Eugene Lesbian Oral History Project

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Work provided by University of Oregon

Oral History Interview with Susan Detroy: Transcript, Eugene Lesbian Oral History Project

In Copyright

Interviewee

Detroy, Susan ¹

Interviewer

Date

2018-09-12

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

Susan was born in 1946 in Indiana. She grew up in a conservative family. Susan was a good student and loved dancing at an early age. She was bussed to school as a part of racial integration. She studied Spanish at DePauw University. She lived abroad in Spain, which opened her eyes to a different culture. She discusses the Cuban Missile Crisis. She taught in St. Louis for a while after college, and married a man. After divorce from her husband, she lived in a commune in Indiana. She traveled around in California, and visited Eugene in 1971 and decided to stay. Susan discusses the Growers Market, a not-for-profit food-buying club for buying organic and natural foods. She was involved in protesting the Vietnam War. She discusses the beginnings of the WOW Hall. She became interested in martial arts, which became her community. She discusses a commune near 12th Avenue and Monroe, called “Café de Poets,” with Tom Cooke and Laurie Shaw. Susan became a Head Start teacher in Creswell, which she found to be a very conservative place. In the mid-1980s, Susan lived with her partner in Marcola, where they were out to the community. At the University of Oregon, she took classes in photography, which captured her interest. Susan discusses her artwork. She discusses her work to combat the anti-gay ballot measures and the Oregon Citizens Alliance. During the campaigns, she went door-to-door, and had people yell at her. She had nightmares during the campaigns and was afraid at the Riviera Room, that someone would come in and shoot the customers. She started Lez Dance so lesbians could dance together. There were no “male” and “female” dancers; there was “lead and follow.” Susan concludes her interview by discussing the lesbian community in Eugene.

Subject

Keyword

Perry’s
Maedl, Kathy
Veterans Memorial Building (Vet’s Club)
Amazon Kung Fu
Gertrude’s Café (restaurant)
Buckley, Florence
Cancer
Consciousness-raising

Location

University of Oregon >> Lane County >> Oregon >> United States ¹³

Rights Holder

University of Oregon Libraries

Identifier

Coll520_do012

Repository

University of Oregon. Libraries. Special Collections and University Archives ¹⁴

Local Collection Name

Eugene Lesbian Oral History Project ¹⁵

Local Collection ID

Coll 520

Finding Aid

https://scua.uoregon.edu/repositories/2/resources/8789

Related URL

https://outliersoutlaws.uoregon.edu

Institution

University of Oregon ¹⁶

Submission Date

07/02/2024

Modified

07/22/2024

Collections

Eugene Lesbian Oral History Project (open)

APA

Eugene Lesbian Oral History Project, University of Oregon. (05 Dec 2024). Oral History Interview with Susan Detroy: Transcript, Eugene Lesbian Oral History Project Retrieved from https://prod.oregondigital.org/concern/documents/df73c1996

MLA

Eugene Lesbian Oral History Project, University of Oregon. "Oral History Interview with Susan Detroy: Transcript, Eugene Lesbian Oral History Project" Oregon Digital. 05 Dec 2024. https://prod.oregondigital.org/concern/documents/df73c1996

Chicago

Eugene Lesbian Oral History Project, University of Oregon. "Oral History Interview with Susan Detroy: Transcript, Eugene Lesbian Oral History Project" Oregon Digital. Accessed 2024-12-05. https://prod.oregondigital.org/concern/documents/df73c1996

Wiki

{{cite web | url= https://prod.oregondigital.org/concern/documents/df73c1996 | title= Oral History Interview with Susan Detroy: Transcript, Eugene Lesbian Oral History Project |author= |accessdate= 2024-12-05 |publisher= }}

Data Sources
Footer Number	Term	External URI
1	Detroy, Susan	http://opaquenamespace.org/ns/creator/DetroySusan
2	Raiskin, Judith L.	http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n95069466
3	Long, Linda, 1956-	http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no2001035121
4	Lesbianism	http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85076157
5	Bars (Drinking establishments)	http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh93000452
6	Community Center for the Performing Arts (Eugene, Or.)	http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no2012074318
7	Oregon--Eugene	http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n79084636-781
8	Abortion	http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85000196
9	Racism	http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85110266
10	Lesbians	http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85076160
11	Photography	http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85101206
12	Communities	http://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85029195
13	University of Oregon >> Lane County >> Oregon >> United States	https://sws.geonames.org/5758196/
14	University of Oregon. Libraries. Special Collections and University Archives	http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no2003116678
15	Eugene Lesbian Oral History Project	http://opaquenamespace.org/ns/localCollectionName/EugeneLesbianOralHistoryProject
16	University of Oregon	http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n80126183

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