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The Persistent Desire
First published 1992 · 503 pages
A fierce, unapologetic archive of desire that reclaims the erotic and political power of butch-femme relationships.
What it feels like
Reading this anthology feels like stepping into a crowded, dimly lit lesbian bar of the mid-twentieth century, surrounded by the fierce, tender energy of women who fought for their right to desire. The pacing is steady and reflective, inviting you to linger over a chorus of voices that blend raw eroticism with sharp political critique. It is a deeply intimate, unapologetic collection where poetry, oral history, and personal essays weave together to form a vibrant tapestry of survival and love. The mood is both nostalgic and fiercely triumphant, soaked in the sweat and defiance of working-class queer history. It will profoundly move readers seeking a visceral, historically grounded celebration of butch-femme identity and the enduring power of queer desire.
- Mood
- erotic
- nostalgic
- fiercely tender
- politically charged
- Tone
- defiant
- intimate
- unapologetic
- celebratory
- tender
- Pace
- steady
- Themes
- butch-femme dynamics · erotic survival · queer archiving · working-class lesbian history · sexual liberation
- The writing
- A diverse, polyphonic blend of raw, visceral storytelling, evocative poetry, and sharp cultural critique.
- The arc
- Moves from the shadows of historical erasure to a triumphant, unapologetic reclamation of queer desire and identity.
- Who it's for
- Queer readers and historians seeking a deeply personal, unapologetic exploration of lesbian desire and butch-femme culture.
Content notes
- sexual content
- homophobia
- police harassment
- marginalization
About the book
Surveys a decade of the attempt to reconstruct and understand the meaning and value of butch-femme relations for the contemporary lesbian, drawing on oral history, fiction, poetry, and fantasy
Description from Open Library.
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