Maureen Brady

Last updated

Maureen Brady (born June 7, 1943) is an American writer, editor and educator. She is best known for her novels [1] Ginger's Fire, Folly, [2] and Give Me Your Good Ear. [3] [4] [5] [6] She currently lives and works in New York City and Woodstock, NY.

Contents

Personal life

Brady was born on June 7, 1943, in Mount Vernon, New York and spent her adolescence in Florida. She practised as a physical therapist and also taught physical therapy at Russell Sage College, Troy, New York. [7] In 1977, she attended a New School workshop in writing which gave her the confidence to begin writing. [8] She currently lives in New York with her partner, Martha. [9]

Career

In 1982, she wrote the novel Folly out of a desire to cast a woman who was an outsider in her community splintered by racism, homophobia, patriarchy and capitalism as a hero. [8] [10] The novel focuses on a workers strike of North Carolina garment workers with various sub-plots about the diverse set of characters lives in a segregated town. [8] [11] The novel has been described as "pro-labor, feminist, anti-racist, queer positive." [2] In 1994, it was reprinted as a classic by The Feminist Press. [12]

Brady has received awards and fellowships from the Ludwig Vogelstein Foundation, the New York State Creative Arts Public Service program [7] of the New York State Council on the Arts, the Briarcombe Foundation, and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts.

In 1978, Brady founded the lesbian feminist publishing company Spinsters Ink with Judith McDaniel. [13] As one of the oldest lesbian feminist publishers in the world, Spinsters Ink is widely regarded as a pioneering feminist institution. [14] [15] [16] [17] Brady has served as the editor of many books, including The Cancer Journals by Audre Lorde, Spinsters Ink (1980), and The Words of a Woman Who Breathes Fire: Poetry and Prose by Kitty Tsui, Spinsters Ink (1983). [18]

A page from one of Brady's manuscripts was included in "Statements from Lesbian Artists", which accompanied the 1978 exhibition A Lesbian Show. [19] Curated by Harmony Hammond, the show was the first lesbian-identified art exhibition in the United States. [20] [19]

Brady has taught writing at Skidmore College, Bard College, and The Resource Center for Accessible Living in Kingston, NY. She currently teaches creative writing at New York University, the New York Writers Workshop and the Peripatetic Writing Workshop. [21] [22]

Brady serves as the board president of the Barbara Deming Memorial Fund. [23]

Bibliography

Anthologies

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cherríe Moraga</span> American writer and activist (born 1952)

Cherríe Moraga is a Xicana feminist, writer, activist, poet, essayist, and playwright. She is part of the faculty at the University of California, Santa Barbara in the Department of English since 2017, and in 2022 became a distinguished professor. Moraga is also a founding member of the social justice activist group La Red Xicana Indígena, which is network fighting for education, culture rights, and Indigenous Rights. In 2017, she co-founded, with Celia Herrera Rodríguez, Las Maestras Center for Xicana Indigenous Thought, Art, and Social Practice, located on the campus of UC Santa Barbara.

Linda Shear is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and piano player.

Black feminism is a branch of feminism that focuses on the African-American woman's experiences and recognizes the intersectionality of racism and sexism. Black feminism philosophy centers on the idea that "Black women are inherently valuable, that [Black women's] liberation is a necessity not as an adjunct to somebody else's but because of our need as human persons for autonomy."

Grace Atkinson, better known as Ti-Grace Atkinson, is an American radical feminist activist, writer and philosopher. She was an early member of the National Organization for Women (NOW) and presided over the New York chapter in from 1967-68, though she quickly grew disillusioned with the group. She left to form The Feminists, which she left a few years later due to internal disputes. Atkinson was a member of the Daughters of Bilitis and an advocate for political lesbianism. Atkinson has been largely inactive since the 1970s, but resurfaced in 2013 to co-author an open statement expressing radical feminists' concerns about what they perceived as the silencing of discussion around "the currently fashionable concept of gender."

