It’s a wrap! I’ve graduated from the V&A and Royal College of Art!

At last I can share the exciting news that I have officially graduated from the V&A/RCA (Royal College of Art) with a Master’s degree in History of Design; Design and Material Culture! This has been a great achievement of mine that enabled me to question my future career in the field of Design History and grow both as a person and as an academic, however it was my final research project (my thesis) that truly shaped me as a historian. With this in mind, I would like to take you through a brief summary of my thesis topic and the many individuals that supported me through the entire process.

Screenshot taken from the Rebel Dykes documentary film (2021) and depicts punk ‘dykes’ dressed in predominantly leather clothing. An interesting aspect to this image is the apparent display of ‘dyke’ visibility within the public sphere. (Photographed by Della Disgrace/Del LaGrace Volcano in 1988). This is a screenshot taken from the Rebel Dykes documentary film (2021) by Lucy Roche, however it can also be found on Del LaGrace Volcano’s [Del LaGrace Volcano @dellagracevolcano] website: https://www.dellagracevolcano.se/

Whilst struggling to find a definitive thesis topic, that would both sustain months of meticulous research and my continued interest, I came across the group The Rebel Dykes (@rebeldykes). Despite initially struggling for a specific focus on my research topic, I was certain that I wanted to write about the LGBTQIA+ community and expand the historiography particularly within British History. However, as with most thesis proposals, I was left with the questions of; What makes my research unique? Why should my topic be thoroughly researched? How am I contributing to the field of Design History with my research? This was when I first came across The Rebel Dykes and began delving down the rabbit hole of their incredible stories and connection to the wider discussion of lesbian fashion within the UK. After hours of initial surface-level research on the group, I knew that this was the topic for me and noticed a significant gap within the historiography surrounding this field of research, further confirming my confidence in this topic.

Black and white photograph taken of The Rebel Dykes at the Gay Pride March in London in 1988 (Photographed by Della Disgrace/Del LaGrace Volcano). This is a screenshot taken from the Rebel Dykes documentary film (2021) by Lucy Roche, however it can also be found on Del LaGrace Volcano’s [Del LaGrace Volcano @dellagracevolcano)] website: https://www.dellagracevolcano.se/

So, who are The Rebel Dykes? They are a group of ‘dykes’ * that ‘[...] met doing art, music, politics and sex’ and had the mission of ‘chang[ing] their world’. Originally, members of the group met within the 1980s, mostly through squatting communities, Greenham Women’s Peace Camp, clubs etc, and formed a group through their shared experience of being queer within London during this period and through their mutual love of leather, fetishism and SM (sadomasochism). After the formation of relationships and friendships that encompassed The Rebel Dykes it was clear that there was a missing space for queer women during the 1980s post-punk era of London, as they were either forced to go underground (due to the current socio-political climate of the 1980s) or the clubs were dominated by gay men.

Google map displaying the proximity of ‘dyke’ spaces within London. 1. South London Women’s Center (Radnor Terrace). 2. Market Tavern (Nine Elms)- home of Chain Reaction. 3. Housmans bookshop (Caledonian Road). 4. Squatting community (Caledonian Road). 5. ‘London Lesbian and Gay Switchboard’ (N1 9QS). 6. Squatting community (Grove Crescent Road). 7. Fallen Angel pub (Graham Street). 8. Lesbian and Gay Center (67-69 Cowcross Street). 9. The Bell pub (Middlesex Street). Created by Lucy Roche (2022).

However, this was not the only aspect of their life that was overshadowed by gay men, but the historiography of queer history both globally and within the UK mostly focuses on the experiences of gay men, leaving a noticeable gap for lesbians and trans individuals. Feeling frustrated that there was no representation for punk SM ‘dykes’, The Rebel Dykes created their own fetish club nights called Chain Reaction and began visually documenting their lives during this period. These archival footage formed the foundation of their self-made, self-titled, documentary film that debuted in 2021. I also had the privilege of accessing their archives, which are housed at the fantastic Bishopsgate Institute (@bishopsgateinstitute)in Shoreditch (London), and saw more behind-the-scenes material from the group, such as the speech given at the SM Debate in 1988, hosted by Face-to-Face Productions, which gave The Rebel Dykes the platform to voice their support for SM against anti-SM supporters.

