Eugene Lesbian Oral History Project
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Work provided by University of Oregon


Oral History Interview with Ginger Newman and Janice Baker


Interviewee
Interviewer
Date
  • 10/20/2018
Description
  • The Eugene Lesbian Oral History Project collection consists of interviews of 83 people for the Eugene Lesbian Oral History Project, conducted by Professor Judith Raiskin and Curator Linda Long at the University of Oregon starting in the summer of 2018.
Abstract
  • Ginger was born in 1946 in Jacksonville, Florida. In high school, she was aware of her sexuality and had sexual relations with girls. In the mid-1960s, she went to nursing school in Atlanta. In navigating her sexuality and coming to terms with it, she felt she was the only lesbian she knew. In 1973, Ginger moved to San Francisco, where she worked at Mt. Zion Hospital, and where she met other gay people. She spent time at Maud’s lesbian bar. In San Francisco, Ginger came out and had a girlfriend. She discusses the difference between “non-monogamy” and “serial monogamy.” Ginger moved to southern Oregon and visited WomanShare Collective. She moved to Rootworks. She discusses Bethroot Gwynn and Madrone and the various lesbian communal lands, including Rainbow’s End. Ginger later moved to Eugene and initially lived a “hand to mouth” life. She lived at Trudy’s Ranch, out on Hamm Road, which was owned by a lesbian, Gertrude Cassidy. Ginger worked at a family practice clinic, where abortions were performed. Ginger and Janice talk about getting together. Ginger concludes her interview by discussing anti-gay homophobic activity. Janice was born in Pasadena, California in 1952. She was raised in the Science of Mind religion. This religion affected her upbringing, which she describes. Her parents were conservative and homophobic. Janice was a member of Girl Scouts from childhood through high school. She became aware of lesbians while at Girl Scout camp, as she saw that some counselors were in love with each other. She discusses her troubled family life at home. Janice got married to a man, but was not happy. She identified as a feminist in the mid-1980s. She left Long Beach, where she was living in 1984, and travelled north to southern Oregon, where Ruth and Jean Mountaingrove held week-long photography workshops for women, called “Ovulars” on their lesbian communal land. She traveled there with her good friend Aggie Agapito. Later, Janice and Aggie moved to WomanShare Collective, in southern Oregon, where they lived for many years. Janice discusses life and the community at WomanShare. Janice and Ginger Newman (partners) describe their relationship. Later, Janice worked as a nurse in Eugene for many years before retirement. Janice is a visual artist and she describes her work.
Subject
Keyword
  • Starflower Natural Foods & Botanicals
  • Maud’s (bar)
  • Cabbage Lane
  • Gays – crimes against
  • Collectives
  • Serial monogamy
  • Ovulars Photography Workshops
Location
Rights Holder
  • University of Oregon Libraries
Identifier
  • Coll520_do042
Repository
Local Collection Name
Local Collection ID
  • Coll 520
Finding Aid
Related URL
Institution
Modified
  • 01/22/2024
Collections

APA

Eugene Lesbian Oral History Project, University of Oregon. (24 Apr 2024). Oral History Interview with Ginger Newman and Janice Baker Retrieved from https://oregondigital.org/concern/generics/df73c391d

MLA

Eugene Lesbian Oral History Project, University of Oregon. "Oral History Interview with Ginger Newman and Janice Baker" Oregon Digital. 24 Apr 2024. https://oregondigital.org/concern/generics/df73c391d

Chicago

Eugene Lesbian Oral History Project, University of Oregon. "Oral History Interview with Ginger Newman and Janice Baker" Oregon Digital. Accessed 2024-04-24. https://oregondigital.org/concern/generics/df73c391d

Wiki

{{cite web | url= https://oregondigital.org/concern/generics/df73c391d | title= Oral History Interview with Ginger Newman and Janice Baker |author= |accessdate= 2024-04-24 |publisher= }}
Data Sources
Footer Number Term External URI
1 Baker, Janice http://opaquenamespace.org/ns/creator/BakerJanice
2 Newman, Ginger http://opaquenamespace.org/ns/creator/NewmanGinger
3 Raiskin, Judith L. http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n95069466
4 Long, Linda, 1956- http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no2001035121
5 Lesbianism http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85076157
6 Bars (Drinking establishments) http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh93000452
7 Closeted gays http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh93006732
8 Religion http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85112549
9 California--San Francisco http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n79018452-781
10 Oregon http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n79021953
11 Art http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85007461
12 Communities http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85029195
13 Sheklow, Sally http://opaquenamespace.org/ns/creator/SheklowSally
14 Cults http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85034719
15 Non-monogamous relationships http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh00003586
16 Lesbians http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85076160
17 Communal living http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85029011
18 Corinne, Tee, 1943-2006 http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n87876359
19 Lesbian separatism http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh2009003403
20 Girl Scouts of the United States of America http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n79123998
21 Rootworks (Or.) http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no2020058519
22 Homophobia http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh88006552
23 University of Oregon >> Lane County >> Oregon >> United States https://sws.geonames.org/5758196/
24 University of Oregon. Libraries. Special Collections and University Archives http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no2003116678
25 Eugene Lesbian Oral History Project http://opaquenamespace.org/ns/localCollectionName/EugeneLesbianOralHistoryProject
26 University of Oregon http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n80126183

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