Lesbians in GEAR Hanging Together (LIGHT), the women’s coordinating committee of the GEAR Foundation, formed in 1980. Lesbians in GEAR Hanging Together formed to “[let] women know what the possibilities were for getting involved in GEAR.” Dianne Fishman, a founding member of LIGHT, noted that the group also played a central role in “[enhancing] the visibility of women” in the predominantly male-led GEAR Foundation. LIGHT worked to “[fulfill] the needs of the local lesbian community by creating social spaces and providing opportunities for networking, educational activities, and special projects.” LIGHT held three monthly meetings at the GEAR Foundation’s LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland, including a regular organizational meeting for GEAR Foundation members. LIGHT sponsored two recurring rap groups, including ‘Women With Women’ (a rap group that provided opportunities for women with an “opportunity to explore their sexual, psychological, social, and political identities) and the ‘Out Now and What’ (a rap group geared toward more “seasoned [lesbians]”). Outside of monthly meetings and rap groups, LIGHT sponsored a variety of social events geared toward Cleveland’s lesbian feminist communities. Social outings, including a LIGHT-sponsored “New Year’s Eve party, Oven Productions‘ Womyn’s Variety Show, [and a] fundraiser for What She Wants” provided numerous social opportunities for women involved in the GEAR Foundation.
Additional information coming soon.
Resources
- Baskin, Pat. “GEAR Activities.” High Gear. August 1980. Page 2.
- Krause, Marycatherine. “Working Together: Women and Men in GEAR.” What She Wants. December 1981. Page 9.
- “LIGHT Keeps Active.” High Gear. September 1982. Page 13.
- “LIGHT Sponsors Plate.” High Gear. May 1981. Page 3.
- “Women With Women.” High Gear. November 1981. Page 6.