Debra Hirshberg Interview, 11 July 2023

Abstract

Debra Hirshberg (b. 1954) grew up in Boston, Massachusetts, and moved to Cleveland in 1972 to attend Case Western Reserve University. She discusses coming out as a lesbian in the 1970s and becoming an active member of the East Side lesbian feminist community in Cleveland Heights in the mid-1970s. Hirshberg describes her involvement in Cleveland Heights' vibrant lesbian feminist communities in the 1970s and 1980s, including her role as a founding member of lesbian feminist collectives Hag House (Berkshire House), Oven Productions, and the Land Project. Debra also describes lesbian feminist spaces, activism, and cultural production in Cleveland, including the Three of Cups, the Womyn's Variety Show, and her work with the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival.

Interviewee

Hirshberg, Debra (interviewee)

Interviewer

Habyl, Riley (interviewer)

Project

LGBTQ+ Cleveland

Date

7-11-2023

Document Type

Oral History

Duration

115 minutes

Recommended Citation

"Debra Hirshberg Interview, 11 July 2023" (2023). Cleveland Regional Oral History Collection. Interview 701001.
https://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu/crohc000/1272

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