Journal of Lesbian Studies

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More than a Bookstore

Kathleen Liddle

To cite this article: Kathleen Liddle (2005) More than a Bookstore, Journal of Lesbian Studies,
9:1-2, 145-159, DOI: 10.1300/J155v09n01_14

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 More than a Bookstore:
The Continuing Relevance of Feminist
Bookstores for the Lesbian Community
Kathleen Liddle

SUMMARY. Feminist bookstores serve as hubs for the lesbian commu-

nity, offering a safe space for gatherings, information dissemination,
and personal exploration. In recent years, the number of feminist book-
stores in the U.S. has drastically declined. This trend is often attributed
to the increase in corporate bookstore chains and the emergence of on-
line merchants. Given the wider availability of feminist and lesbian
reading material, have feminist bookstores outlived their usefulness?

Kathleen Liddle is Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of Toronto at

Scarborough. Her current research addresses the emergence, persistence, and multiple
roles of feminist bookstores.
Author note: I would like to thank the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences at Emory
University for funding the data collection for this project. I received invaluable feed-
back on earlier drafts from Timothy J. Dowd, Rosemarie Garland-Thomson, Becky J.
Liddle, Lauren Rauscher, Diana Toebbe, and Sarah Willen. I especially appreciate the
gracious assistance of the owners, staff, and customers of Boadecias Books
(Kensington, CA), Charis Books & More (Atlanta, GA), and Common Language
Books (Ann Arbor, MI).
Address correspondence to: Kathleen Liddle, Department of Social Sciences, Uni-
versity of Toronto at Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M1C
1A4 (E-mail: kathyliddle@mindspring.com).
[Haworth co-indexing entry note]: More than a Bookstore: The Continuing Relevance of Feminist
Bookstores for the Lesbian Community. Liddle, Kathleen. Co-published simultaneously in Journal of Les-
bian Studies (Harrington Park Press, an imprint of The Haworth Press, Inc.) Vol. 9, No. 1/2, 2005, pp. 145-159;
and: Lesbian Communities: Festivals, RVs, and the Internet (ed: Esther Rothblum, and Penny Sablove) Harrington
Park Press, an imprint of The Haworth Press, Inc., 2005, pp. 145-159. Single or multiple copies of this article are
available for a fee from The Haworth Document Delivery Service [1-800-HAWORTH, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
(EST). E-mail address: docdelivery@haworthpress.com].

Available online at http://www.haworthpress.com/web/JLS

2005 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.
Digital Object Identifier: 10.1300/J155v09n01_14 145
146 LESBIAN COMMUNITIES: FESTIVALS, RVs, AND THE INTERNET

Using survey and interview data collected from lesbian feminist book-
store customers, I show that feminist bookstores continue to be per-
ceived as vital to the lesbian community. Respondents share powerful
memories of their first visits to feminist bookstores and articulate the
continued need for such enterprises in their communities. Despite these
assertions, however, more than half of the women surveyed indicate that
their visits to the stores have grown less frequent over time due to
changes in life circumstances or decreased salience of lesbian identity.
Implications and directions for future research are discussed. [Article
copies available for a fee from The Haworth Document Delivery Service: 1-800-
HAWORTH. E-mail address: <docdelivery@haworthpress.com> Website:
<http://www.HaworthPress.com> 2005 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights
reserved.]

KEYWORDS. Feminist bookstores, womens bookstores, lesbian,

community, bookstore

Shes spent years building up our customer base, then Bunns &
Noodle waltzes into town and starts luring folks away with their
huge selection and big discounts . . . that place is owned by a gi-
gantic corporation! Books are just a commodity to them, like small
appliances, or . . . or health insurance! They dont care about liter-
ature, or ideas, or community!

From the comic strip Dykes to Watch Out For (Bechdel, 1995:31)

