Becoming Lesbian

"In Becoming Lesbian, historian Tamara Chaplin argues that the history of female same-sex intimacy in France is integral to understanding the struggle to control the French public sphere in the twentieth century. The sources Chaplin draws on are varied and wide-ranging-cabaret culture, sexology, TV broadcasts, photography, alternative publishing, the Minitel (an early form of Internet), and lesbian activism, plus over 100 interviews with women throughout France conducted by the author herself. Specifically, Chaplin analyzes how certain women came to define themselves as lesbian and make claims on the public sphere, creating "counterpublics"-queer publics that exist in tension with the larger and dominant public and generate new forms of gendered and sexual citizenship. The manuscript is well-stocked with colorful vignettes featuring female cabaret owners, singers, TV personalities, writers, and activists, all of which Chaplin brings to life to make larger points about politics, citizenship, rights, and belonging. This book represents a major contribution to the history of lesbianism in modern France, as well as to feminist history, histories of mass and alternative media, and histories of gender and sexuality"--

Tamara Chaplin is professor of modern European history and Lynn M. Martin Professorial Scholar (2023-2026) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.