LGBT History Month Icon Of The Day: Joan Nestle

LGBT History Month Icon Of The Day: Joan Nestle

New York native Joan Nestle is an award-winning author and co-founder of the Lesbian Herstory Archives, "the world's largest collection of materials by and about lesbians and their communities," which is now in Brooklyn.

Nestle, 72, was heavily involved in New York City's LGBT community, working the bar scene in Greenwich Village in the late '50s to '60s. The 1969 Stonewall riots prompted Nestle's activism, and she's marched against nuclear war, segregation, apartheid, and for women's and LGBT rights.

Her book, "The Persistent Desire: A Femme-Butch Reader” has become a must-read in the community and Nestle is also known for writing erotica and as a pro-sex advocate.

Nestle now lives with her partner, Dianne Otto, in Melbourne, Australia where she teaches at the University of Melbourne. A documentary on Nestle, "Hands on the Pulse," was released in 2002.

Each day in October, which is LGBT History Month, we'll be featuring a different LGBT icon. Check back tomorrow for a look at another incredible individual who changed history and visit our LGBT History Month Big News Page for more stories.

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