Spoiler alert: Jane Traies is the best. And this episode is proof that if you don’t know any older, wiser lesbians already, you’re missing out! Jane talks to me about (in)visibility across queer generations, about queer kinship and (very efficient) lesbian networks, about the stories of LGBTQIA+ asylum seekers and about biphobia and exclusionism. From being friends with your ex to Peg Cruikshank’s favourite flannel shirt, we serve you only the most sapphic topics.

Want to be part of Jane’s network now? Follow @JaneTraies and @queerlitpodcast on Twitter. If you want to see what a colourblind person’s Insta looks like, follow @queerlitpodcast.

Texts and people mentioned:

“The Butch” with Amy Tooth Murphy
Jane Traies’ “Old Lesbians in the UK: Community and Friendship” Journal of Lesbian Studies (2015)
Sally Munt
Peg Cruikshank
Monika Kehoe
Hester Thrale
Samuel Johnson
Jay Taverner’s Liberty ( @jaytaverner )
Carol S. Becker’s Unbroken Ties: Lesbian Ex-Lovers (1988)
Jane Traies’ The Lives of Older Lesbians and Now You See Me
LISG Lesbian Immigration Support Group ( @lisg_manchester )
https://lisg.uk/
Jane Traies’ Free to Be Me
Refugee Tales ( @refugeetales )
Maureen Duffy’s The Microcosm
Radclyffe Hall’s The Well of Loneliness

Questions you should be able to respond to after listening:

1.Why is Jane interested in studying older lesbians?
2.What role do you think age, age groups and generations play in queer kinship? How do changing laws and societal attitudes play into this?
3.How might friendship take on a different role in the lives of (older and younger) lesbians and queer people?
4.Jane and I talk about the word lesbian and its association with identity politics. How would you summarise Jane’s thoughts on this and what are yours?
5.What is the first queer book you remember reading?