Political lesbianism is a phenomenon within feminism, primarily second-wave feminism and radical feminism; it includes, but is not limited to, lesbian separatism. Political lesbianism asserts that sexual orientation is a political and feminist choice, and advocates lesbianism as a positive alternative to heterosexuality for women as part of the struggle against sexism.

Sheila Jeffreys is a former professor of political science at the University of Melbourne, born in England. A lesbian feminist scholar, she analyses the history and politics of human sexuality.

Beth E. Brant, Degonwadonti, or Kaieneke'hak was a Mohawk writer, essayist, and poet of the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte First Nation from the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory in Ontario, Canada. She was also a lecturer, editor, and speaker. She wrote based on her deep connection to her indigenous people and touched on the infliction of racism and colonization. She brought her writing to life from her personal experiences of being a lesbian, having an abusive spouse, and her mixed blood heritage from having a Mohawk father and a Scottish-Irish mother. Her published works include three edited anthologies and three books of essays and short stories.

Founded in Upstate New York in 1978 by Maureen Brady and Judith McDaniel, Spinsters Ink is one of the oldest lesbian feminist publishers in the world. It is currently owned by publisher Linda Hill, who purchased the Spinsters Ink in 2005. Hill also owns Bella Books and Beanpole Books.

Elana Dykewomon was an American lesbian activist, author, editor, and teacher. She was a recipient of the Lambda Literary Award for Lesbian Fiction.

Joan E. Biren or JEB is an American feminist photographer and film-maker, who dramatizes the lives of LGBT people in contexts that range from healthcare and hurricane relief to Womyn’s Music and anti-racism. For portraits, she encourages sitters to act as her “muse”, rather than her “subject”. Biren was a member of The Furies Collective, a short-lived but influential lesbian commune.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anna Livia (author)</span> Irish born lesbian writer, novelist, translator, and academic

Anna Livia was a lesbian feminist author and linguist, well known for her fiction and non-fiction regarding sexuality. From 1999 until shortly before the time of her death she was a member of staff at University of California, Berkeley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeanne Córdova</span> German writer

Jeanne Córdova was an American trailblazer of the lesbian and gay rights movement, founder of The Lesbian Tide, and a founder of the West Coast LGBT movement. Córdova was a second-wave feminist lesbian activist and proud butch.

<i>Fag Rag</i> Radical gay mens newspaper of the 1970s and 80s

Fag Rag was an American gay men's newspaper, published from 1971 until circa 1987, with issue #44 being the last known edition. The publishers were the Boston-based Fag Rag Collective, which consisted of radical writers, artists and activists. Notable members were Larry Martin, Charley Shively, Michael Bronski, Thom Nickels, and John Mitzel. In its early years the subscription list was between 400 and 500, with an additional 4,500 copies sold on newsstands and bookstores or given away.

<i>Sister Outsider</i> 1984 collection of essays and speeches by Audre Lorde

Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches is a collection of essential essays and speeches written by Audre Lorde, a writer who focuses on the particulars of her identity: Black woman, lesbian, poet, activist, cancer survivor, mother, and feminist. This collection, now considered a classic volume of Lorde's most influential works of non-fiction prose, has had a groundbreaking impact in the development of contemporary feminist theories. In fifteen essays and speeches dating from 1976 to 1984, Lorde explores the complexities of intersectional identity, while explicitly drawing from her personal experiences of oppression to include sexism, heterosexism, racism, homophobia, classism, and ageism. The book examines a broad range of topics, including love, self-love, war, imperialism, police brutality, coalition building, violence against women, Black feminism, and movements towards equality that recognize and embrace differences as a vehicle for change. With meditative conscious reasoning, Lorde explores her misgivings for the widespread marginalization deeply-rooted in the United States' white patriarchal system, all the while, offering messages of hope. The essays in this landmark collection are extensively taught and have become a widespread area of academic analysis. Lorde's philosophical reasoning that recognizes oppressions as complex and interlocking designates her work as a significant contribution to critical social theory.

