This documentary created by Herland member Ginger McGovern, UCO Professor of History Dr. Lindsey Churchill, and UCO graduate students Jake Crystal and Mickayla Fisher, explores the creation of the lesbian feminist activist group Herland. 

Susan shares her experiences with Herland and its founding by Barbara Cleveland in the late 1970s or early 1980s, offering a perspective on the organization’s history and significance. Although Susan was never officially part of Herland, she supported the space and recalls its early days in the Gatewood neighborhood of Oklahoma City.

Sally reflects on her long involvement with Herland, a community space that has been central to the lesbian and LGBTQ+ community in Oklahoma for over 20 years. She describes various roles she held within the organization, including serving on the board and organizing events such as retreats and open mic nights.

In this interview Barbara Wahru Cleveland shares her personal experiences surrounding the founding of Herland, a feminist bookstore and resource center in Oklahoma City. The interview delves into her involvement in a collective effort to open the store, which began when a group of women, including Barbara, worked together to transform an old building into a community space for women’s literature, music, and activism. 

This interview features Margaret Cox, a long-time activist, discussing her involvement with Herland. She first joined in 1983. Margaret reflects on the origins of the group, which evolved from a women’s reading group called LaSalle de Femme, and later became a women’s bookstore and community space.

This interview with Marian Halsey and Kris Marek reflects on their involvement with Herland. They discuss the founding of Herland by Barbara Cleveland, initially as a women’s bookstore, and the transition to a community space offering programming and retreats.

Terri reflects on her involvement with Herland (a women-only community space in Oklahoma City) over the span of 25 years. Although she was not deeply involved in its leadership or operations, she engaged with Herland through music-related activities and attended various events.

Peggy Johnson shares her experiences with Herland, a community center, where she contributed to physical renovations by texturing walls and tearing down a partition, alongside other volunteer work. She also served on the board in the late 1980s and early 1990s, helping with management and maintenance tasks.

Jean Kelsey reflects on her involvement with Herland, beginning in the mid-1980s. She describes her early experiences with the organization, starting when a small group of women were working to create a bookstore.

An interview with Ginger McGovern, who has been involved with Herland, a women’s community and resource space in Oklahoma City, since 1986. She discusses Herland's origins, which began as a group of lesbians seeking to create a safe space and bookstore for women, particularly to provide access to lesbian literature and women’s music.

Pat Reaves discusses her involvement in the Legal Defense Fund. Pat explains how she and a group raised around $20,000 to assist Donnie in her legal battle to regain custody of her children. The money was used for legal expenses, but not for lawyer fees. Pat reflects on the significance of this effort as a key part of their legacy, noting the group's willingness to help despite limited resources.

Pam Schonauer discussing her experiences with a women’s retreat and community space, likely associated with Herland. Pam reflects on the role of music in the group's early days, highlighting its significance during the retreats, where concerts and performances by women’s musicians created an intimate, communal atmosphere.

Jo Soske discusses her involvement with Herland, beginning from its early days when the collective first envisioned the creation of a women’s bookstore and resource center. The initial idea for the space, LaSalle de Femme, emerged from the collective's work on the Brazen Hussey Rag, a feminist newspaper launched in December 1981.

This group interview features former members of Herland (Peggy Johnson, Margaret Cox, Pat Reaves, Jean Kelsey, and Diane Trout Harwood) reflecting on the experiences with their involvement with Herland, an LGBTQ+ community space, highlighting the challenges and strengths of the collective consensus model used in the organization. 

Wanda Brewer-Stevens, an 89-year-old woman reflects on her life experiences, identity, education, activism, and career. Wanda discusses the complexity of defining her sexual identity, shaped by her long marriage, family life, and relationships with close women friends.

Chris Christophel, 82, shares their journey of activism, identity, and community involvement. From fighting for AIDS awareness, gay and women's rights, to moving to Fayetteville in 1986 and helping create a women’s library, Chris reflects on key moments in their life.

Sophia Estes describes her time as a lesbian activist in Arkansas, lesbian separatism, and social stigmas around lesbian parenting.

Barb Harris recounts the experience of navigating family dynamics, coming out as LGBTQ+, and building relationships in rural and urban contexts, particularly in Arkansas and Oklahoma, across several decades. 

Trella Laughlin, a filmmaker and activist, reflects on her upbringing in Jackson, Mississippi, and her involvement in the back-to-the-land movement. She discusses her experiences living in Northwest Arkansas and Spinsterhaven, as well as her past feelings towards men. 

Trella and Marie talk about what they value in relationships and how aging has influenced their understanding of them. They also touch on their acceptance of death and how it has shaped their connection.

Allyn Lord reflects on the evolution of LGBTQ+ rights, women's spaces, and community building, shaped by her lived experiences and activism. She observes that while progress has been made—particularly as younger women step up to lead—much of the work remains rooted in the collective struggles of her generation. 

Jeanne Neath and Paula Mariedaughter discuss their involvement with feminist and lesbian activism, focusing on women-centered spaces and resources. 

Content warning: Transphobia

Linda Nelson recalls her experience as an activist since the 1960s, participating in demonstrations against the Vietnam War, for the Civil Rights movement, and for abortion rights. She discusses her involvement with Spinster Haven, including helping acquire some of the property.

This interview features an 82-year-old woman, Sheila Richards, reflecting on her journey as an artist, activist, and participant in lesbian feminist communities. She describes her transformative work creating body casts of women, which explored themes of self-image, body acceptance, and personal empowerment.

The life and experiences of Diana Rivers, a 90-year-old artist, writer, activist, and community leader. Diana discusses her journey of self-discovery, including her decision to change her name, her identity as a lesbian, and her activism against the Vietnam War and for LGBTQ+ rights.

Beverly and Chava recall their experiences being lesbians as well as activists in the early 1980s. Beverly discusses their involvement in the "Razor Dykes" at the University of Arkansas. Chava discusses her involvement in the "Land Dyke" movement. They talk about their connections to Spinster Haven and Eldertree, as well as the experience of having children when it was illegal for LGBTQ+ people to do so.

Nancy Vaughn shares her journey as a lesbian, beginning with her realization during her time in the women's corps of the Army. She describes how joining Ozark Land Holding Association (OLHA) was a dream come true and reflects on her experiences working in construction, which shaped her views on separatism. 

Lydia discusses her involvement with the Northwest Arkansas women's community. She participated in rape crisis, the Razordykes, Spinsterhaven, and interacted with women from the land.