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Rita Mae BrownNovelist, poet, playwright
Date of Birth: 28.11.1944
Country:  USA |
Content:
Early Life and Education
Rita Mae Brown was born on November 28, 1944, in Hanover, Pennsylvania. She grew up in Florida and attended the University of Florida in 1962. Her activism in the Civil Rights Movement led to her expulsion in 1964. Brown relocated to New York City and continued her education at New York University, earning a BA in English and Classics. She later pursued an MFA in film at the School of Visual Arts and a PhD in Political Science from the Washington Institute for Policy Studies.
Activism and Politics
Brown became politically active in the late 1960s. She was a prominent figure in the Civil Rights Movement, the Gay Liberation Movement, and the feminist movement. She co-founded the Student Homophile League and participated in the Stonewall Riots. In 1971, she joined the National Organization for Women (NOW) but was expelled for advocating for the inclusion of lesbian issues.
Literary Career
Brown began her writing career as a poet, publishing two collections, "The Hand That Cradles the Rock" (1971) and "Songs to a Handsome Woman" (1973). She gained widespread recognition for her 1973 novel, "Rubyfruit Jungle," a coming-of-age story that became a classic of lesbian literature. Brown's other notable novels include "Six of One" (1978), "Southern Discomfort" (1982), "Venus Envy" (1993), and "Riding Shotgun" (1994).
Screenwriting
Brown has also written screenplays for several films and television series. Her screenplay for the miniseries "I Love Liberty" (1982) was nominated for an Emmy Award. She also wrote the screenplay for the TV film "The Long Hot Summer" (1985).
Recent Work
In recent years, Brown has written a series of detective novels featuring her cat, Sneaky Pie Brown, as a co-author. She also created the character Sister Jane Arnold, a rural fox-hunting club leader.
Personal Life
Brown has been in a relationship with Martina Navratilova (from 1979 to 1981) and the writer Fannie Flagg.
