Oral History Interview with Roberta Pupilli
- Title
- Oral History Interview with Roberta Pupilli
- LC Subject
- Lesbianism Lesbian community
- Local Collection ID
- Coll 520
- Repository
- University of Oregon. Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives
- Interviewee
- Pupilli, Roberta
- 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
- Roberta was born in Rome in 1957. When she was a child, her family emigrated from Italy to live in Australia. She learned about lesbianism as a teenager from reading books on deviant behavior. When she was thirteen, Roberta came out to herself and a close friend. She went to an all-girls school where some of the teachers were lesbians. School was a good experience for her. Roberta’s mother died when she was sixteen. Roberta studied social work in college. She worked at Guthrie House, a halfway house for women transitioning from jail. Later, she worked at the Every Women’s Health Center, which provided abortions. She came out to her father when she was thirty-five. Roberta talks about moving to Eugene when she was thirty-two years old. She discusses her impressions. She joined Soromundi Lesbian Chorus of Eugene when it was started. She talks about the anti-gay Ballot Measures 9 and 13, and the Oregon Citizens Alliance, and the hardships experienced during that difficult time. Roberta describes her jobs with the City of Eugene. The first was working with the Eugene Recreation Services, and the last was with the IT department. She discusses her union work with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Union (AFSCME). In all of her jobs, Roberta was always out at work. Roberta concludes her interview by discussing conflicts in the lesbian community, marriage equality, and retirement.
- Subject
- Bars (Drinking establishments) – Australia; Coming out (sexual orientation); Eugene (Or.) -- Social conditions; Homophobia; Oregon NOW (Organization).
- Location
- University of Oregon >> Lane County >> Oregon >> United States
- Date
- 2018-08-24
- Identifier
- Coll520_do046
- 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
