This Too Is Love
Cheap, tacky, and the mid-20th century version of trash TV, lesbian pulp fiction novels were easy reads that provided a relatively accessible ways for lesbians to see representation of their desires in media. The stories were overtly lesbian in the storyline, yet to counteract this progressiveness, they almost always ended with no happy ending, with the lesbian facing death or insanity (unless she returned to heterosexuality). Beyond trash novels, they helped create community among readers and allowed lesbian stories to be written by lesbians. Additionally, they served to represent femme lesbians during a time that was largely dominated by butch stereotypes. Within the novels, glamor and makeup and fashion are seductive, written to be the feminine excess that prevails as queer culture.
The covers often feature two women in a suggestive pose, with titles and descriptions of the story. Even though a lesbian relationship would be the center of the image and story, both were designed to appeal to a straight male’s fantasy as they sat on a shelf amongst other popular pulp fiction genres. The titles utilize words like “odd” or “different” to perpetuate negative stereotypes about lesbians.
Standing out amongst the genre, author Ann Bannon allowed her characters to achieve happiness through lesbianism – helping to change social perceptions of lesbians. Her novel Beebo Brinker serves as the starting point for this body of images, creating space for a world where these lesbians can exist free from the threats of homophobia. Striping away the male gaze from the images and removing the original cover’s text provides space for queer life … since this too is love.
