Queers of the Desert

Desert Dykes (1993-2002)

Desert Dykes was published by Desert Rose Connolly from July, 1993 until the final edition came out in 2002. Although initially provided as a free newsletter for the Central Australian lesbian community out of Rose's own pocket, it was later sold for a nominal price to cover costs and had a number of subscribers in Alice Springs and across the world. Over the years organisations such as Central Network and the AIDS Council of Central Australia occasionally came to the rescue and provided modest subsidies to keep the presses rolling. And while she tried to make it regular, varying levels of contribution and support from others meant that there could be extended periods between issues.

Each one canvassed many relevant topics, but Desert Dykes always had a strong local focus, keeping women in the Centre in touch with events and informed on matters of interest and importance. One of the earliest concerns identified by Desert Dykes was the problem of straight participation in the local dances; something faced many times in many different queer communities. Tyrah and Rose tackled the issue head on right from volume 1, issue 1:

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: "Without Censorship"

Dear Editor.
When I arrived in Alice Springs just over 12 months ago I was thrilled to discover that there was a Gay and Lesbian Dance once a month. "This is wonderful" - I thought and off I went, full of expectations! But, a sad sight awaited me - 'straight couples' everywhere dancing on the dance floor, at the venue!
In fact, last month I found myself pushing through 'straight people' at the bar, listening to straight women talking about "boyfriend stuff" While I waited in line for a wee, and being bumped into by groping straight boys - gross - "where was I?" Surely not at a Gay and Lesbian dance!! I checked again - and alas - that IS where I was...
What is happening though? I ask you all? Isn't it reasonable to expect that for one six hour period out of the whole calendar month Lesbian wimmin should not have to deal with blatant heterosexuality in our midst. I mean to say, most of us have to deal with "straight attitudes" everyday, at work, in the streets, in our families - why should we have to, for this one period of time.
I personally know 10 Wimmin who do not come to the dance nite because they are afraid of being identified by "straights".
To me, this IS WRONG!!!!! What are we doing folks? I have been told that my ideas are supporting homophobia - what hogwash!!!! Don't we deal with 'homophobia' everyday? Can't we have 1 night a month where we don't have to!!!!!!! My word - we should be able to, especially when Lesbians and Gays who enjoy socializng with straight people have at least 28 other 24 hour periods in which they can do just that.
I am asking people to think about this issue! I invite comment!!!!! If you feel strongly then please spring into action - write to this magazine and EXPRESS YOURSELF Otherwise, I'll see you at the next Asylum nite.

In Sisterhood
Tyrah

Desert Dykes 1, 1. July 1993 p3.
© used with permission.

Desert Dykes 1, 1. July 1993.
© used with permission.

Desert Dykes 2, 3. June 1994.

Thanks to Desert Rose, for contributing to our first edition. Rose requested that we print her letter, below, which she is sending to the Central Network.

Central Network,
With regard to the recent meeting of the central Network, held at the Oasis Motel on Monday 7th June '93, of which 15 people attended. Five (5) being Women, ten (10) being men. (A rather large increase in numbers usually present)
To the minority number in the Vote taken re: the presence of Hetes at our dances, I have a few questions to ask you. Your choice in wanting the company of a Hete at our dance makes you what? A non lesbian/gay? Your want or need in such an environment does what damage to those of us who do not want or need this? Why is it so hard for you to leave the Heterosexual world outside the door for six (6) hours a month?
In the years of hours that exist, why do you make some of us suffer because your need for Hetes is stronger than your need to be yourself? Where is your strength, courage and commitment to your true and higher selves?

QUESTION: What is the most interesting things about heterosexuals?
ANSWER: Homosexuals.

Do you know anything about politics? In case you are not aware, being Homosexual MEANS you are political. You are not within the majority (lucky you). If you expect the Heterosexuals to grant you political freedom, well don't; because they already have theirs.
The situation is difficult because you are starting off from behind. Ah... but there is a strong desire within you to live and be yourself. So you start out and as you go, you fight your own battles. This reinforces that desire you hold within, as you go it gets stronger.

