Oral History Interview with Peg Rees
- Title
- Oral History Interview with Peg Rees
- LC Subject
- Lesbianism Lesbian community
- Local Collection ID
- Coll 520
- Repository
- University of Oregon. Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives
- Interviewee
- Rees, Peg
- 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
- Peg was born in Pomona, California, but grew up in Compton her first twelve years. She experienced the race riots in the Los Angeles/Compton area in the 1960s. Her family moved to Beaverton, Oregon, when Peg was twelve. Peg came to the University of Oregon in the fall of 1973 to study physical education. Peg knew she was different but didn’t have the words for it. She discusses being closeted and not having role models to help her come out. She discusses the risks of being out in college athletics. She talks about the women’s athletics teams at UO at that time. The University was a part of the AIAW—the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women, a precursor to the NCAA for women’s athletics (at that time the NCAA was only for men). The NCAA fought inclusion of women’s sports after Title IX was passed by filing a lawsuit against the United States, but lost. Peg talks about the initial consequences of this for women’s athletics. Peg talks about the student protests on campus. Peg was unaware of the student gay group on campus at that time. After graduating and working, Peg returned to UO to get a master’s degree in 1982. She describes the pains she took to conceal her sexuality from friends and family. She explains that she quit coaching because she wanted to live an authentic life, and she started to come out. Peg discusses the anti-gay ballot measures. She talks about her employment at UO in the Physical Education Department, eventually becoming director for twenty-three years where she was out. Peg then talks about her legacy. Peg finishes her interview by sharing a painful homophobic experience with a physician.
- Subject
- Aging; Aker, Joan; Assimilation (Sociology); Athletes; Ballot measure 8; Ballot measure 9; Bridges program; Closeted gays -- United States; College sports for women -- United States; Coming out (sexual orientation); Domestic partnerships; Feminist bookstores; Gay People’s Alliance; Lesbian community; Lesbian teachers – United States; Martin, Chicora; Morgen, Sandra; Mother Kali’s Books; Parenting; Student athletes; Student movements -- Oregon – Eugene; Student unrest; Watts Riot, Los Angeles, Calif., 1965.
- Location
- University of Oregon >> Lane County >> Oregon >> United States
- Date
- 2018-07-09
- Identifier
- Coll520_do048
- 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
