The Lesbian Avengers

This poster was made in the 1990s in response to the violence faced by the LGBTQ+ community, particularly lesbians. The group was founded in 1992 in New York by Anne Maguire, Marie Honan, Maxine Wolfe, Sarah Schulman, Anne-Christine D'Adesky, and Ana Maria Simo in hopes of inspiring activism in a non-traditional and comedic way. They also wanted to address the intersection of race, class, and gender through their work, which they felt hadn't properly been addressed by other LGBTQ+ groups. At the time many felt that lesbian issues were sidelined, so this group was formed to mainstream lesbian issues.

The name “The Lesbian Avengers” was inspired by the 1960s show, The Avengers, character, Emma Peel.  In 1993, the Lesbian Avengers group organized the first Dyke March in Washington D.C. with over twenty thousand protesters.  The NYC chapter helped influence over 50 chapters of Lesbian Avengers across the United States by the mid-nineties. Their first demonstration took place in Queens, New York in 1992. Many elementary schools throughout the nation did not want to teach about the LGBTQ+ community or racial inequality. The Avengers organized a protest to support the "Rainbow Curriculum" and marched without a permit through the New York boroughs wearing shirts that said "I was a lesbian child."

The American painter, Carrie Moyer designed many logos and posters for the group. This group also created The Lesbian Avenger Handbook to encourage unity, equitable practices, and organizing ideas. 

A documentary called Lesbian Avengers Eat Fire was made to document their activism efforts, events, and demonstrations. The term “eat fire” became popularized among the organization to honor the lesbian, Hattie Mae Cohens, and gay man, Brian Mock, who were burned to death in Oregon for their sexual orientation. By creating this group The Lesbian Avengers helped bring nationwide visibility to the lesbian community. By 1997 the group had dispersed.