After a time you meet more like you and you learn some things, like just how different you are to those who choose to be Heterosexual. You discover you have different needs so you go looking for them. One of these needs is to be creative, so you think organising a dance for those people like you is a great idea, because more than anything else you are going to be with your own kind, so you feel some sense of freedom.
The dance comes and the dance goes, you feel glad it happened but it didn't go quite right, there was some people there who didn't belong. You may begin to wonder why they came or even why they were let in, considering you took so long in your life to get to the point you are, you wonder is their intrusion going to set you back some paces or are you going to stand stronger on those two legs of yours and tell these people who don't belong to go away and leave you alone?
You've come a long way to have every right to spend six (6) hours a month with your own kind. Being Lesbian or Gay is not easy, in this world we have. It is a life long struggle. We all have our own means of survival, but what we don't need is to separate ourselves by bringing those who are not us, in between us. We probably are all aware of the extent the Sydney Mardi Gras Organisers had to go to ensure the presence of Lesbian/Gay Men at the Party. Surely in a town this size we don't have to go to the same trouble? Is there a problem with some of you about being in the exclusive company of Lesbians and Gay I Men?
Stop letting Hetes put it over you. Don't give Hetes your power or your space. Live Hete free today, or at least six (6) hours a month, because united we bargain, divided we beg. Begging is not in a Lesbian's or Gay Man's vocabulary because we are more than this:

' ......in some ways (we) are already more advanced than straight people. We are already outside the family, and we have already in part, at least, rejected the 'masculine' and 'feminine' roles society has designed for us........ Gay men don't need to oppress women in order to fulfil their own psycho-sexual needs, and gay women don't have to relate sexually to the male oppressor. So that at this moment in time the freest and most equal relationships arelikely to be between Homosexuals......'

After all, we have our own traditions.
The only way to teach anyone anything is to set an example, so lets be ourselves and show the world the truth.
By having Straits at Lesbian/Gay dances, they are no longer Lesbian/Gay dances ...... they become something else......

Yours in a Political Wilderness,
Desert Rose
P.S. We show the world the truth when we are in bed with our lovers, why make the dance floor an issue?

Desert Dykes 1, 1. July 1993 pp 4-5.
© used with permission.

Four years on and many changes of venue and organisers later, problems with the dances were still a central topic.

Desert Dykes 5, 2. May 1998.
© used with permission.

...News... Views... What's On... Information... "Round Alice...

by desert rose

asylum Asylum (means a place of safety/refuge) asylum ASYLUM asylum. I'm beginning to wonder if it's us - lesbians/poofters - or the venue we use! Somehow there is a problem! The warehouse started out earlier this year as a hit, in fact, it was the talk of the town !!!
August was full of complaints ... some say it had no atmosphere ... several other voices spoke ... here are some of them:
Is it the door price? or is it not clear that it is being run by asylum persons?
The three tiered dance floor got a mention, so did the lighting! The lack of air vents to keep the air fresh is big! The move of the tables and chairs to the off side was very unpopular, the sudden appearance of an office, with 3 million chairs stacked around it on the popular side, indeed caused a lot of upset .....
I witnessed mobs of people complaining about the music and instead of being democratic and talking to the DJ at the time, people simply left, So much for treating people of all classes in the same way! Maybe it's a good thing Asylum isn't running the Territory in place of a Labour/CLP government!
The fire escape is the huge sliding door by which one enters, but where is the security for uninvited guests? Where is the person to implement the ticket system for alcohol? Where is the coat closet and when are the toilet(s) going to be Hers and His??
It's hideous that non lesbians/poofters can enter without being accompanied by one of us, that is not the idea! The warehouse on the first Friday of the month is for Lesbians, gay men and your invited guests!
Will anyone turn up in September 7?

Perhaps feeling that the end was nigh, Rose used the editorial of volume 8, issue 2 in May 2002 to reflect on almost ten years of lesbian publishing in the wilderness and give thanks to those who had contributed over the preceding decade.

EDITORIAL

There is a town far far away in the desert of Central Australia, where once it was red and hot, now it's green and hot, we've got women who wanna be lesbians who wanna be dykes who wanna be women who wanna be grrrls who wanna be lesbians who wanna be dykes who wanna be be be be be... and then some!
You got it, 'be' is the key word. End of story, that's it, tune in next time for more! Only kidding it goes on...
In this oasis in the desert, the turn over of lesbian women living within her escarpment is very high. As the years have rolled by, the visibility of said women has increased to the point that these lesbians now own/run businesses of various descriptions including: cafes, resorts, entertainment, magazines, taxis, health, welfare, teachers, gardening, doctors. This is huge, as mostly all this has happened within the last decade or so. Along with their achievements, the said women drive themselves around in 4wd's, sedans and motorbikes, Some own their own home and others are breeding children. It's clear there is no shortage of a dollar or three. In the late '80's one didn't even get a glimpse of a lesbian walking down the street, let alone go into a lesbian cafe for a coffee, There was no evidence of a wot's on anywhere, no written materia! of any description! These were known as the unenlightened ages!
At about the turn of the decade I searched in vain for like minded women, keen on putting out a magazine to fill this gap. Finally, in July of 1993 Neen, Tyrah, Lew and Desert Rose bought out the first copy of a magazine that was to be known as 'Desert Dykes'. The next edition was out in September but by November the other three women scattered to corners of the continent and when it came time to do the next edition I considered my options as to whether to continue or not.