From the panels of Alison Bechdels Dykes to Watch Out For comic
strip, to the pages of Publishers Weekly, we catch glimpses of the exis-
tence and current plight of feminist bookstores. These small shops, lov-
ingly birthed and tended by women dedicated to feminist ideals,
emerged during the 1970s along with a variety of other feminist enter-
prises. Rather than simply a site of commerce, feminist bookstores gen-
erally serve also as a focal point and de facto community center for their
local lesbian population.
Citing increasing competition from chain bookstores and online ven-
dors, feminist booksellers and their allies now speak of being under
siege as they struggle to survive. Since mainstream bookstores offer
special orders, online shopping, and deep discounts, critics may wonder
whether feminist bookstores have outlived their usefulness. Such argu-
 Kathleen Liddle 147

ments, however, neglect the fact that for many women these shops func-
tion as much more than a place to purchase books.
In order to better understand womens relationships with feminist
bookstores, I mailed a survey to a random sample of customers from
Boadecias Books in Kensington, California, and Charis Books & More
in Atlanta, Georgia. The fact that 111 (56%) of the responses came from
self-identified lesbians attests to the significance of feminist bookstores
as lesbian spaces. In addition, I personally interviewed customers from
these two stores and from Common Language Books in Ann Arbor,
Michigan.1 For this paper, I focus only on the lesbian responses, which
suggest that feminist bookstores continue to serve as a powerful anti-
dote to a mainstream culture that marginalizes difference and empha-
sizes heteronormative imagery. Far from being outdated, feminist
bookstores hold great relevance in contemporary society, particularly
for the establishment and maintenance of lesbian community.

IT WAS LIKE COMING HOME:

MEMORIES OF THE FIRST VISIT
2
Several years ago, when Eve began questioning her sexuality, she
turned to the local feminist bookstore. In her early 30s, married to a
man, and lacking any gay or lesbian friends, she needed a place to safely
explore her feelings. She recalls that it was

. . . also like creating a new home for myself. And I found myself
being really comforted there. Even though I didnt know anyone it
was almost like I was making a place for myself . . . I wasnt out to
anybody and I felt isolated. And there were times when I would
just go just to sit and feel like, okay, I belong here.

It is not surprising that Eve recalls her first visit, given its recency. How-
ever, regardless of when it occurred, women recounted their introduc-
tion to feminist bookstores with great emotion and surprising detail. For
many, it represented a turning point or a rite of passage integral to their
acquisition of a lesbian identity. Katie writes about pushing through her
initial trepidation:

I consider it my second conscious act as a lesbian. (the first was . . .

you know . . .) I thought for sure I was outing myself. I was afraid
to look at lesbian books and write a check because my phone num-
148 LESBIAN COMMUNITIES: FESTIVALS, RVs, AND THE INTERNET

ber was on it. I finally did. The world didnt end. Ive never looked
back.

The nervousness felt while standing on the threshold of a feminist book-

store for the first time often transforms quickly into feelings of comfort,
nurturance, and warmth. Pamela reflects, It felt like a new world. The
reality of having an entire bookstore focused on women and their inter-
ests was like an embrace from a friend. For Christine, the experience
provided the sense that I was not alone, the empowerment through spo-
ken and written word, the way these bookstores held me, nurtured and
kept me captivated. Such accounts indicate that feminist bookstores
are experienced as an oasis of sorts, a place in which lesbians can find
otherseither in person or in printwho are like them.
Finding a community is an integral part of the coming out process
(Ritter & Terndup, 2002; Rust, 2003). Such communities offer support
and validation (Ponse, 1978), as well as providing information about
lesbian subcultures and resources (Lockard, 1986). For many, the les-
bian community provides definition, acceptance, and inclusion; it of-
fers sources for social life, political activity, friendships, lovers, places
to go, and other types of assistance (Pearlman, 1987, p. 314). While the
idea of community often calls to mind social groups and non-profit
organizations, commercial establishments can also play a vital role.
Examples include small businesses within ethnic enclaves (Cornell
and Hartmann 1998), gay and lesbian bars or nightclubs (DAugelli &
Garnets, 1995; Faderman, 1991; Lockard, 1986; Wolf, 1979), and
Black bookstores (Beckles, 1996; Beckles, 1998). All of these sites can
provide venues for identity development, organizing, information dis-
semination, and debate.
Feminist bookstores similarly provide a portal into the lesbian com-
munity for those who are newly out or new to town. For some, feminist
bookstores offer a welcome alternative to other community sites, partic-
ularly bars. I went there because I was under 21, states Dawn, and
other than bars did not know where to go to meet people. Reflecting on
her first visits during the 1970s, Linda notes, It really was lesbian
space and that by itself was pretty incredible. It was like, the guys had
bars, we had bookstores. Because feminist bookstores often serve as a
hub for the local lesbian community, visitors can obtain a wealth of
information there. Jean describes that,

I perceived them to be sort of lesbian-central and the place to find

out whats going on around town. When I was moving, I went to
 Kathleen Liddle 149

the feminist bookstore and looked at their message board to see if

anyone had an apartment to rent, I went there before I even moved
there. Women-owned or lesbian-owned, but especially lesbian-
owned businesses would put their cards there or have flyers there
or something so you could find out what the women-owned or les-
bian-owned businesses were, youd find out there where the gay
bars were, youd ask whoever was there about where the gay parts
of town were, if there were any, or where the organizations were.
You could find out what was happening in that new city by going
to the feminist bookstore.

