40th Anniversary of a Lesbian Association in Barcelona: Producing Lesbian and Feminist Genealogies through Collective Memory Work

The aim of this article is to analyze how the organization of the 40th anniversary of a lesbian self-managed space operates as a site of collective memory-making and contributes to the production of a lesbian genealogy, particularly in relation to aging lesbians and intergenerational transmission. It examines how archival practices, oral histories, and intergenerational exchanges contribute to sustaining lesbian existence over time, while revealing the role of social relations of power, particularly age and class, in shaping collective memory. It focuses on the practices and challenges involved in constructing lesbian historical memory and on the broader political significance of such memory work. Drawing on long-term ethnographic research initiated in October 2021, the article argues that community-driven practices, such as archival work, oral histories, and intergenerational discussions, play a central role in constructing lesbian historical memory and in sustaining a continuum of lesbian existence. Founded in the mid-1980s by lesbians seeking an autonomous space, the association has witnessed four decades of lesbian and feminist activism in a context marked by political transition, urban transformation, and the progressive disappearance of lesbian venues. Despite recurrent crises, its self-managed structure has enabled its survival, making the 40th anniversary a pivotal moment for collective reflection on its history. The article shows how this commemorative process foregrounds the political and affective dimensions of memory work, particularly within a space frequented by aging lesbians, a group often marginalized in dominant feminist, lesbian, and queer narratives.