Along came Treeza, Jane and Frances and the November edition was on the streets. Throughout the passing years many women have rallied to get the next publication out, including Karen from Brisbane who came and helped with lay-out, photo-copying and collocating in the last edition. The demand for copy wavers between each edition and once or twice DD almost went out monthly, well the stopper was grrrls. Grrls promising articles of different descriptions.
Waiting... phone calls... waiting... reminders... waiting for the promises almost nearly meant old age! But life goes on and so does the magazine! On top of all of this, the demand for the last edition was high but it didn't go at the promised rate. The reason? Some grrrls wouldn't pay $2 for a copy as the need to read DD was unnecessary as they knew what is happening in town and events in Sydney would make much better reading. Yeah right, I'll have words to Merryn Johns, editor of LOTL and see what can be arranged!

The comedy continues... I hear that some lesbians won't contribute for fear of being found out. Yeah right in a town this size, don't you think you are already known? On the other hand, the avid readers of DD among the heterosexual society demand their copy of each issue because they are curious about who we are, they seem to want to learn and grow somewhat to expand their mind set. I find the irony between the extremes to be humorous! Anyone would think we are all on the same planet right now!! I heard an interesting tale very recently when a friend said 'I heard five different people mention the magazine Desert Dykes when they came to town.' Thing is, those five people come from five (5) different states. In Australia, if you don't mind!
Hey you reading DD have you paid for it? Don't sit there drink your coffee and put it back after you've read it. It costs me money, so you pay your $2 or buggar off... go on. Desert Rose Editor.

The following is a list of contributors, helpers etc, over the years, aside from the women already listed above: 1994: Treeza, Katrina, Wells, Michele, Julie, Treeza, Pauline, Saan, Andi, Trish, Michele, Tess, Sandy, Robyn, Pauline, Trish, Treeza. 1995: Michele, Robin, Indigo, Jennifer, Beverley, Jeanine, Glenys, Mikala, Michele, Robin, Indigo, Magaer, Glenys, Lizzy the Lezzo, Gail, Michele, Robin, Barb, Glenys, Wells, Lizzy the Lezzo, Saskia, Beverley, Gail, Danielle, Jo, Marg, Pam, Barbara, Pola, Magear, Jane, Robin, Michele, Trish, Wells, Jenny, Lizzy the Lezzo. 1996: Michele, Sue Busy, Tess, Vicky, April Comet, Kelly, Laura, Iama Mystery, Emma Chiset, Carmen, Wells, Mary, Wells, Lyn, Usula, Sue, Sharon, Marlene, Jenny, Michelle, Treeza, Jill, Marg, Jo, Chris, Jeanine, Sue. 1997: Michele, Ren, Alice Lamb, ccrm, April Comet, Wells, Dyhan, Spirit Level, LH, Spirit Level, ccrm, Alice Lamb, Snake, Michele, Kalikamurti, Ginny, Phylis, Michele, Alice, Glenda, Virginia, Kalika, April Comet. 1998: Michele, Sue, Chris, Pam Annie, Catherine, Michele, Debbie, Robyn, Trisa, Alice, Chris, Virginia, Wells. 1999: Pam, Annie, Lavender, Kalika, Kay, Julia, Trisa, Anne-Sophie, Chris, Sue, Wells, Pam, Bev, Sharon, Chris, Kalika, Jenni, Julia, Trisa, Chris, Sue, Wells, Kalika, April Comet. 2000: Kalika, Tania, Megan, Shar, Susan, Beth, Trish, Liz, Nat, Ros, Chris, Magear, Maria, Tania, Megan, Sigrid, Didee, Susan, Beth, Jane, Nikki, Connie. 2001: Kalika, Ginny, Anne, Annie, Kylie, Sharon, Liz, Helen, Michele, Kalika, Liz, Liz Morrow, Michelle, Karen.
Such organisations as Rainbow Connection, Aids Council, Gay Games, Catherine House, Vashti's Voice, Wic, Araluen, UAW, Beyond the Blue, Lsp, NlcfBrisbane, Acoca, Silke's Travel, Feminist Bookshop, Queer Collaborations, Lesbian Forum, ACW, Swingers Cafe, Nlccc, Didee's Café, Bardoppio's Café, have been there 2.

The last issue of Desert Dykes was published in 2002. It brought to an end the longest continuous record of lesbian and gay life in Central Australia.

Queers of the Desert

Desert Dykes (1993-2002)

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