Besides pointing newcomers to other organizations, feminist book-

stores generally offer their own set of programs. Women gather in the
stores to hear authors read, to meet with book discussion clubs, or to
share their own poetry or prose with writing groups. Sometimes they of-
fer meeting space to local organizations. In all cases, store owners and
staff also play a critical role in introducing women to the lesbian com-
munity. Marti recalls her first visit to a feminist bookstore and the
lasting impression it made on her:

In 1976 the owner of Lammas bookstore in Washington, DC, or-

ganized a film festival (womens) off site. I was a teenaged girl
just coming out as a lesbian. I wrote her feedback and got a sweet
letter back in reply, so I went to the bookstore to meet a real adult
out lesbian for the first time. I remember most that she called me
kiddo affectionately. I think that kept me going for the next year.

Thus, the desire to make connectionswith individuals, organizations,

and the local community in generalis a prime motivation for those who
seek out feminist bookstores.
Women also connect with the lesbian community in less direct ways,
through the books that line the walls of these stores. When Sarah began
wondering whether she was a lesbian, she turned first to books.

I wanted to do a lot of reading about homosexuality, about lesbi-

ans, I wanted to satisfy the curiosity in my mind. So, not long after
I moved here . . . I pulled out the phone book and looked for specif-
ically feminist bookstores . . . as soon as I walked in the door it just
felt like incredibly safe space. And that it didnt matter what kind
of book I was looking for . . . I would not be judged on that.
150 LESBIAN COMMUNITIES: FESTIVALS, RVs, AND THE INTERNET

When Eve ventured into a feminist bookstore for the first time, she too
was looking for books that would help her make sense of emerging feel-
ings:

I didnt know what to call myself, and I didnt know what name
worked for me . . . so what I started doing is Id go to one section,
like theres the bisexual section, and Id look through all the books
. . . and then Id go to the lesbian section . . . it was kind of like Id
go in there and Id sit in one place and I would pick at the different
books in the section . . . I was like out at sea. And so I didnt go in
looking to buy something, but maybe to find something that
sounded familiar . . . that resonated with my experience . . . trying
to find a language for myself.

Although we could think of feminist bookstores as being comprised of

both community and merchandise, in essence the books being sold are
part of a dispersed lesbian community. Enfolded within their pages are
the voices of a diversity of womenreal and fictionalwhose words pro-
vide comfort, encouragement, and guidance. As such, they provide an
imagined community for women who, like Eve, are struggling for inter-
nal understanding before coming out to others. This echoes Elizabeth
Longs (2003) findings in her study of womens book groups, as she de-
scribes the active engagement between reader and text as a type of iden-
tity work. She notes that rather than being a passive activity, women are
engaged in creation, imagining and expressing new insights, new defi-
nitions both of their own situations in the world and of their own desires
or judgments, and new understandings of who they can or want to be-
come (Long, 2003:221). In the absence ofor in addition topersonal
support, lesbians may turn to books as they forge new identities.

A GATHERING PLACE, AN ACCEPTING PLACE:

CONTINUING IMPORTANCE

Despite such testaments, the number of feminist bookstores in the

United States continues to decrease. Multiple explanations for this trend
exist, including skyrocketing rents in urban areas (Abbott, 2001) and
the desire of long-time owners to pursue different careers (Kawaguchi,
2000). Most often cited, however, is the proliferation of chain book-
stores and Internet commerce. The Sisterhood Bookstore in Los An-
geles, for example, reportedly closed after 25 years when a branch of
 Kathleen Liddle 151