Trailer for The Rebel Dykes self-made, self-titled documentary film (2021).

Screenshot taken from the Rebel Dykes documentary film (2021). This is a black and white photograph taken from inside a Chain Reaction fetish night and displays the stylistic choices of the punk ‘dykes’ that incorporate SM elements, such as the leather dog collar and mule cap. This is an example of the fashion tastes that radical lesbians and feminists opposed due to the clothing’s associations with negative connotations, such as Nazism, which brings into the discussion the importance of the semiotics of clothing. (Photograph by Jessica Tanzer, 1988-1996). Check out Jesscia's website and Instagram here;

https://www.tanzerphoto.com/ @jessica_tanzer

The main observation from their archival footage, documentary and archival material was a clear gravitation towards leather and how this was intertwined with the practice of SM and punk, contributing to the overall image of lesbians during this period of London. Relating these aspects to the wider discussions of the post-punk period, I explored the creation of lesbian ‘space’ and ‘place’ within London (mostly in the Brixton and King’s Cross area) through the works of social geographer Doreen Massey and her work on gendered roles within economically deprived areas, which can be correlated to the economic disparities of the 1980s Thatcher Britain. Another scholar, Danae Clark, whose work focused on the dichotomy of the fashion industry and lesbian consumerism of this period was also a crucial aspect of my first chapter. Within the first chapter of my thesis, I explored the punk ‘dyke’ visibility within different settings such as the public and private spheres and how clothing contributed to the altering of their visibility within society. Lastly, towards the end of my first chapter I took time to delve into the relationships formed whilst The Rebel Dykes were protesting at the Greenham RAF (Royal Air Force) Camp against nuclear warfare and how a sense of identity, through the creation of camps, demonstrated a sense of solidarity amongst the women.

Screenshot from The Rebel Dykes documentary film (2021) illustrating the various ‘gates’ of women that were protesting and squatting on the Greenham RAF Airfield. This map is useful for illustrating the disconnection between each gate and how the blue gate,where The Rebel Dykes were camping, is situated the furthest away from every other gate. (Animation created by Harri Shanahan) Check out Harri's website here; https://www.harrishanahan.com/ .

Moving away from the creation of lesbian ‘space’ and ‘place’, my second chapter took a more detailed approach to The Rebel Dykes’ identity through their love of leather fashion. The main overarching goal of my thesis was to investigate the relationship between ‘dykes’, leather and SM and how these three factors came together to form a social identity synonymous with the current post-punk era taking place in London at the time. Furthermore, my aim with my research was to also shed light on the continuous exclusion of lesbians within the historiography of queer culture in the UK and how lesbians resiliently campaign for their stories to be included within the narrative of queer history. This still proves relevant today, however I will touch on this aspect shortly. A methodological aim for my thesis was to gain access to the personal accounts from The Rebel Dykes themselves so I could attain the true perspective on life as a punk ‘dyke’ during the 1980s era of London. With this, I was very fortunate to conduct an oral interview with Billy Goodfellow, a member of The Rebel Dykes, who was gracious enough to trust me as a researcher with their memories- spanding from the first meeting of various members, to the creation of Chain Reaction fetish nights. I was very grateful for the opportunity to speak with Billy and to include their insights within my thesis, especially their love of leather. Over the course of our hour-long chat, we covered various topics regarding the shiny black material, both with its’ status as the social signifier of punk culture and the strong opposition to leather garments (mostly from radical lesbians and feminist) due to its’ connections with negative connotations, such as Nazism. At this stage, my thesis took a slightly different route, which involved investigating the complicated history of leather within fashion and design history.

