Lesbian Connection: A National Lesbian Journal (broken run of 48 issues & supplements)

E. Lansing, Michigan: Ambitious Amazons, 1991. Lesbian Connection was conceived by a group of nine Lansing area lesbians calling themselves the Ambitious Amazons following the fractious Midwest Lesbian Conference and Music Festival held in East Lansing, MI, in May 1974. Its purpose was "to establish a network of communication between all lesbians" and it quickly grew into one of the most popular lesbian forums with readers contributing much of the content. One of the most popular features of the newsletter was the Directory of Contact Dykes, which published the names of women in each state who provided information on lesbian-friendly lodging, restaurants, bars, etc. Early volumes ran eight issues, later volumes six, with circulation increasing from 400 copies of the first mimeographed issue to 25,000 for current issues (Whitt, Women in American Journalism: A New History, 163-65). It's still published today.

Issues included in this run include a reprint of the initial letter announcing publication with reprints of the first two issues (published in 1985 ahead of the Commemorative Issue); Vol. 1, Nos. 3, 6-7; Vol. 2, Nos. 1-3, 5-8; Vol. 3, Nos. 1, Special Issue, 2-5, Winter Supplement, 6-8; Vol. 4, Nos. 1, 3-5, 7, Winter Supplement; Vol. 5, No. 1; Vol. VI, Nos. 2-5 (Winter Catalog), Directory of Contact Dykes; Vol. VII, Nos. 1-3, 7; Vol. 8, Nos. 1-3 (Winter Catalog), 4-6; Vol. 9, Nos. 1-3 (Winter Catalog), 4-6; Vol. 10, Nos. 1-2, 6; Vol. 11, Nos. 2-3; Vol. 12, No. 2; Vol. 13, Nos. 2, 6; Vol. 14, No. 3.

Issues are side-stapled and offset-printed on colored 8 ½" x 11" sheets. Most issues run 28 pp, although pagination varies. Some mailing labels or stamps from previous women's centers, one issue with chewing to the tail, although not affecting text. A VG run.