Oral History Interview with Ellie Fletcher

Title
Oral History Interview with Ellie Fletcher
LC Subject
Lesbianism Lesbian community
Local Collection ID
Coll 520
Repository
University of Oregon. Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives
Interviewee
Fletcher, Ellie
Interviewer
Long, Linda, 1956- Raiskin, Judith L.
Description
The Eugene Lesbian Oral History Project collection consists of interviews of 83 people for the Eugene Lesbian Oral History Project, conducted by Professor Judith Raiskin and Curator Linda Long at the University of Oregon starting in the summer of 2018.
Abstract
Ellie was born in 1954 in Hillsboro, Oregon. She grew up in Eugene and discusses what Eugene was like in the 1960s and 1970s and the character of downtown. As a child, she had no understanding of lesbianism. After high school she worked in a photography studio, and then did clerical work for Lane County government. She met lesbians at personal growth training workshops and came out in 1987. She discusses the hurt she felt by being snubbed by the lesbian community and felt safe in the straight community. She discusses the anti-gay Ballot Measure 9, the Oregon Citizens Alliance, and hostility to her and her partner in Springfield. Ellie became a voice teacher, a Reiki teacher, and received a massage license. She and her partner Joanne have been married four times. One marriage was at Multnomah County, which was later annulled by the state. She concludes her interview by discussing aging issues, the Oregon lesbian lands, and coming to feel comfortable in the lesbian community.
Subject
Abuse; Bisexuality; Eugene (Or.); Lesbian community; Marriage equality.
Location
University of Oregon >> Lane County >> Oregon >> United States
Date
2018-08-31
Identifier
Coll520_do018
Rights
In Copyright
Dc Rights Holder
University of Oregon Libraries
Local Collection Name
Eugene Lesbian Oral History Project
Type
Collection
Format
application/xml
Set
Eugene Lesbian Oral History Project
Primary Set
Eugene Lesbian Oral History Project
Institution
University of Oregon