On Our Backs

Not to be confused with Off Our Backs.
On Our Backs
Spring 1985 cover of On Our Backs
EditorSusie Bright (1985–1990), Tristan Taormino (1998-2002)
Categorieshuman sexuality, lesbian
PublisherBlush Productions
Founded1984
Final issue2006[1]
CountryUnited States
Based inSan Francisco, California
ISSN0890-2224
OCLC14191920

On Our Backs was the first women-run erotica magazine and the first magazine to feature lesbian erotica for a lesbian audience in the United States. It ran from 1984 to 2006.

Origin

The magazine was first published in 1984 by Debi Sundahl and Myrna Elana, with the contributions of Susie Bright, Nan Kinney, Leon Mostovoy, Honey Lee Cottrell, Dawn Lewis, Shelby Sharie Cohen, Happy Hyder, Tee Corinne, Jewelle Gomez, Judith Stein, Joan Nestle, Patrick Califia,[2] Morgan Gwenwald, Katie Niles, Noreen Scully, Sarita Johnson, and many others. Susie Bright became editor-in-chief for the next six years. Later editors included Diane Anderson-Minshall, Shar Rednour, Tristan Taormino, and Diana Cage. On Our Backs defined the look and politics of lesbian culture for the 80s, as well as playing a definitive role in the feminist sex wars of the period, taking the side of sex-positive feminism.

The title of the magazine was a satirical reference to off our backs, a long-running feminist newspaper that published the work of many anti-pornography feminists during the 1980s, and which the founders of On Our Backs considered prudish about sexuality.[3] off our backs regarded the new magazine as "pseudo-feminist" and threatened legal action over the logo OOB.[4]

Operations

In 1985, Sundahl and Kinney spun off the first in a series of precedent-making lesbian erotic videos, called Fatale Video. Distribution of the magazine in Australia began in 1986.[5] By the late 1980s, Fatale Media was the largest producer of lesbian pornography in the world.[4]

In 1994, the magazine experienced financial problems[citation needed], and filed for bankruptcy in May 1996.[6] After being bought out by a new publisher, Melissa Murphy (who released only one issue) [citation needed], it was acquired by HAF Enterprises (publisher of Girlfriends).[6] The original creators moved on to other projects [citation needed].

Publishing

In 1996, a photography book based on the pioneering work of On Our Back's artists called Nothing but the Girl was published by Cassell Press, edited by Susie Bright and Jill Posener [citation needed].

On our backs was one of the few sex-positive lesbian magazines that were being published at the time. The others being, Bad Attitude which lasted from 1984 to 2006, and Lesbian Contradiction, which lasted from 1982 to 1994. [3]

On Our Backs was known for its "fleshy photos," according to philosopher and gender studier Judith Butler. It was meant to represent the perceived lesbian experience and political atmosphere in mainstream culture. It was a publication that existed during the lesbian sex wars. [7]

Impact

During the sex wars in the 1980s, On Our Backs (OOB) helped cultivate sex-positive lesbian public cultures. Everyone who worked on the magazine provided a voice for, "sex-positive feminism by fostering pedagogies of pleasure among its readership." This can be seen on their very first issue. The magazine had had a full-page pin-up of Honey Lee Cottrell.

End of publication and availability online

H.A.F.'s publication of On Our Backs and its sister publication, Girlfriends, both ceased publication in March 2006[8] after being bought out by the publishers of Velvetpark Magazine. Reveal Digital, a digital publisher, digitized issues of On Our Backs from July 1984 to December 2004; however, due to concerns regarding access by minors and contributor privacy, the scans were removed (at least temporarily) from Reveal Digital's Independent Voices collection.[9]

See also

References

  1. ^ Riese Bernard. "NSFW Sunday: What Does a Lesbian Sex Magazine Look Like?". Autostraddle. Retrieved March 6, 2014.
  2. ^ Patrick Califia, "Raising Cane", Out, August 1999, Vol. 8, No. 2, p. 32
  3. ^ a b Martha Cornog, Timothy Perper, "For sex education, see librarian: a guide to issues and resources", Greenwood Publishing Group, 1996, ISBN 0-313-29022-9, p.97
  4. ^ a b Josh Sides, "Erotic City: Sexual Revolutions and the Making of Modern San Francisco", Oxford University Press US, 2009, ISBN 0-19-537781-8, p.219
  5. ^ Jill Julius Matthews, "Sex in public: Australian sexual cultures", Allen & Unwin, 1997, ISBN 1-86448-049-1, pp.121-122
  6. ^ a b Pogrebin, Robin (December 23, 1996). "Lesbian publications struggle for survival in a market dominated by gay males". The New York Times. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
  7. ^ Guy, Laura (2019). "Women: a cultural review". Women: a cultural review.
  8. ^ "Marketplace finds lesbians an attractive, but elusive, niche". SF Chronicle. Hearst Corporation. September 7, 2006.
  9. ^ "Statement about On Our Backs" (PDF). Reveal Digital. August 24, 2016. Retrieved March 23, 2018.

Further reading

  • Digitized archive of On Our Backs at Reveal Digital (starting with issue 1, Summer 1984)