Borders opened across the street (Kawaguchi, 2000). Such large book-
stores now routinely feature sections on womens studies or gay and
lesbian studies. Although the offerings may not be as broad as those of
specialty stores, customers can also special order any title currently in
print. Concurrently, acceptance of gays and lesbians has continued to
rise, leading to an increased presence in the media, more visibility of
gay-owned businesses, and a plethora of special interest groups ranging
from choruses and marching bands to swim teams and hiking clubs.
Given the greater accessibility of books and the greater acceptance of
lesbians, are feminist bookstores even necessary? The women partici-
pating in my study resoundingly affirmed the continuing importance of
these spaces, often emphasizing their statements with multiple excla-
mation points, vigorous underlining, and capital letters. They noted that
feminist bookstores are central to the lesbian community, continue to be
an outlet for books not readily available elsewhere, and provide a more
comfortable environment for exploring books than a mainstream store
would.
Despite the increasing number of social venues available for lesbi-
ans, feminist bookstores are still seen as someplace far more interest-
ing to meet people than a night club or bar. There is a sense that the
stores offer a deeper, historical connection to the community rather than
simply being a place to find out what is happening in the present. Some
women, like Deb, lament the lack of other meeting spaces for lesbian-
feminists and cite the continuing need for safe space:

Even though we live in the Bay Area, there are still people out
there who do not accept our lifestyles, with stores like Boadecias
for women, were more likely to go there to buy, read, and meet
because nobody cares what our sexual preferences are when were
there!

Thus, even in geographic areas that are perceived as being particularly

liberal or gay-friendly, women may feel the need for spaces that are ac-
tively accepting.
The relationship that women form with feminist bookstores does not
necessarily stop once the process of coming out or locating the local les-
bian community is finished. For example, now that she is happily settled
down with her partner, Sarah continues to visit her feminist bookstore
both for information and community. She particularly appreciates the
emotional freedom that is permitted:
152 LESBIAN COMMUNITIES: FESTIVALS, RVs, AND THE INTERNET

When you walk into a [feminist] bookstore, you can be by yourself

or you can converse with other people . . . its a focused area, its a
quiet area, its a place where you can talk, you can laugh, you can
cry . . . all those things are possible in this small space . . . Its pub-
lic, but its not public, you know? If you have a problem or if you
have something joyous to share, its a place where people will
share those things with you and you dont have to worry about
jumping up and dancing and having a great time on something
thats joyous or sharing something that is just awful that has hap-
pened to you. You cant walk in a restaurant and do that, people
will look at you like youre a blooming idiot!

One such joyous moment occurred when she and her partner planned
their commitment ceremony. The store carried a line of jewelry they ad-
mired and, with the staffs help, they arranged for the jeweler to ship
seven different ring styles for them to examine. After choosing their fa-
vorite, Sarah and her partner placed their order through the bookstore.
She explains,

It was a personal thing because they were as excited when our

rings came in as we were. You know, [the store owner] called us
up and left a message on our machine and said, Your rings are
here! Your rings are here! and when we went in and opened them
and tried them on and everything, all the women were crowded
around to see how they fit and how they looked and everything.

Similarly, although Joanne came out 18 years ago, she continues to

value her feminist bookstore as a place to make connections and keep up
with community happenings:

Every time I go in I see people either that I know or we start chat-

ting about something else. I mean its just a little bonding kind of
thing, and thats probably because you know that the people in
there . . . are very accepting . . . I mean thats a place where you can
kind of sit around or stand around and catch peoples eyes and just
start chatting about something.

Joanne is highly visible and well respected locally. She lives and owns a
business with her partner, and certainly has an extensive social circle.
However, the feminist bookstore continues to be a destination, both for
shopping and for engaging with the lesbian community.
 Kathleen Liddle 153

In addition to their continuing importance as community hubs, femi-

nist bookstores also offer a different selection than mainstream stores.
In doing so, they provide a broader imagined community for readers
to dive into and a safer space for it to happen. For example, Jane ex-
plains that, its possible to get books there by relatively small or little
known publishers, books that the chains wont carry because they are
not profitable. Wendy similarly appreciates that, there is a level of
consideration given to selections of novels and novelties in a feminist
bookstore that I have never found in a non-feminist bookstore. Others
echo the idea that the titles carried are chosen with the lesbian commu-
nity in mind. When Dana began teaching in a new town, she discovered
that her university department had an explicit policy of ordering text-
books through the local feminist bookstore. After visiting to place her
orders, she quickly became a fan:

I like the idea of going there and these are mainly feminist, some-
how feminist related, books. And then [the owner] or someone
else that works there had selected them, so it makes it easier for me
because I think I want to say, oh yeah, these are all interesting.

For Marin, the relationship she feels with her feminist bookstores staff
feeds into her connections with the lesbian community. Part of this feel-
ing relates to the care with which books are chosen:

Theres an intimacy with their collection . . . I feel like the owner

just really has a great awareness of what I like to read. And shell
often suggest things that are right on the money. And sometimes if
I dont know what I want to read, if I go in and say, What do I
want to read? she doesnt have to sit around and think. I mean,
shell know exactly. And generally speaking, I just buy whatever
she hands me.

