Agent TypeOrganisationActivities & OccupationsFeminist collectivesHistoryThe idea for a national lesbian quarterly magazine was first suggested at the lesbian workshop during the Women and Labour Conference in Brisbane on 14 July 1984. The response was immediate and enthusiastic and a collection was taken for contributions to help finance it. The first issue of the Lesbian Network was produced from Sydney and came out in Spring 1984. Lesbian Network quickly established itself as an essential means of communication between lesbians on a national basis and was produced, printed, sold and distributed on a strictly lesbian and women [womyn, wimmin] only basis, mainly by subscription, four times a year at the Summer and Winter Solstice and the Autumn and Spring Equinox. Each edition included articles on every issue of interest to lesbians as well as poetry, short stories, reports from conferences and festivals, reviews, letters, interviews, photos of events, advertisments from lesbian businesses, community listings, interstate news, favourite recipes and a comprehensive list of contact-lesbians from every state. Lesbian Network was a lesbian community-based magazine, affordable, accessible, easy to read and full of information. The reports from state representatives about what was happening elsewhere in the country certainly helped break down the ‘tyranny of distance’ between lesbians, especially those isolated in country areas. The Sydney lesbians published Lesbian Network until issue 40 Winter Solstice June 1994, the 10th anniversary edition. A collective in Adelaide took over production with issue 41 Summer Solstice December 1994. Lesbian Network issue 60 Autumn 2000 announced that the responsibility for publication was moving to a collective based in Melbourne. Issue no 61, Spring 2000, came out in a completely different format with a glossy cover. The community listings and contact-lesbians had been brought up to date but the state news, a round-up from round Australia, was missing. The editorial emphasis was on good quality articles that were sought rather than unsolicited as had been the policy in the past. The Melbourne-based Lesbian Network continued with this format and editorial policy for seven issues altogether until issue 67 Spring 2002 when the collective retired. A new collective of five lesbians based in Victoria announced they were prepared to take over, nevertheless it was twelve months before Lesbian Network issue 68, December 2003, was finally posted to subscribers. This issue was followed by issues 69, Autumn 2004, and 70, Winter 2004. There was a hiatus until three lesbians in different states took over for Lesbian Network Issue 71 Autumn 2005, which belatedly celebrated 20 years of the Lesbian Network. This issue also announced that it was for lesbians only, not for women only as in previous issues. Issues 72 to 76, Winter 2005 to Winter 2006 followed before Lesbian Network ceased production.
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