The Hidden Queerness of Women in 1970s Ireland

In many societies, women have been left in the shadows when it came to history. This is true in Ireland, and especially true for the case of queer women. The following assignment addresses the experiences of queer women living in Ireland in the 1970s Ireland. This particular period was chosen as it was the beginning of queer women forcing their way out of the shadows through activism. However, 1970 Irish society was not the most accepting time and queer women who did make themselves visible were often met with shame and abuse. The research will highlight how women were overshadowed by gay men during the gay rights movement, often being an afterthought. Hints and clues found in the zines, poetry and fiction of women living queer private lives will be analysed, as well as how these women brought their identity into the public eye in gay clubs and through activism.