Adrienne J. Smith (1934–1992) was an American psychologist. She came out as a lesbian in 1973 and became one of the first openly out lesbian psychologists in the American Psychological Association (APA). She worked for reforms in the APA and spoke on LGBT rights across the country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aswat</span> Palestinian organization for LGBT women

Aswat - Palestinian Feminist Center for Gender and Sexual Freedoms, also known as Aswat, is an Israel-based feminist organization that advocates for lesbians and other LGBT women in the Palestinian community. The group was founded in 2003, making it the first Palestinian organization for lesbians. It was initially membership-based, but has since transitioned to a movement-based structure. It is based in Haifa, Israel.

The Women in Print Conference was a conference of feminist women involved in publishing, including workers from feminist bookstores, in the United States. It was conceptualized by June Arnold and involved networking and workshops. The conference was held three times: in 1976, 1981 and 1985.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elaine Mikels</span> American activist

Elaine Mikels was an American activist and social worker. In 1960 she opened Conard House, the first psychiatric halfway house in San Francisco. She wrote an autobiography, Just Lucky I Guess: From Closet Lesbian to Radical Dyke (1993). Her papers are held in the June L. Mazer Lesbian Archives.

Joan Drury was an American novelist, book publisher, book seller, and philanthropist. She owned Spinsters, Ink, a publishing company that focused on books by women, especially those identifying as lesbian. She was the author of a series of mystery novels featuring a lesbian protagonist, Tyler Jones, and owned and operated a bookshop, Drury Lane Books, in Grand Marais, Minnesota. Drury won several awards for her services to publishing as well as for her own writing, including a Lambda Literary Award. She was also a philanthropist who sponsored writers' retreats, and created the National Lesbian Writer’s Award.

Lea Hopkins is an American LGBT rights activist and poet from Missouri, best known for founding Kansas City's pride parade.