Before delving into the associations with Nazism, I briefly explored the history of lesbian fashion particularly ‘butch’ and ‘femme’ identities and how relationships with clothing help construct a part of lesbian identity. The creation of ‘butch’ and ‘femme’ fashion identities warrants their own discussion, but the main takeaway from this relationship with clothing is how they originated mostly in the 1950s and had a resurgence within the 1980s. However, there was a difference during the resurgence, which included the current fashion with the inclusions of leather garments such as mule caps and vests.

This image demonstrates the connections between punk 'dykes' and leather fashion with the inclusion of leather jackets and mule caps. (Photographed by Della Disgrace/Del LaGrace Volcano). This is a screenshot taken from the Rebel Dykes documentary film (2021) by Lucy Roche, however it can also be found on Del LaGrace Volcano’s [Del LaGrace Volcano @dellagracevolcano)] website: https://www.dellagracevolcano.se/

Unfortunately, this is also the time when negative associations with leather and ‘dyke’ fashion began as punk ‘dykes’ would often wear leather pieces that incorporated SM characteristics, such as dog collars and handcuffs, but there was strong opposition to this practice. The vast majority of the opposition came from radical lesbians and feminists who believed that SM emulated domestic violence due to the power dynamics and use of physical violence, however as recounted by Billy, SM within Chain Reaction top priority was consent and clear communication. Therefore, when individuals who fought for the end of SM practices The Rebel Dykes felt that it was their duty to fight for their right of partaking in SM and wearing whatever they wanted, which happened to predominantly be leather. It is also important to note that the alienation of SM and leather was not limited to The Rebel Dykes, but was felt globally as conveyed through John Sutcliffe’s magazine AtomAge (1972-1980).

The last chapter of my thesis analysed a more detailed approach to the relationship of ‘dykes’ and punk fashion, looking more specifically into what constitutes a ‘fetish’ and how this relates to SM. A vital aspect of a design historian’s research and writing process is delving into the wider context surrounding a specialised subject, such as The Rebel Dykes, and analysing how the current socio-political climate affects those that are being researched. Therefore, it felt necessary to give some context into the theoretical frameworks that surround the topic of fetishism and its connections to fashion, such as the origins of ‘fetishism’ within the historical narrative. Figures such as Charles de Brosse and Sigmund Freud may have been pioneers in their field of research, however they were incredibly misogynistic and for the most part excluded the possibility of women having their own fetishes or sexual desires, but rather only serving as a sexual object for their male partners. However, it was predominantly during the Second Wave Feminism (1960s to 1980s) that women began inserting themselves within the historical narrative and the intersections between fetishism and feminism began forming. Noticeably, this concept of women asserting their presence within the male dominant historical narrative relates to The Rebel Dykes’ goal of asserting their narrative within both a male and heterosexual historical narrative. Additionally, as mentioned previously, The Rebel Dykes are fighting for their place within queer British history, which is largely centred around gay male experience, thus adding another reason for crafting their position within British History.

Overall, the journey I took throughout this entire process was both rewarding and eye-opening, through the plight of punk ‘dykes’ within the 1980s and for myself as a design historian. My main objective with my thesis was to bridge the gap between researcher and the individuals whose stories I was investigating. That is why oral history was a vital element of my writing and was my most valuable piece of primary evidence and without Billy Goodfellow and their trust in me with their memories my dissertation would have looked very different and potentially increasing the divide between academics and the lived experience of the people being written about. Furthermore, the research process for my thesis allowed me to question my position within Design History and the types of topics I wish to pursue, those being centred around fashion constructing personal and social identities. As for the future of The Rebel Dykes, they are continuing to get their stories out into the public discourse and encourage those to collaborate with the group in pursuing this goal. All of their information can be found on their website; https://www.rebeldykes1980s.com/

I want to thank everyone who supported me throughout this journey and without their help my thesis wouldn’t have been possible. For my personal tutor, I thank her greatly for her continued support and for all the various tutors from the RCA that provided valuable advice and insight into the overall process of my thesis. I would also like to thank the staff at the Bishopsgate Institute for their help gathering evidence and putting together the UK Fetish Archive Open Day (Sept 2022) (check out my post on this event here! @thefashionhistorian_ ). Most importantly, I would like to thank Billy Goodfellow and their trust in me with their memories. This is however not the end for me and this topic! Make sure to follow along with my blog and Instagram for the latest posts.

