Lesbian Life in Wellington in the 1980s

Pleasance Hansen and Porleen Simmonds (1980s) - The Women’s Place 289 Cuba Street, Wellington.

Rental prices for shops in Upper Cuba Street were not so expensive because a new road was going to be built, which would cut through the historic area. This meant that women’s groups could afford to have businesses there in the early 80s.

The Thistle Hall and many other old buildings are still standing – even if not standing where they once were.

In a cluster was Hecate Health Collective, Woman's Bookshop, Woman's café, plant shop, and the new Lesbian Centre (which had its shop-front window smashed). These shops and services were open most days - so always a place to find lesbians.

Up the road at Thistle Hall, lesbians regularly held fundraising women's dances for the Amazons Softball Club and Circle magazine. One of the contentious issues was we should only have music with women singers as a way of supporting women singers.

Does ABBA fit into that category? Thistle Hall, then and now, has same-sex dancing lessons, being useful for learning to dance formally for Lesbian Balls.