References

  1. ↑ Ferguson, Mary Anne (1980). "Images of Women in Literature: An Evolution". The Radical Teacher (17): 34–36. ISSN   0191-4847. JSTOR   20709278.
  2. 1 2 "The Labor Movement and Maureen Brady's Folly". blog.pshares.org. October 2017. Retrieved 2019-04-10.
  3. ↑ "Maureen Brady". Feminist Press. 29 January 2016. Retrieved 2019-04-10.
  4. ↑ stevens, wendy (1979). Brady, Maureen (ed.). "give me your good ear". Off Our Backs. 9 (4): 22. ISSN   0030-0071. JSTOR   25773043.
  5. ↑ Short, Kayann (1996). Arnold, June; Nachman/Dykewomon, Elana; Harris, Bertha; Brady, Maureen (eds.). "Do-It-Yourself Feminism". The Women's Review of Books. 13 (4): 20–21. doi:10.2307/4022268. ISSN   0738-1433. JSTOR   4022268.
  6. ↑ dejanikus, tacie (1980). "our legacy". Off Our Backs. 10 (10): 17–25. ISSN   0030-0071. JSTOR   25773355.
  7. 1 2 "Writer awarded grant". The Post-Star. Glens Falls, New York. 3 April 1979. p. 8. Retrieved 12 April 2019.
  8. 1 2 3 Sorrel, Lorraine; Sojourner, Susan; Brady, Maureen (1983). "interview: Maureen Brady: envisioning possibilities". Off Our Backs. 13 (4): 14–16. ISSN   0030-0071. JSTOR   25774961.
  9. ↑ "Maureen Brady - Biography". www.maureenbradyny.com. Retrieved 2020-10-23.
  10. ↑ Brady, Maureen (2016-08-15). Folly. The Feminist Press at CUNY. ISBN   9781558614154.
  11. ↑ Stein, Julia (1998). "Tangled Threads: Two Novels About Women in the Textile Trades, "Call the Darkness Light" by Nancy Zaroulis and Folly by Maureen Brady". Women's Studies Quarterly. 26 (1/2): 98–112. ISSN   0732-1562. JSTOR   40003463.
  12. ↑ "Folly". Feminist Press. Retrieved 2019-04-10.
  13. ↑ DeBold, Kathleen (September 2000). "Bellas Lettres". Lambda Book Report. 9 (2): 13. ISSN   1048-9487 . Retrieved 12 April 2019.
  14. ↑ Nelson, Emmanuel S. (2009-07-14). Encyclopedia of Contemporary LGBTQ Literature of the United States [2 volumes]. ABC-CLIO. ISBN   9780313348600.
  15. ↑ Stone, Amy L.; Cantrell, Jaime (2015-11-20). Out of the Closet, Into the Archives: Researching Sexual Histories. SUNY Press. ISBN   9781438459035.
  16. ↑ "Lesbian Feminism, 1960s and 1970s · Lesbians in the Twentieth Century, 1900-1999 · outhistory.org". outhistory.org. Retrieved 2019-04-14.
  17. ↑ wilson, barbara (1984). "European Feminist Publishing". Off Our Backs. 14 (5): 14–15. ISSN   0030-0071. JSTOR   25775107.
  18. ↑ LeVay, Simon; Nonas, Elisabeth (1997). City of Friends: A Portrait of the Gay and Lesbian Community in America. MIT Press. ISBN   9780262621137.
  19. 1 2 Robbins, Jill (2011-06-21), "Toward Lesbian Visibility", Crossing through Chueca, University of Minnesota Press, pp. 117–124, doi:10.5749/minnesota/9780816669899.003.0007, ISBN   9780816669899
  20. ↑ "White Columns Archive". www.whitecolumns.org. Retrieved 2019-04-13.
  21. ↑ "Faculty Profile: Maureen Brady, Adjunct Assistant Professor | NYU SPS Professional Pathways". www.sps.nyu.edu. Retrieved 2019-04-14.
  22. ↑ "Faculty". New York Writers Workshop. Retrieved 2019-04-21.
  23. ↑ "Barbara Deming Memorial Fund, Inc. : Our Board & Staff". demingfund.org. Retrieved 2019-04-12.
  24. ↑ Taylor, Rebecca (15 January 1983). "Folly (Book)". Library Journal. 108 (2): 144. ISSN   0363-0277 . Retrieved 12 April 2019.
  25. ↑ Rogers, Michael (August 1994). "Book reviews: Classic returns". Library Journal. 119 (13): 141. ISSN   0363-0277 . Retrieved 12 April 2019.
  26. ↑ "Book reviews: BRADY, Maureen. DAYBREAK: Meditations for Women Survivors of Sexual Abuse". Adolescence. 28 (112): 991. Winter 1993. ISSN   0001-8449 . Retrieved 12 April 2019.
  27. ↑ "Dykes to Watch Out For: ONE AFTERNOON IN THE GROVES OF ACADEME". Off Our Backs. 18 (6): 22. 1988. ISSN   0030-0071. JSTOR   25796412.
  28. ↑ Eklund, Jane (February 2004). "From the Ashes". Lambda Book Report. 12 (7): 18–19. ISSN   1048-9487 . Retrieved 12 April 2019.
  29. ↑ Jay, Karla; Glasgow, Joanne; Vivien, Renee; Young, Allen (1990). Lesbian Texts and Contexts: Radical Revisions. NYU Press. ISBN   9780814741771.
  30. ↑ CATHOLIC GIRLS by Sumrall Amber Coverdale & Patrice Vecchione--Eds. | Kirkus Reviews.
  31. ↑ "Contemporary lesbian writers of the United States : a bio-bibliographical critical sourcebook". bepl.ent.sirsi.net. Retrieved 2019-04-14.
  32. ↑ "Touching Fire: Erotic Writings by Women". www.publishersweekly.com. Retrieved 2019-04-13.
  33. ↑ "Queer View Mirror 2: Lesbian and Gay Short Short Fiction". Quill and Quire. 2007-10-11. Retrieved 2019-04-13.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.