Interview with Penny Howard

Partial Transcript: . . . How about you tell me a little bit about yourself in general.

Segment Synopsis: Howard talks about her idyllic childhood growing up on a farm. Howard also describes her educational experiences in high school and at the University of Kentucky, respectively. She also talks about playing sports as a child and the role that religion played in her upbringing.

Keywords: Ideal

Subjects: Farms; Early life; Childhood; Methodism; Oxford (Ohio); Sports; University of Kentucky; Lexington (Ky.); High school; Education

Partial Transcript: Growing up, what was your awareness of just the existence of like lesbian, gay, LGBT, people in general . . .

Segment Synopsis: Howard says that she did not know about people who identified as gay until she was twenty-one. She talks about meeting gay women for the first time. Howard also recalls telling her father that she was gay. She also mentions how she did not have a name for it, but felt different as a kid.

Keywords: Introduction; Realization; College; LGBTQ; Different

Subjects: University of Kentucky; Gays; Lesbians; Identity; Sexuality; Early life; Women; Lexington (Ky.); Coming out (Sexual orientation); Father

Partial Transcript: . . . Like at work, everybody knew I was gay and--um--you know, there were issues at work because of it.

Segment Synopsis: Howard talks about her experiences with working for a telephone company and being the first woman in Kentucky to climb the utility poles. Howard recalls being told to act a certain way by others and says that she was kicked out of her apartment for being gay. Howard also describes how the label tomboy was a blanket cover for gay girls.

Keywords: Employment discrimination; Housing, Discrimination in; LGBTQ; Utility poles

Subjects: Discrimination; Prejudice; Lexington (Ky.); Tomboys; Gays; Lesbians; Identity; Sexuality; Telephone companies; Work; Careers; Housing; Landlords; Kentucky; Kentuckians; Labels

Partial Transcript: And so, in terms of your family, was it your sister that you told first, in terms of anytime that you mentioned being gay to family members?

Segment Synopsis: Howard discusses the conversation about coming out she had with her sister, who was shy but accepting. Howard recalls discussing her sexual identity with her parents, which involved a lot of yelling. Howard says that her father eventually came around and now loves her partner.

Keywords: Acceptance; Yelling; LGBTQ; Family

Subjects: Parents; Gays; Lesbians; Identity; Sexuality; Tension; Sister; Coming out (Sexual orientation)

Partial Transcript: . . . What happens between there and the first time you go to The Country, just in your life . . . anything significant.

Segment Synopsis: Howard recalls first hearing about a gay bar from her work. She describes the Living Room (a gay bar in downtown Lexington) and goes into detail about the police presence there. She also talks about participating in a women's softball league and the parties her team would have afterwards.

Keywords: The Living Room; Social life; LGBTQ; The Country; Softball leagues

Subjects: Work; Telephone companies; Parties; Police; Lexington (Ky.); Softball; Gays; Lesbians; Lesbian bars; Softball teams; Gay bars

Partial Transcript: And so, when and how did you learn about The Country?

Segment Synopsis: Howard talks about the excitement surrounding The Country opening. She says it was a joyous occasion and the place was packed. She also tells a story about her going to a music festival with her friends.

Keywords: Opening; The Country; LGBTQ

Subjects: Lexington (Ky.); Gays; Lesbians; Lesbian bars; Friendship; Nightlife; Crowds; Joy; Women's music festivals

Partial Transcript: And I was also curious if they ever had any like women's music, like performers come in?

Segment Synopsis: Howard describes The Country, including the music played there and its location. She also gives her perception of the butch femme dynamics at the time.

Keywords: Butch; Femme; Location; Roles; The Country; LGBTQ; Female performers

Subjects: Labels; Lexington (Ky.); Identity; Gays; Lesbians; Sexuality; Lesbian bars; Women; Music

Partial Transcript: What were the--the racial demographics like at The Country? Was it mostly white people who would go . . .

Segment Synopsis: Howard goes through a typical night at The Country, which would consist of drinking, pool, and dancing. She remembers it being full of regulars. Howard recalls feeling sad when The Country closed, but is unsure of the reasons behind this decision.

Keywords: Closing; Dancing; Drinking; Owners; Pool; Regulars; The Country; LGBTQ; Whites

Subjects: Lexington (Ky.); Gays; Lesbians; Lesbian bars; Race

Partial Transcript: After The Country closes, it sounds like it was a big hub for you all and it kind of sounds like it was the best place in Lexington to meet women . . . afterward, like is there anything that fills up that vacuum . . .

Segment Synopsis: Howard talks about hanging out at the Pizza Inn in Frankfort after The Country closed. She also talks about how her close group of friends from the time she went to The Country have stayed in contact over the years. Howard explains what it meant to her when she was finally able to legally marry her wife.

Keywords: Friends; Gay Marriage; Pizza Inn; The Country; LGBTQ

Subjects: Emotions; Frankfort (Ky.); Lexington (Ky.); Friendship; Gays; Lesbians; Nightlife; Lesbian bars; Same-sex marriage

Partial Transcript: It sounds you were pretty . . . you have a--a stake and an interest in activism?

Segment Synopsis: Howard talks about the woman she had a relationship with who got her into activism. Howard says that woman is still her best friend and is always ready to fight the good fight.

Keywords: Best Friend; LGBTQ

Subjects: Friendship; Inspiration; Women's rights; Activism; Gays; Lesbians; Women; Feminism

Partial Transcript: So thinking about, you know, Lexington during the time that you went to The Country, so late 70s, early 80s . . . is Lexington you know, different than it used to be and it what ways is it different or in what ways is it similar?

Segment Synopsis: Howard says that Lexington feels more accepting of the LGBTQ+ community than when she was younger. Howard also explains in what ways the city has followed more broader trends of increased acceptance of LGBTQ+ individuals. Howard also talks about feeling betrayed by the church for its stances.

Keywords: Acceptance

Subjects: Progress; Lexington (Ky.); Church; Religion; Christianity; Christians; Betrayal

Partial Transcript: . . . Is there anything that you feel I've missed in terms of Country related stuff?

Segment Synopsis: Howard reflects on how special The Country was. She says "It was our place" where people could be themselves. The interviewer also gives a brief description of the project. Howard also briefly discusses Henry Faulkner.

Keywords: Henry Faulkner; Project; Special; The Country; LGBTQ

Subjects: Safety; Communities; Gays; Lesbians; Lesbian bars; Artists