Making a Way

Lesbians Out Front

JEB author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Anthology Editions

Publishing:15th Apr '25

£38.00

This title is due to be published on 15th April, and will be despatched as soon as possible.

Making a Way cover

JEB is a portal maker—one of those loving souls who made sure we would have a way back to witness the world-changing bravery of our communities. —Alexis Pauline Gumbs

JEB (Joan E. Biren) first introduced viewers to her photographs in 1979 when she published Eye to Eye: Portraits of Lesbians, a groundbreaking celebration of women loving women. In the years that followed, JEB collaborated with poets, musicians, filmmakers, elected officials, healthcare providers, factory workers, spiritual leaders, and others who built communities and worked for political change. Her second book Making a Way: Lesbians Out Front, published in 1987, depicts the spirit and energy of this movement in more than a hundred emotionally resonant photographs that take us from passionate activism to thoughtful solitude, while remarks and remembrances from each woman photographed deepen the historic record. This reissue of Making a Way adds insightful new essays by Cheryl Clarke and JD Samson, resulting in an essential document of an era whose impact continues to be felt across our society to

Praise for Eye to Eye: Portraits of Lesbians...

“The momentous reception that awaited Eye to Eye on its release demonstrated the burning desire for authentic representation. JEB published the images widely, in books and on postcards, posters, calendars, in newspapers, and exhibited in her touring 'Dyke Show.' Women wrote letters thanking her for saving their lives, recalling how, after seeing her images, an unfamiliar feeling of pride overwhelmed them. Eye to Eye provided women with a mirror to reflect the possibilities of what they could be or what they already were.” - i.D., 2021

“With 'Eye to Eye,' from 1979, the photographer JEB created not a paean to lesbian life but something more essential: plain evidence of lesbians’ basic humanity.” -The New Yorker, 2021

“If we are honest, there is still much validation and visibility needed, for all kinds of people, which is why 'Eye to Eye' still resonates so strongly. There is much talk these days about equity and inclusion, and the conversation is welcome. But actions speak louder than words, and sometimes so do images. Books like 'Eye to Eye' remind us of the importance of putting those words into action.” -The Washington Post, 2021

ISBN: 9781944860660

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: unknown

144 pages