Check out The Rebel Dykes archives at the Bishopsgate Institute here! https://www.bishopsgate.org.uk/collections/rebel-dykes-archive

*during my oral interview with Billy Goodfellow, they clarified the distinction between the terms ‘lesbian’ and ‘dyke’ during the 1980s and how those within The Rebel Dykes preferred the term ‘dyke’, as it distanced themselves from middle-class ‘lesbians’ who were adamantly against punk and SM. However, as I am not part of the group myself, I will be using the term ‘dyke’ within quotation marks as it is otherwise a derogatory term when misused.

Bibliography; (for more information or my full bibliography contact me via @thefashionhistorian_ )

Primary Sources;

Web Sources-

Rebel Dykes, dir.by Siân A. Williams and Harri Shanahan (BFI Distribution. 2021). https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/video/detail/B09P5162N6/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r [Accessed: May 2023].

Rebel Dykes, ‘Home’, Rebel Dykes Home Page (2021). URL: https://www.rebeldykes1980s.com [Accessed: May 2023].

Oral Source-

Billy Goodfellow, Oral Interview via Zoom Call, September 2022.

Secondary Sources;

Printed Sources-

Barthes, Roland, The Fashion System (The Trinity Press: London, 1985).

Bass, Alan, Fetishism, Psychoanalysis, And Philosophy: The Iridescent Thing (London: Routledge, 2017). https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315150062

Clark, Danae, ‘Commodity Lesbianism’, The Lesbian and Gay Studies Reader, ed.by Henry Abelove, Michele Aina Barale and David M. Halperin (Oxfordshire: Routledge, 1993), pp. 186-202.

Edwards, Tim, ‘The Woman Question: Fashion, Feminism and Fetishism’, in Fashion In Focus (London: Routledge, 2010).

Geczy, Adam and Karaminas, Vicki, ‘Lesbian Style: From Mannish Women to Lipstick Dykes’, Queer Style (London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2013). Doi. 10.5040/9781350050723.

Massey, Doreen, Space, Place, and Gender (Minneapolis, United States: University of Minnesota Press, 1994) http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/rcauk/detail.action?docID=310284

Steele, Valerie, A Queer History of Fashion: From the Closet to the Catwalk (London: Yale University Press, 2013).

Steele, Valerie, Fetish: Fashion, Sex & Power (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1996).

Swett, Pamela E., ‘Selling Sexual Pleasure in 1930s Germany’, in Pleasure and Power in Nazi Germany, (London: Palgrave Macmillan UK, 2011.) https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230306905_3

Trunk, Jonny, Dressing for Pleasure: The Best of AtomAge 1972-1980 (London: Murray & Sorrel FUEL, 2010).

Web Sources-

Greenham Women Everywhere https://greenhamwomeneverywhere.co.uk/ [Accessed May 2023]

Hamlyn, Anne, ‘Freud, Fabric, Fetish’, Textile: The Journal of Cloth & Culture, 1.1 (2003), 8–26 https://doi.org/10.2752/147597503778053117 p. 14.

Wall, Christine, ‘“We Don’t Have Leaders! We’re Doing It Ourselves!”: Squatting, Feminism and Built Environment Activism in 1970s London.’, Field: A Free Journal for Architecture, 7.1 (2017), 129–42.

Wilkinson, Eleanor, ‘Perverting Visual Pleasure: Representing Sadomasochism’, Sexualities, 12.2 (2009), 181–98 https://doi.org/10.1177/1363460708100918

Cover image- Animation created by Harri Shanahan taken from Rebel Dykes, dir.by Siân A. Williams and Harri Shanahan (BFI Distribution. 2021). Check out Harri's wesbite here; https://www.harrishanahan.com/