Octavia Leona Kohner Oral History

Octavia Leona Kohner was active in the successful unionization campaign at Babeland, a NYC sex toy shop. Here, she recounts her upbringing in a working-class family in Staten Island, and describes social isolation, friendships, and sexual encounters during adolescence. She relates her experience coming out as a trans woman while attending Hunter College, and her struggle with depression. She also discusses her own political journey, participating in advocacy and activism during high school and college, listening and learning at Occupy Wall Street, and her affiliation with anarchism. She shares stories of organizing at Babeland, recounting workplace grievances, anti-union efforts by management, the bargaining process, and details of their first contract. She places the victory by Babeland workers in the context of the broader labor movement.

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View At: https://nyctransoralhistory.org/interview/octavia-kohner/
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Item Information:

Identifier: zg64tm19p
Collection: Audio and Video Clips and Transcripts
Institution: NYC Trans Oral History Project
Creator(s): O'Brien, Michelle Esther
Kohner, Octavia Leona
Contributor(s): Ambrose, Justine
Publisher: New York Public Library
Date Created: Mar. 27, 2017
Dates Covered: 1992 to 2017
Genre: Oral Histories
Subject(s): Babeland
Octavia Leona Kohner
Places: New York
New York > New York County > City University of New York Hunter College
Topic(s): Activists
Anarchism
Childhood
Clothing
Coming out
Depression
Discrimination
Families
Feminists
Gender identity
Isolation
Labour movement
LGBTI community
MtFs
Political movements
Solidarity
Trade unions
Transgender people
Transitioning (Gender)
Transphobia
Violence
Working class
Resource Type: Audio
Digital Format: Duration: 1 hour 38 minutes 56 seconds
Language: English
Rights: Copyright undetermined
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