However, Marin also goes on to explain how connecting with the les-
bian community through the bookstore continues to bring her strength:

Thats part of one of the things that I value so much about feeling
like a participant in building community . . . you know, its easy in
a feminist bookstore where you expect to be accepted as a dyke, as
a woman, and a feminist. Right? You have that expectation that
you will be accepted and there will be no question whether youre
holding your girlfriends hand . . . but I think it was a crucial foun-
154 LESBIAN COMMUNITIES: FESTIVALS, RVs, AND THE INTERNET

dation for me to form a community-building relationship with the

bookstore, as an adult, as a lesbian, as part of a couple. That gave
me sort of the courage to then move on to places where I wasnt as
sure of acceptance.

So, in addition to relying on the store as a trusted source of womens

writing, she also experiences it as a place to build courage and confi-
dence before moving out beyond its walls.
One factor that helps with building such internal resources is the
safety of feminist bookstores. Lee writes that women may not feel
comfortable buying the same things, even if available, at chain stores.
Many articulate a need for privacy and respect that is lacking at main-
stream stores. For instance, although she is openly lesbian, Brenda
explains:

If I want to read something about lesbianism, I would feel much

more comfortable in [a feminist bookstore] just because of the cli-
entele. You dont have to worry about whos looking over your
shoulder and stuff like that. I mean, dont get me wrong, Im not
closeted, but theres a different air about it in some of the bigger
stores, like people will walk by and make little comments and you
just dont have as much privacy as you would in a feminist book-
store . . . anyone that would be in there is not going to care what
Im reading . . . either theyre going to be reading the same thing I
am or its going to be individuals who arent going to be judgmen-
tal of the material. Whereas, I mean, Ive been in Barnes & Noble
before and teenagers or fundamentalists or whoever will walk by
and make comments about the gay & lesbian section.

Even though there is greater availability of lesbian and feminist publica-

tions, the environment offered by a mainstream store may not be com-
fortable enough for some women to browse or make purchases.
Although the women in this study clearly have strong feelings about
their own relationships with feminist bookstores, they also express a
concern that the stores be there for other peoples needs. As a clearing-
house for the lesbian community, the stores can offer a great deal of in-
formation. Donna emphasizes the importance of the stores for others,
explaining that:

Its just really important for it to be there for folks who are just
coming out or just getting to town or whatever . . . its this little is-
 Kathleen Liddle 155

land in this great big city of cold and confusion and when you find
your way there, then youve got a place that can ground you.

Perhaps reflecting on their own youthful experiences, women also reit-

erate how necessary feminist bookstores are as resources for those who
are coming out. Joanne expresses particular concern for young people
who are questioning their sexuality, suggesting that:

maybe they can duck in, you know, if theyre not sure, theyre
questioning, or their parents might not be accepting or whatever,
they can duck in there and kind of hide between the book shelves
and be in their own world. I think thats very important. Because
you go into Borders and youve got that tiny little section of gay
and lesbian [books], which is right out in the middle. I mean if
youre questioning and youre not sure of yourself, and youre shy,
its hard. It would be hard to be out in the middle of the store.

Others describe how the bookstore environment allows people who

have previously been isolated to experience being treated as normal.
In Karens words, it is, a home base for so many different things:
groups, connections, people new to town, safe space, growing girlsit is
a true center for our community. That is what a feminist bookstore
SHOULD be. More than books.

LIFE GETS BUSY:

CHANGING PATTERNS

Despite these fond memories and strong assertions of support,

women admit that life gets busy and limits the time they spend at femi-
nist bookstores. More than half of the survey respondents indicate that
the frequency of their visits has decreased over time. However, rather
than being lured away by mainstream bookstores and Internet shopping,
most mention changes in their personal lives. Many women have
moved farther away, making trips to the stores less convenient. Others
have become parents and note, for example, that, kids make it harder to
get anywhere. Longer work hours, caring for aging relatives, and being
occupied with a romantic partner all hinder visits. Retirement and other
changes in financial circumstances can lead to avoidance of the tempta-
tion of book buying. As one woman explains, If I dont have money, I
dont dare go in there.
156 LESBIAN COMMUNITIES: FESTIVALS, RVs, AND THE INTERNET

