reviews_and_ramblings | Dorothy Sander & Joyce Warshow

Joyce Warshow (March 13, 1937 - October 2, 2007) died at home on October 2, 2007 at the age of 70. She died with her beloved partner of 25 years, Dorothy Sander, at her side. She created a deep family with many close friends as well as her family of origin: two brothers and a sister-in-law, nieces and nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews and an extended family of choice. (Picture: Lesbian Herstory Archives co-founder Joan Nestle, right, with filmmaker Joyce Warshow, who captured Nestle’s life in the documentary "Hand on the Pulse.")

Joyce came from an activist Jewish background. While not religious, she came from a strong cultural Jewish world. As a child she attended the famous Yiddish summer camp, Camp Boiberik. She lived a rich and full life on her own terms, remaining true to herself and her values. She chose action over passivity. She chose to reform rather than to conform. Her diverse background and interests led her down many paths. As a renowned feminist, filmmaker, psychologist, educator, author, and activist who fully invested herself in every fiber of her work — literally, physically, metaphorically — Joyce touched the lives of many. (

Picture: Dorothy Sander)

She was a formidable champion for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights. She conducted sensitivity trainings with the New York City Police Department to explore the roots of hate crimes against gays. She was a leading spokesperson against ageism in the LGBT community and was honored by Senior Action in A Gay Environment (SAGE) with its Lifetime Achievement Award for her work. Sadly, she died before she was able to accept the award.

Joyce Warshow, Adrienne J. Smith and Barbara Sang, 1991, by Robert Giard
Joyce Warshow was a formidable champion for LGBT rights. She was honored by Senior Action in A Gay Environment (SAGE) with its Lifetime Achievement Award for her work. Sadly, she died before she was able to accept the award, at home on October 2, 2007 at the age of 70. Her beloved partner of 25 years, Dorothy Sander, was at her side. As a filmmaker, Joyce was dedicated to presenting a full spectrum of pioneering lesbian activists: her two films and a documentary about Joan Nestle.

As a filmmaker, Joyce was dedicated to presenting a full spectrum of pioneering lesbian activists. She sought to determine how these women's experiences influenced their lives as activists. Her films, Some Ground to Stand On (1998) and The Biography of Blue Lunden and Hand on the Pulse (1992), a documentary about Joan Nestle, profiled older lesbian activists.

Joyce was brilliant, gentle, loving. Though she was always busy doing so much, perhaps too much, she seemed to have time for all. We were all so lucky to have her in our lives. My heart goes out to Dorothy and all her other friends. --Karla Jay

Source: http://jwa.org/weremember/warshow

Joyce Warshow, 1991, by Robert Giard

American photographer Robert Giard is renowned for his portraits of American poets and writers; his particular focus was on gay and lesbian writers. Some of his photographs of the American gay and lesbian literary community appear in his groundbreaking book Particular Voices: Portraits of Gay and Lesbian Writers, published by MIT Press in 1997. Giard’s stated mission was to define the literary history and cultural identity of gays and lesbians for the mainstream of American society, which perceived them as disparate, marginal individuals possessing neither. In all, he photographed more than 600 writers. (http://beinecke.library.yale.edu/digitallibrary/giard.html)

Days of Love: Celebrating LGBT History One Story at a Time by Elisa Rolle
Paperback: 760 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 1 edition (July 1, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1500563323
ISBN-13: 978-1500563325
Amazon: Days of Love: Celebrating LGBT History One Story at a Time

Days of Love chronicles more than 700 LGBT couples throughout history, spanning 2000 years from Alexander the Great to the most recent winner of a Lambda Literary Award. Many of the contemporary couples share their stories on how they met and fell in love, as well as photos from when they married or of their families. Included are professional portraits by Robert Giard and Stathis Orphanos, paintings by John Singer Sargent and Giovanni Boldini, and photographs by Frances Benjamin Johnson, Arnold Genthe, and Carl Van Vechten among others. “It's wonderful. Laying it out chronologically is inspired, offering a solid GLBT history. I kept learning things. I love the decision to include couples broken by death. It makes clear how important love is, as well as showing what people have been through. The layout and photos look terrific.” Christopher Bram “I couldn’t resist clicking through every page. I never realized the scope of the book would cover centuries! I know that it will be hugely validating to young, newly-emerging LGBT kids and be reassured that they really can have a secure, respected place in the world as their futures unfold.” Howard Cruse “This international history-and-photo book, featuring 100s of detailed bios of some of the most forward-moving gay persons in history, is sure to be one of those bestsellers that gay folk will enjoy for years to come as reference and research that is filled with facts and fun.” Jack Fritscher