Find Matilda and Diane’s rapid reviews for the Lesbian Project on demography, public life, workplace, family relationships, safety, and (coming soon) health, along with other news and publications, here on our website: https://www.thelesbianproject.co.uk/resources
I was going to say that I doubted that Australia had anything like the amount of lesbian related research you have in the UK but then I googled this (which I haven't read). It began in 1996. It is now a Sydney University/ACON funded project which seems to have begun as a PhD.
'SWASH – Australia’s longest running regular survey of lesbian, bisexual and queer women’s health and well being'.
My lesbian life began as a very young woman in the 1970's so possibly I am way out of date. There were few lesbian spaces then so we had to create them, and that is happening again now, thanks to the wonderful Lesbian Action Group. LAG is engaged in superb work alleviating the ideological erasure of unique lesbian life in this country. Another story. We are a resilient and resourceful lot.
Lesbians in those 'early days ('70s and '80s) tended to gather in occupational groups. The first I met through life in the one bar we had in Melbourne were public transport workers. Tram conductors mainly. I loved those women. They were generous, funny and tough. Then there were many different sporting groups, nurses, librarians and teachers. There were probably others too. We formed our own friendship circles and went from there having relationships and building lives. Possibly more of that is happening now than we know. A friend has a lesbian grand-daughter and this is how she met her current partner - through the private business sector when she was in her mid 30's. It took her a while to discover she is lesbian. Younger women now have much wider social networks both on and off line. Incidentally, she sees gender ideology as rights based. She is unaware of the history and social implications.
Knowing ACON's position on women now, I would be concerned about any research it now did but this began in 1996 before trangenderism so would be worth looking at. I was not aware of it the time. Shows how careful one has to be. All the concerns about lesbian research that Julie mentioned at the beginning of the podcast would apply now. ACON has been completely co-opted by gender ideology..
For Australians interested in taking this further, the original author now has a blog.
Fascinating hearing from Matilda and Diane about their research and producing the reviews 👏🏼👏🏻👏🏽
So interesting, and obviously raises lots more questions and areas to be researched. I’m particularly keen to see some good guidance for research about how to phrase questions so we can all get specific robust data about lesbians.
Will the project be taking that forward with ONS and other relevant bodies?
I realise that takes us into the (currently) tricky area of self-identity and definition of woman, as well as definition of lesbian ... but while organisations support/require researchers to use self ID only, or continue to group lesbians with a range of other ppl, we won’t get the specific information we need.
Someone pointed out recently that research findings about ‘disabled people’ don’t tell us anything about the specific needs of blind people - focussed research and disaggregated findings are required. Same for us lesbians 📊✍️💜
The orientation breakdown into 1) self-ID, 2) actual preference in attraction, 3) what you do in real life complicates so much, but I guess the researchers have to adopt it at this point because of 1) running wild. Earlier this year, I wrote about a book by a sociologist who asked several thousand people about their sexual activities and she also used that breakdown but she also accepted the participants' self-declared sex, so some of the findings sound fantastical. Like, a percentage of gay men who are in relationships with women, and a percentage of lesbians who are with men? "It's all very complex" was their answer. OR, hear me out, your data is janky? You can see some of the findings here https://longplay.substack.com/p/sex-in-canada-the-expected-and-the Also fascinating: the conflict for many young people between "don't catch the feelings, we're in it for the hookups" and "I wouldn't mind a relationship".
Wonderful! Are you planning on conducting any primary research in the future? Seems like a natural next step. I'm a data scientist with an American uni, would love to volunteer/help with any of your projects, if it would be helpful.
Thank you; this was fantastic (and very intelligent and mature). I was impressed with the reviews, their transparent approach (findings likely to be true; findings that may be true), and their openness about mixed and sometimes contradictory research findings. A very good way to manage ambiguity or findings that remain unexplainable. And an excellent talk to contextualise it all.
I also feel compelled to clarify about 3-day dates. They do not consist of talking.
What an interesting podcast on a Friday night!