In addition to these changes, however, some women report a de-

creased need for the feminist bookstore environment as they grow
older. For some, becoming involved with the lesbian community dimin-
ishes their reliance on the imagined communities provided through
reading. Others develop a stronger sense of identity and discover that
their need for external support has diminished. Teresa recalls that once
I was hooked up then I didnt feel the need to be so involved. In her
case, the feminist bookstore was so successful at integrating her into the
community that she no longer felt the need to spend time there. For oth-
ers, being a lesbian feels less salient in the presence of other interests or
concerns. Jen describes her changing priorities:

Also, yes, Im queer and all, but especially now Im more inclined
to go to a talk about peace and politics than to a reading just be-
cause the authors are queer. There is some real scary shit happen-
ing in this world and much of the bookstores readings seem sort of
frivolous at this time.

Despite their decreasing visits, women still want the comfort of

knowing that the stores exist. Donna, for example, takes comfort in her
stores existence and wishes she could visit more often:

Its almost like a village center or a community center to me.

Theres information there that maybe you wouldnt know where
else to look . . . Even though I dont go there as often as maybe Id
like to or dont think about it because its not geographically
nearby right now, when I walk in there theres an aspect of home
there, or a safe place, or comfort.

Some women express a more tangible commitment to keeping feminist

bookstores in business, even when they dont shop there themselves.
Jean frequented one store when she was just coming out, primarily be-
cause she wanted to meet other lesbians, and visited others in order to
acquaint herself with local communities before relocating. She prefers
to borrow books from the library rather than purchase them, so her store
visits are infrequent. Still, even she reports that:

Its interesting to me that its probably been five years since Ive
been in the feminist bookstore, but if it was going under, I would
send them money . . . its important to me that theyre there even if
I dont use them.
 Kathleen Liddle 157

DISCUSSION

Judging from these survey responses and interviews, lesbians con-

tinue to perceive feminist bookstores as a hub for the lesbian commu-
nity and as a vital institution. First, visiting a feminist bookstore is
repeatedly cited as a key event in the coming out process. The stores of-
fer women the chance to connect with other lesbianswhether those
connections be in person or between the pages of a book. They offer
community information, a safe place to explore new identities, and a
starting point for finding local groups and establishing personal net-
works. Second, the women responded with overwhelming certainty that
feminist bookstores continue to be vital to the lesbian community, even
with the greater availability of lesbian books and organizations. In addi-
tion to discussing their own reliance on the stores, these women also
emphasize the role feminist bookstores play in welcoming young lesbi-
ans, women who are new in town, and women beginning the coming out
process. Third, despite their commitment to feminist bookstores, more
than half of those surveyed reported that their visits have decreased in
frequency over time. The reasons cited emphasized changes in personal
circumstances such as relocation, job demands, and parenthood. Some
respondents also indicated having less need for the community space af-
ter establishing their own identities and social circles. However, even
so, many discussed wanting the security of knowing that the stores were
still there.
These results suggest that feminist bookstores continue to be per-
ceived as hubs of the lesbian community. Even in progressive cities,
women report a need for safe spaces that nurture community, empower
women, and provide a respite from mainstream culture. The responses
were quite unified in describing feminist bookstores as the place to go
for information about the lesbian community, for books that help with
identity formation and community integration, and for a safe woman-
centered space. However, feminist bookstores continue to face financial
challenges and their numbers continue to decline. How does this come
about?
One possible explanation is suggested by the demographic character-
istics of this sample. Although the women surveyed repeatedly empha-
sized the importance of feminist bookstores for young women who are
coming out, less than 10% of the respondents reported their age as being
less than 30. This suggests the need to consider where the young lesbi-
ans are. Do they get introduced to the lesbian community in different
contexts? Do they represent an untapped market that, if reached, could
158 LESBIAN COMMUNITIES: FESTIVALS, RVs, AND THE INTERNET

infuse some feminist bookstores with needed energy and resources? In

future research, I plan to conduct focus groups with young women who
do not frequent feminist bookstores but who identify as lesbians or as
feminists.
Also important for future research is the question of whether other
sites are now serving as lesbian central, offering information and re-
sources to newcomers. If they are not, then the gradual demise of femi-
nist bookstores may create ramifications for the lesbian communities
that they have historically nurtured.

NOTES
1. At the editors request, a detailed description of methods and data has been omit-
ted. For more information about the larger research project or the research methods
used, please contact the author.
2. All names used in this paper are pseudonyms and some details have been changed
to protect anonymity.

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