Alison Laurie

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Alison J. Laurie
Portrait image (9478) of New Zealand activist and academic Dr Alison Laurie, Wellington, New Zealand, 2011.jpg
Born(1941-04-20)20 April 1941
Island Bay, Wellington, New Zealand
Died16 August 2024(2024-08-16) (aged 83)
Copenhagen, Denmark
Occupations

Alison Jean Laurie (20 April 1941 - 16 August 2024) was a New Zealand academic, lesbian activist, and oral historian.

Contents

Life

Born in Island Bay, Wellington. [1] Laurie was of Ngāi Tahu, English, and Scottish descent. [2]

SHE

Laurie helped fund SHE - Sisters for Homophile Equality in 1973, the first lesbian equality group in New Zealand, so named as many newspapers refused to publish articles which used the term "lesbian". [3]

In 1973, SHE published Circle , New Zealand's first lesbian magazine. Laurie was involved, and wrote the first editorial. [4]

SHE would organise and host the first New Zealand national Lesbian Conference in 1974. [5]

Club 41

In 1974, [6] Laurie and other lesbian activists opened Club 41 - Wellington's first lesbian bar. [7] It was opened on 41 Vivian Street, [8] which had originally been The Peacock lounge, owned by Carmen Rupe. [9]

Due to the strict alcohol licencing system of the time, Club 41 sold liquor illegally. Laurie explains "You did it through a ticket system, [that] was how people did it then. So people would buy the tickets and they'd exchange the tickets for the alcohol, so they're not directly buying the alcohol." [10]

Academic career

In 1982, Laurie became the Director of Gender and Women's studies at Victoria University of Wellington. [11] In 1990 she begun teaching a Lesbian Studies course, the first in New Zealand. [12]

She published several articles, books, and anthologies on lesbian history and studies, being one of the first to do so in New Zealand. Her work has been described as being "actively involved in working for the safety and sanity of lesbians in Aotearoa over the years, and [has] strong teaching and/or research credentials." [13]

Legacy

Laurie acted as a trustee for Kawe Mahara, New Zealand's Queer Archives, [14] where she helped run oral history training workshops. [15]

In 2001, Laurie and fellow activist Bea Arthur founded the Armstrong and Arthur Charitable Trust for Lesbians. [16] This trust helped fund other lesbian organisations such as the Reel Queer Film Festival, LILAC (the Lesbian Information, Library and Archives Centre), and the Wellington Lesbian Community Radio. [17]

References

  1. ↑ "Alison LAURIE Obituary". The Post. 24 August 2024. Retrieved 30 January 2026.
  2. ↑ "Victoria University's Alison Laurie". PrideNZ.Com. GayNZ.com. 5 September 2006. Retrieved 30 January 2026.
  3. ↑ Ho, Wai; Laurie, Alison (18 February 2010). "Alison Laurie". PrideNz.Com. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
  4. ↑ Boyack, Nicholas (22 November 2024). "Alison Laurie: a lesbian activist who led a life of firsts". The Post. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
  5. ↑ Evans, Linda. "SHE 1973 – 1977". New Zealand History. Retrieved 30 January 2026.
  6. ↑ Jones, Viv. "Lesbian social life: Club 41". Te Ara – The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
  7. ↑ Rose, Raphaela; Torre, Susana. "New Nightclub for Courtenay Place" (PDF). Retrieved 30 January 2026.
  8. ↑ Lynch, Jac; Glamuzina, Julie (31 October 2015). "Julie Glamuzina". PrideNZ.com. Retrieved 30 January 2026.
  9. ↑ Townsend, Lynette. "Rupe, Carmen Tione". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
  10. ↑ Ho, Wai; Laurie, Alison (18 February 2010). "Alison Laurie". PrideNz.Com. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
  11. ↑ Boyack, Nicholas (22 November 2024). "Alison Laurie: a lesbian activist who led a life of firsts". The Post. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
  12. ↑ Tolerton, Jane; Pond, Wendy (1 October 1990). "Women at the Stout Centre". Stout Centre Review. 1 (1).
  13. ↑ Pountney, Charmaine. "Ghosts and disclosures". New Zealand Review of Books Pukapuka Aotearoa. Retrieved 20 February 2026.
  14. ↑ "Laurie, Alison Jean, 1941-2024". National Library. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
  15. ↑ "Oral History". Kawe Mahara. 16 October 2007. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
  16. ↑ "ALISON JEAN LAURIE 1941-2024". Armstrong and Arthur Charitable Trust for Lesbians. Retrieved 31 January 2026.
  17. ↑ Kell, Frances (2019). "Armstrong and Arthur Charitable Trust for Lesbians". New Zealand History. Retrieved 31 January 2026.
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