Joan E. Biren Papers, 1944-2011 (ongoing)
General International Standard for Archival Description
Sophia Smith Collection Smith CollegeNorthampton, MA
Finding aid exported into EAD from InMagic DB/Textworks 12.0. Encoded by Margaret Jessup. November 14, 2011
Encoded Archival Description
Encoded Archival Description (EAD) Version 2002
collection
Joan E. Biren Papers
Biren, Joan E.
Biographical History for: Joan E. Biren Papers
Biographical Note Joan E. Biren (b.1944) grew up in the Washington, D.C. area, graduated from Mount Holyoke College in 1966, and pursued graduate training in political science at Oxford University and communications at American University. Biren joined the women's liberation movement in Washington D.C. in 1969. Coming to feminism with her New Left political science background, Biren was particularly involved in the formation of feminist theory. Biren and others (including Rita Mae Brown and Charlotte Bunch) formed a lesbian-separatist collective, the Furies, in 1971. Though the collective was short-lived, it had, through its publications, a significant impact on the strategies of the women's movement. Biren taught herself photography because "I needed to see images of lesbians." She is best known for her photographic portraits, some of the earliest documents of late 20th-century lesbian life. Realizing the need for affirming images and self- expression outside of traditional patriarchal language, her work has appeared in off our backs, The Washington Blade, Gay Community News, and on countless LP album and book covers. Biren published two ground-breaking collections of her photography: "Eye to Eye: Portraits of Lesbians" (1979) and "Making A Way: Lesbians Out Front" (1987). In the 1990s, Beginning in 1979 Biren toured the country presenting her slide show "Lesbian Images in Photography, 1850 to the present" to women's groups. Other shows followed and gradually Biren moved from still photography to filmmaking. She documented the 1987 and 1993 gay and lesbian marches on Washington in For Love and For Life and A Simple Matter of Justice and in 2003, an award-winning film on lesbian pioneers Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon, "No Secret Anymore: The Times of Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon."
The Joan E. Biren Papers were donated to the Sophia Smith Collection by Joan E. Biren beginning in 2007.
Scope and Contents of the Collection The Joan E. Biren Papers document her professional and personal life. They include correspondence, notes, photographs, press releases, reports, fliers and publicity materials, journal and newspaper articles, newsletters, audiovisual materials, transcripts of interviews, and memorabilia. The bulk of the papers date from 1975 to 2003. Major topics found throughout the papers include photography, film, lesbianism, Judaism, feminism, lesbian and gay rights, political movements, and anti-nuclear movements. Biren was an avid collector of lesbian and social justice materials, and the Papers are rich in images, clippings, and other materials collected during events such as the 1993 March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay and Bi Equal Rights and Justice. Materials related to Biren's filmmaking include extensive raw footage, research materials, and transcripts of interviews, conference panels, and events. Notable correspondents include Audre Lorde, Alison Bechdel, Tee Corrine, Barbara Smith, and John D'Emilio. [NOTE: The contents list for this collection is not online yet but will be soon. Check back again in a few weeks, or contact the Sophia Smith Collection if you would like a copy sent to you.]
Periodic additions to collection are expected and may not be reflected in this record.
The papers are open to research according to the regulations of the Sophia Smith Collection with the following caveats: Access to audiovisual materials may first require production of research copies. Portions of this collection have not been fully processed and therefore some portions may be difficult to use.
TJoan Biren retains copyright to her published and unpublished works. Copyright to works by others may be owned by them, their heirs or assigns. It is the responsibility of the researcher to identify and satisfy the holders of all copyrights for permission to publish reproductions or quotations beyond "fair use." Permission must also be obtained from the Sophia Smith Collection as owners of the physical property.
Additional Formats Some audiovisual recordings have been converted to digital format for research use.
See also the oral history of Joan Biren in the Voices of Feminism Oral History Project.
Preliminary processing done by Maida Goodwin, 2010
Antinuclear movement -- United States -- History -- Sources
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Artists -- United States -- Biography -- Sources
Breast Cancer -- Lesbians
Civil rights movements -- United States -- History -- 20th century -- Sources
Collectivism -- United States
Demonstrations -- United States -- Photographs
Documentary films -- United States -- Production and direction
Female friendship -- United States -- History
Feminism and art -- History -- Sources
Feminism -- Religious aspects -- Judaism
Feminism -- History --Sources
Feminism -- Periodicals
Feminist spirituality -- United States -- History -- Sources
Feminists -- United States -- Biography -- Sources
Gay college students -- United States -- History
Gay liberation movement -- History -- 20th century -- Sources
Gay rights -- History -- Sources
Gays in motion pictures
Gays -- Periodicals
Gender identity -- United States
Goddess religion -- History -- 20th century -- Sources
Hispanic American women -- Biography -- Sources
Homophobia in sports -- History -- 20th century -- Sources
International Women's Day -- History
Indian women -- Biography -- Sources
Jewish lesbians -- Biography -- Sources
Jewish women -- United States -- Biography -- Sources
Lesbian activists -- United States -- Biography -- Sources
Lesbian artists -- United States -- Biography -- Sources
Lesbian communities -- United States -- History
Lesbian feminism--History--Sources
Lesbianism -- Periodicals
Lesbianism -- Religious aspects
Lesbianism -- United States -- History
Lesbians in motion pictures
Lesbians -- Periodicals
Lesbians -- Photographs
Lesbians -- United States -- Biography -- Sources
Nuclear disarmament -- History -- Sources
Peace movements -- History -- 20th century -- Sources
Photography of women -- History -- Sources
Lesbian physicians
Pornography -- Social aspects -- United States -- History -- 20th century -- Sources
Peace movements -- United States -- History -- Sources
Women -- Photographs
Women and peace -- History -- 20th century -- Sources
Women and religion -- History -- 20th century -- Sources
Women artists -- United States -- Biography -- Sources
Women in mass media -- United States -- History -- 20th century -- Sources
Women photographers -- United States -- Biography -- Sources
Women's periodicals, American -- History -- Sources
Women's rights -- History -- 20th century -- Sources
Women's studies -- History -- 20th century -- Sources
Women -- Periodicals
Women -- Religious life -- United States -- History
Women's periodicals, American -- History -- 20th century
Adam, Margie
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Christian, Meg
Deming, Barbara, 1917
Hammer, Barbara
Helaine Victoria Press -- History -- Sources
Jackson, James E., 1914-
Near, Holly
Pratt, Minnie Bruce
J.E.B.
National Abortion Rights Action League -- History
National Endowment for the Arts -- History -- Sources
National Organization for Women -- History
National Women's Health Network (U.S.)
Olivia Records
Voices of Feminism Oral History Project
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