Month: November 2024

Two classic lesbian novels were published in the 1980s, and were also filmed. One was initially called The Price of Salt and was actually written by Patricia Highsmith who also wrote mainstream thrillers. The book was republished in 1984 under the name of Claire Morgan.

The film made about this novel was renamed Carol and some changes were made about Carol’s partner Therese, making her a photographer rather than a theatrical set designer.

In the book, Carol lost custody of her daughter as her husband had employed a private detective who found out that she was having a lesbian relationship with her young lover Therese. The book actually reflected the lives of many lesbian mothers who were losing custody of their children in the UK. Carol was originally devasted by the loss of her daughter. However, in the end she decided to set up her own business and she and Therese ended up living together.  The book is excellently written and is a must read for younger lesbians.

The other classic book that involved a lesbian relationship was the Color Purpl’ by Alice Walker which was published in 1983. It won the Pulitzer Prize. Celie, one of the main characters in the book, discovers the love and support of women with Shug Avery, a singer. This book was also made into a wonderful film about black women’s experiences in the early 20^th century. It was however resented by black men who did not like the way that they were portrayed. Brilliantly written, it is another must read for younger lesbians.

Much more recently there has been a revival of historic films which include lesbian relationships. One is the film Ammonite based on the story of Mary Anning, the discoverer of fossils in Dorset.  It stars Kate Winslet who has a romantic lesbian relationship with the geologist Charlotte Murchison. Another is a French film called Portrait of a lady on fire’ and is set in the 18^th century. It tells the story of a lesbian relationship between a young woman aristocrat and a lesbian painter. 

”Grace and Marigold’ was launched by Elaine Hutton and Lynne Harne — long-term UK-based lesbian activists currently running the Lesbian Rights Alliance and the Lesbian History Group. This launch took place online on on 27 August 2024. The following is a description of the book, which is published by Spinifex Press. You can watch the launch by clicking the link at the end of the description.

It’s 1974 when 20-year-old Grace arrives in London determined to shrug off her Australian past and reinvent herself. While embracing her new life in the Free Republic of Beltonia, a street of communal squats, she’s haunted by the unbearable thought that she might be a lesbian – a fate she considers almost worse than death. Before long, she falls (secretly) in love with Marigold, upper class, enigmatic and avowedly straight. When Marigold mysteriously disappears without a trace, the search for her leads Grace to a life-changing epiphany.

Evoking the spirit of 1970s London through the world of squatting and political protests, street parties, encounter groups and gurus, and the mayhem of a rackety publishing outfit where Grace gets a job, Grace and Marigold is both witty and moving in its exploration of the inner turmoil, and ultimate liberation of a young woman’s journey to self-acceptance. 

Mira Robertson’s debut novel, The Unexpected Education of Emily Dean was published in 2018. Her short stories have won prizes and have appeared in various literary magazines and journals. Her screenwriting credits, written with director Ana Kokkinos, include the award-winning films Only the Brave and Head On. Mira lives in Melbourne.