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Well how's that for bucking the patriarchy in it's own backyard. Two women who were forced by their families to be 'celestially married' to Bountiful polygamist community leader Winston Blackmore, have chosen to legally marry
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By going to your AGM you help keep a good organization healthy.  www.mabelleague.com The Mabel League is a lesbian fast pitch softball league in Vancouver, BC.
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This week, the wife and I upgraded from our 50% biodiesel blend to 100%. Our car is now 100% carbon neutral. We bought an old (1983) Mercedes diesel a year ago, specifically to run it
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[Editor Note: I received this email from Marlee and Tully of Sugarbeach, who have some great news to announce. Congratulations! - Editor] Hey Sophia! Hope you gals are doing well! We thought we'd send you
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While I think my own mother likes Mother's Day as it is, it is interesting that the early mothers' days were more about mothers as activists rather than individuals.   While various holidays celebrating mothers have
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The International Day Against Homophobia, held on May 17 every year, is a rallying event offering an opportunity for people to get together and reach out to one another. Fondation Émergence promotes, mainly on a pan-Canadian
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Canada: Ellen Woodsworth - Municipal, Vancouver City Council www.ellenwoodsworth.com Libby Davies - Federal Member of Parliament www.libbydavies.ca Japan: Kanako Otsuji - Elected Osaka Assembly member, National Diet candidate. http://gayjapannews.com/news_english/news3.htm US: Barbara Jordan: Texas Senator. First African
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Original 2008 post: Xtra west is a good newspaper. Robin Perelle, editor of Xtra west and a lesbian herself, does her best, I know, but has to conform to some advertizing realities by publishing mostly
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This weeks' Xtra west did an excellent cover story about queer women in music, and why so many of them aren't publicly self identifying as queer or lesbian or putting queer/lesbian content in their music. Young
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In 2008, 24 global cities will participate in Earth Hour at 8pm on March 29. Earth Hour is the highlight of a major campaign to encourage businesses, communities and individuals to take the simple steps
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The Gazebo Connection organizes social and cultural events of particular interest to lesbians over the age of 40 (in Vancouver). Visiting their site recently, they have a relatively new piece up on how the organization
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The information on this page is provided by Montreal-based Girlports Lesbian Travel Guide. According to Girlports: Girlports was launched by Tanya Churchmuch, a longtime broadcast and print journalist and public relations veteran, as a result
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Okay, they're not local gals, but good on them for winning this mainstream music award. Congratulations Wicked Jezabel. Recent email to LQ:  I am a member of Wicked Jezabel, the Baltimore-DC area's only all-female, all-gay party
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Out of the closet And into the fire Hotter than hell the flames lick my face As my lover Cools my heels Out of the closet And into the sidewalk Walking as a female looking
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Vancouver plays this wonderful trick on Vancouverites every February. For a short while, it seems like spring is fully sprung and summer is a whisper away. The snow drops and crocuses pop up from the
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We are happy to announce that we have just confirmed a location for a dance in Vancouver on March 15th!!   The new management at the Howard Johnson's (formerly the Biltmore) has offered us a monthly
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Jodie Foster has kind of shocked Hollywood by publicly acknowledging her same-sex lover of almost 20 years for the first time ever. Here's a link to the story in the Daily Telegraph (Australia)
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Friday, January 4th, 7:00pm @ Rhizome Cafe We’re back for another round! Join us for a night of queer-friendly board games! DJ Ruggedly Handsome and DJ Fagbot will be spinning tunes. Bring the games you
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"Parenthood does not have a cookie-cutter definition." The documentary film Mommy, Mommy is scheduled to air this December on CBC Newsworld on "The Lens": - Tuesday, December 4th at 7pm and 10pm Pacific Standard Time (PST)
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Welcome to the winter edition of Lesbian Quarterly.

Winter holidays. As someone who celebrates the secular version of Christmas, it's a time of figuring out what to buy people and when to mail it so they get it on time. It's also a time to focus on the things I like about the various winter holidays, and leave the rest. My spiritual holiday is Winter Solstice, which is a nice thing to celebrate, since you can make it whatever you want to be. Lesbians are like that, taking what we like about popular culture and hopefully leaving the rest. Yule evergreens decorated with blessings, decking the halls, candles and blessing people with gifts belong to Solstice/Yule as much as Christmas, and that makes me happy. About 20 years ago, young, broke and unwilling to go to my parents place for Christmas, I chose to gather my chosen family around me and start some new traditions. That year, my Solstice / birthday candlemaking celebration was born. Each year since then, the people I'm closest to, and some others that just seem nice, are invited to my home to sit around, drink mulled apple juice and dip candle wicks in tall jars of hot coloured wax. It's nice, homey and peaceful, the kind of thing I'd want my children to remember fondly, if I was going to have children. This quarter in LQ we have some resources for making lesbian and gay friendly purchases from companies with positive practices towards people like us. We also have a book review by guest contributor Jeanette Nelson, about a first novel written by a Canadian lesbian, published by a Canadian publishing company. As well, a new opportunity to recommend your favourite lesbian-owned businesses and artisans. In This Issue

• The Skin Beneath
• Human Rights Campaign Holiday Shopping Guide
• Recommend Lesbian-Owned Businesses
• More Lesbian Book Reviews
• Lesbian Musician Blog Feature
• LQ Supporting Businesses
• Lesbian Resources
• Lesbian Agenda Calendar
• Recurring Lesbian Events
• Site Contents
• Lesbian Owned Businesses
• Editorial Information

