Lesbian Memoir

This capstone seminar explores the genre of lesbian memoir through lenses both historical and theoretical. We will think together whether memoir constitutes a primary source for historical study, and its place in lesbian history. We will consider feminist theoretical questions posed by this genre of writing: What (or who, or when) is a lesbian? Is the category of the lesbian rooted in gender essentialism or disruption? How (or when, or if) did the category of lesbian become marked as white?