I was going to say that I doubted that Australia had anything like the amount of lesbian related research you have in the UK but then I googled this (which I haven't read). It began in 1996. It is now a Sydney University/ACON funded project which seems to have begun as a PhD.
'SWASH – Australia’s longest running regular survey of lesbian, bisexual and queer women’s health and well being'.
My lesbian life began as a very young woman in the 1970's so possibly I am way out of date. There were few lesbian spaces then so we had to create them, and that is happening again now, thanks to the wonderful Lesbian Action Group. LAG is engaged in superb work alleviating the ideological erasure of unique lesbian life in this country. Another story. We are a resilient and resourceful lot.
Lesbians in those 'early days ('70s and '80s) tended to gather in occupational groups. The first I met through life in the one bar we had in Melbourne were public transport workers. Tram conductors mainly. I loved those women. They were generous, funny and tough. Then there were many different sporting groups, nurses, librarians and teachers. There were probably others too. We formed our own friendship circles and went from there having relationships and building lives. Possibly more of that is happening now than we know. A friend has a lesbian grand-daughter and this is how she met her current partner - through the private business sector when she was in her mid 30's. It took her a while to discover she is lesbian. Younger women now have much wider social networks both on and off line. Incidentally, she sees gender ideology as rights based. She is unaware of the history and social implications.
Thanks again for a fascinating listen.
PS
Knowing ACON's position on women now, I would be concerned about any research it now did but this began in 1996 before trangenderism so would be worth looking at. I was not aware of it the time. Shows how careful one has to be. All the concerns about lesbian research that Julie mentioned at the beginning of the podcast would apply now. ACON has been completely co-opted by gender ideology..
For Australians interested in taking this further, the original author now has a blog.
https://juliemooneysomers.com/2018/11/20/thinking-about-swash-as-a-community-engaged-research-project-the-feedback/
Fascinating hearing from Matilda and Diane about their research and producing the reviews 👏🏼👏🏻👏🏽
So interesting, and obviously raises lots more questions and areas to be researched. I’m particularly keen to see some good guidance for research about how to phrase questions so we can all get specific robust data about lesbians.
Will the project be taking that forward with ONS and other relevant bodies?
I realise that takes us into the (currently) tricky area of self-identity and definition of woman, as well as definition of lesbian ... but while organisations support/require researchers to use self ID only, or continue to group lesbians with a range of other ppl, we won’t get the specific information we need.
Someone pointed out recently that research findings about ‘disabled people’ don’t tell us anything about the specific needs of blind people - focussed research and disaggregated findings are required. Same for us lesbians 📊✍️💜
Such a great chat, and lovely guests.
The orientation breakdown into 1) self-ID, 2) actual preference in attraction, 3) what you do in real life complicates so much, but I guess the researchers have to adopt it at this point because of 1) running wild. Earlier this year, I wrote about a book by a sociologist who asked several thousand people about their sexual activities and she also used that breakdown but she also accepted the participants' self-declared sex, so some of the findings sound fantastical. Like, a percentage of gay men who are in relationships with women, and a percentage of lesbians who are with men? "It's all very complex" was their answer. OR, hear me out, your data is janky? You can see some of the findings here https://longplay.substack.com/p/sex-in-canada-the-expected-and-the Also fascinating: the conflict for many young people between "don't catch the feelings, we're in it for the hookups" and "I wouldn't mind a relationship".
Wonderful! Are you planning on conducting any primary research in the future? Seems like a natural next step. I'm a data scientist with an American uni, would love to volunteer/help with any of your projects, if it would be helpful.
That was brilliant!!
Thank you; this was fantastic (and very intelligent and mature). I was impressed with the reviews, their transparent approach (findings likely to be true; findings that may be true), and their openness about mixed and sometimes contradictory research findings. A very good way to manage ambiguity or findings that remain unexplainable. And an excellent talk to contextualise it all.
I also feel compelled to clarify about 3-day dates. They do not consist of talking.
Great episode. Such a refreshingly calm, respectful and informative discussion. The online world needs more of that.