AND NOW NOW WE ARE 3...

WE ARE CONSTANTLY RECEIVING INQUIRIES AS TO THE ORIGIN AND MEANING OF THE NAME DAUGHTERS OF BILITIS, THE TRUE PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION (ASIDE FROM THE TENETS PRINTED ON THE INSIDE COVER), WHAT PROGRESS WE ARE MAKING TOWARD FULFILLMENT OF THESE GOALS, WHY A SEPARATE WOMEN'S ORGANIZATION INDEPENDENT OF ONE, INC. AND THE NATTACHINE SOCIETY.

AS WE CELEBRATE THIS MONTH THE THIRD ANNIVERSARY OF DOB AND TWO FULL YEARS OF PUBLISHING THE LADDER, IT MIGHT BE WELL TO TAKE TIME OUT AND ANSWER THESE QUERIES.

THE NAME OF THE GROUP WAS TAKEN FROM THE NARRATIVE POEM "SONGS OF BILITIS" BY PIERRE LOUYS. THE "SONGS" ARE REPRESENTED AS BEING WRITTEN BY BILITIS, A POETESS LIVING ON LESBOS AT THE TIME OF SAPPHO.

THE PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION AS PRINTED ON THE INSIDE COVER IS PRECISELY WHAT IT STATES. OUR PROGRESS? MOSTLY IN THE FIELD OF SOCIAL SERVICE AND EDUCATION OF THE VARIANT TO DATE. PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR AND BENEFICIAL FUNCTIONS OF THE SOCIETY HAS BEEN THE MONTHLY "GAB 'N JAVA" SESSIONS, AN INFORMAL TALK FEST WHERE THE GIRLS CAN SPEAK "OFF THE CUFF".

OUR PUBLIC DISCUSSION MEETINGS HAVE FEATURED SPEAKERS FROM A VARIETY OF PROFESSIONS: ATTORNEYS, PSYCHIATRISTS, PSYCHOLOGISTS, A COLLEGE PROFESSOR, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION. TOPICS HAVE INCLUDED FEAR, THE LAW, CIVIL LIBERTIES, EMPLOYMENT, RELIGION.

OUR LIBRARY, WHICH IS FOREVER GROWING THANKS TO VARIOUS DONORS, CONTAINS BOOKS AND PERIODICALS RANGING FROM STRICTLY HOMOPHILE SUBJECTS TO THE BETTER-KNOWN CLASSICAL WORKS.

WE HAVE TWO RESEARCH PROJECTS IN PROGRESS AT THE PRESENT TIME: CASE HISTORIES OF LESBIANS BEING GATHERED ON A VOLUNTARY BASIS THIS WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH A SAN FRANCISCO PSYCHIATRIST; A SOCIOLOGICAL SURVEY COMPOSED, CONDUCTED AND COMPILED BY THE DOB RESEARCH COMMITTEE. ANYONE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING IN EITHER