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I was recently at one of my favourite holiday events, the Women's Winter Craft Faire hosted by Pat Hogan of Sounds and Furies Productions. This yearly fair, held at the Heritage Hall on Main Street
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Check out www.lesbianquarterly.com on March 1st for the next installment of Lesbian Quarterly. In between editions the events section, the lesbian agenda is kept up to date for the latest happening for lesbians over 30
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Check back here on December 1st for the new edition. Advertizers and contributors - please get your information in by 5 days before the new edition. If you're proposing a story idea, please contact the
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Every Tuesday, 3:00 to 5:00 Roz Shakespeare and friends provide intuitive readings at Rhizome Café. $20 for 20 minutes, $45 for 45 minutes. December at Rhizome Café * Community Space * Arts Venue 317 East
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People often ask me for advice on what brands of computers and other equipment to buy. During the holiday season, a lot of people buy gadgets and gifts. In general I usually recommend good solid
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The Skin Beneath by Nairne Holze, Insomniac Press 2007. Reviewed by Jeanette Nelson.
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I have more than one good friend who happens to have a mental illness. Two friends have recently 'outed' themselves to me as having been diagnosed with a mood disorder and schizophrenia respectively.  I also have
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A first in Canada, Vancouver Coastal Health just launched in July of this year alcohol and drug services specifically geared to lesbians and gay, bisexual, trans, two-spirited and queer people. “Issues specific to the lives
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Lesbian Quarterly is proud to congratulate Marlee and Tully of Sugarbeach on their wedding, happening as LQ is going to 'press' on September 1st 2007. The Vancouver-based lesbian pop duo met in Australia where Canadian
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This article by feminist matriarch Gloria Steinem was recommended to me by one of LQ's reader, and I'm recommending it to you.
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The links in this article are syndicated excerpts from a blog I found of a lesbian advice columnist with some dating advice and other news (mostly american). This links in this article will change frequently, as they are a live feed from this other site. Click on the link above to view.
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With an estimated 55,000 Canadians infected with HIV - and 12,000 to 15,000 in BC alone - it is events like the AIDS WALK for LIFE that play a critical role in increasing community awareness
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Small Business Bootcamp Event - Lesbian organized event
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Finals for the Mabel League is happening the weekend of the 19-22 at Gordon Park (Friday games may be in other locations) For more information and location maps see: http://mabelleague.com/fields3
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This quarter we're talking about favourite lesbian owned and women-owned businesses in BC. Also see our usual features the Lesbian Agenda, and Ongoing Lesbian Events. I've also catalogued all the lesbian-owned and women-owned businesses mentioned on the
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The achievements of lesbians do get reported in the news. They aren't always labeled as or celebrated as lesbians, which is a pity, since I believe it's credible to assume that our successes, when made public, help
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Welcome to Lesbian Quarterly's rebirth online in our third year. In this issue: Challenges Together: Rhizome Cafe Catherine McNeill (poetry) - let us give thanks Lisa (Annuska) van der Pol (business update)- Boogy Woogy in Victoria Sophia
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It's Tuesday night and the Rhizome Cafe at 317 E Broadway near Main is bustling with activity. The glassed-in meeting room has a group of people clustered around a table, meeting. Lisa Moore is in
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Written by Catherine McNeil her again. i return to her as if for the first time. not seeing clearly. the sun shines while the rain falls. she was born protected under a purple marten’s wing.
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The following pdf files are the e-versions of Lesbian Quarterly, from before it became web based. It was distributed in print in Vancouver for the first few years.

LQ 1 March 2004 - This was the first version, created as an ad-circular for the GLBA women’s breakfast group for international women’s day

LQ 2 June 2004 - This is the first edition in the new format

LQ 3 Sept 2004

LQ 4 E-Version December 2004 | LQ 4 Print Version December 2004

LQ 5 E-Version March 2005 | LQ 5 March 2005 Print Version

LQ 6 E-Version June 2005

LQ 7 E-Version September 2005

LQ 8 E-Version December 2005 | LQ 8 Print Version December 2005

LQ 9 E-Version March 2006

LQ 10 E-Version June 2006

LQ 11 E-Version September 2006

LQ 12 E-Version December 2006

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Twas the night before deadline and LQ wasn’t even close to ready to go out. It’s been a busy few months, and I haven’t had time to beat the bushes for articles or ads, or to write much.
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-Guest writer Emily Boyce is a big fan of grrls on bikes Jett Grrl Bike Studio is Commercial Drive’s newest bike shop - and Vancouver’s only lesbian owned and operated one. Jett Grrl was started
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Our wedding approaches and to our astonishment, half the guests will be relatives. It’s amazing how transformative this process has been for us and our families. My mother has come out to all her friends
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Guest writer Shep Wildwood * gives her solution for bra shopping for the butch gal. Have you ever taken a look through your drawers and wondered about the bras in there? You have six different sizes and none of them seem to fit right. An undershirt won’t work for sports. You need a new bra
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Proud to be part of the solution... What’s your approach to making the world a better place? Pat Hogan and Clare Robson make a difference by organizing a conference for older lesbians and Annuska van
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Planning a wedding? Wondering where to go that will treat you like the blushing bride you are? After a year and a half long engagement, my partner Jeanette and I are getting married this fall
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Pat Hogan and Claire Robson's yearly conference for older lesbians in Vancouver, BC
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New lesbian-owned café at 317 East Broadway in Vancouver. After two years of planning, consultation and looking for just the right space, Lisa and Vinetta of Rhizome Café are set to open their doors mid
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This will be the third spring LQ is published, and it’s got me thinking about what LQ needs to thrive. I started this magazine with three goals—to promote lesbian-owned businesses like my own, to foster
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By Marylee -Stephenson, M.A., Ph.D. Whenever I appear as a standup comic I introduce myself as “the only 62-year-old-Lesbian-comic-with-a-Ph.D.!”
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