''Arena Three'' was a British monthly publication founded by

Esme Langley Esme Ross-Langley (née George, pseudonym Ann Bruce; 26 August 1919, in Guisborough, Yorkshire – 20 August 1991, in Hertfordshire, England), was a British writer, best known as the founder of the Minorities Research Group and '' Arena Three ...

and Diana Chapman in 1964. It was written by and for lesbians and published by the

Minorities Research Group The Minorities Research Group (MRG) (est. 1963)p.96 From the Closet to the Screen – Jill Gardiner was the first organisation to openly advocate the interests of lesbians in the United Kingdom. It was founded by four women who got together in re ...

(MRG) from 1964 to 1971.

History

''Arena Three'' came out of a need for a lesbian-specific magazine that could encourage MRG membership outside of

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

. The name was chosen for its neutrality and to not arouse suspicion of the nature of its contents. The first issue of ''Arena Three'' was published in the spring of 1964 and quickly grew in readership. By July 1965 it had over 600 members. Due to concerns with public morality laws, Arena Three was not sold to the general public and instead depended on revenue from private subscriptions. The magazine consequently struggled to find avenues for advertising due to the nature of its content. From early on, the publication also suffered from larger tensions within the organization. In 1970, ''Arena Three’''s income had become dire, and after a revitalization led in part by

Jackie Forster Jackie Forster (née Jacqueline Moir Mackenzie; 6 November 1926 – 10 October 1998) was an English news reporter, actress and lesbian rights activist.p.270 From the Closet to the Screen – Jill Gardner Early life Forster's father was a c ...

, it once more began to be profitable. By 1971, internal disagreements had hit a breaking point. Esmé Langley decided to end the publication after taking ''Arena Three’s'' financial assets abroad. The newer recruits to the magazine reorganized under Foster to create

Sappho Sappho (; ''Sapphṓ'' ; Aeolic Greek ''Psápphō''; ) was an Ancient Greek poet from Eresos or Mytilene on the island of Lesbos. Sappho is known for her lyric poetry, written to be sung while accompanied by music. In ancient times, Sapph ...

''.''

The magazine featured articles on the causes of lesbianism, lesbian relationships, and general life and wellbeing as a lesbian. It had a public debate forum in the form of reader letters, and published general poetry, short stories and book reviews of interest.

Membership

''Arena Three was'' written and targeted at

middle class The middle class refers to a class of people in the middle of a social hierarchy, often defined by occupation, income, education, or social status. The term has historically been associated with modernity, capitalism and political debate. C ...

lesbians in their thirties. MRG membership was open to both men and women regardless of their sexuality, and a number of gay men,

social workers Social work is an academic discipline and practice-based profession concerned with meeting the basic needs of individuals, families, groups, communities, and society as a whole to enhance their individual and collective well-being. Social work ...

, and

psychiatrists A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in psychiatry. Psychiatrists are physicians who evaluate patients to determine whether their symptoms are the result of a physical illness, a combination of physical and mental ailments or strictly ...

subscribed. Class issues within the magazine were documented. A 1964 questionnaire of readers showed that teaching and nursing were predominant occupations, due in part to both profession's discouragement of marriage. By 1971, 40% of their readership identified as a “

professional A professional is a member of a profession or any person who work (human activity), works in a specified professional activity. The term also describes the standards of education and training that prepare members of the profession with the partic ...

.” A significant number of readers had also been in relationships with men, with 40% having been married. Readership has been estimated to be no more than 12,000 readers per month, due in some part to its international subscribers.

References

External links

Arena Three
i

* ttps://www.bl.uk/lgbtq-histories/articles/arena-three-britains-first-lesbian-magazine 'Arena Three: Britain's First Lesbian Magazine' by Stepehn Dryden in British Library LGBTQ Histories Defunct LGBTQ-related magazines published in the United Kingdom Monthly magazines published in the United Kingdom Defunct feminist magazines published in the United Kingdom Lesbian culture in the United Kingdom Lesbian feminist magazines Defunct lesbian-related magazines Magazines established in 1963 Magazines disestablished in 1972 {{womens-mag-stub

History

Contents

Membership

See also

References

External links