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Womonspace is a recreational and social group for lesbians in the Edmonton area. It began in 1981 and continues to be active as of this writing in 2016. Regular dances held in community league halls have been the mainstay of the organization. Other activities have included picnics, camping trips, golf tournaments, game nights, car rallies, and gym nights.
The purpose of Womonspace, as stated in early documentation, was “to foster a positive sense of lesbian identity among ourselves and the larger community; to counteract fear based on ignorance of the lesbian lifestyle; to decrease the sense of isolation felt by many lesbians;” and “to provide comfortable social gatherings for lesbians and other lesbian-positive women.”
A regular newsletter, Womonspace News, began publication in 1982. Copies were mailed to members in discreet envelopes. Additional free copies were distributed around the city in lesbian-friendly locations like book stores, coffee shops, and the gay and lesbian community centre. About fifty copies were set aside from each print run for women attending the monthly dances.
Lindy Pratch, Womonspace News newsletter volunteer (and sometimes editor) for various periods between 1982 and 1999.
Information about Womonspace and issues of the newsletter are also available online through The Alberta Women’s Memory Project.
