The House That Jill Built: A Lesbian Nation in Formation

by Becki Ross

What began as a doctoral thesis in sociology at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education became this history of LOOT, or the Lesbian Organization of Toronto, which sought to subvert the history of lesbian invisibility and persecution by claiming a collective, empowering public presence during the mid-to late 1970s. Archival sources and interviews provide a view of the complex developments in community, identity, and visionary politics in the feminist, left, and gay-liberation movements of the time.

Genres: Lesbian

382 pages, Paperback

Published December 15, 1995

Reviews

[Michelle Swann · Rating 5 out of 5]

The House That Jill Built: A Lesbian Nation in Formation is a powerful and deeply insightful exploration of community, identity, and resistance. Through a combination of personal narrative, cultural analysis, and historical context, the book captures the creative energy and determination that fueled lesbian feminist spaces in the latter half of the twentieth century. The author writes with clarity and compassion, showing how women literally and figuratively built homes, collectives, and movements in pursuit of autonomy and belonging. What makes the book so engaging is its balance of theory and lived experience—it reads as both an academic study and a love letter to the women who refused to disappear. The writing is rich, evocative, and unapologetically political, illuminating how architecture, domesticity, and desire intertwined to create new forms of kinship and care. The House That Jill Built is not only a valuable contribution to queer and feminist scholarship but also a moving testament to the enduring power of community-building and imagination.