It was published by a small Manhattan women’s collective, Daughters Inc.

Due to the risqué topics discussed in the book, no major publisher would touch it at the time. The novel also showcases Molly discovering the lesbian communities of New York in Greenwich Village. The book follows the life of Molly Bolt who starts developing romantic relationships with other girls in school. Her first published and most popular novel was “Rubyfruit Jungle.” The novel is based on Brown’s own childhood and growth as a lesbian author. Brown’s writing career advanced quickly, however, after she started to focus on writing novels. CareerĪfter graduating from NYU, Brown started writing for Rat, the first New York City-based women’s liberation newspaper. However, she did graduate and receive a degree in Classics & English. While attending NYU, she spent a lot of her time homeless and poor. Brown wanted to be part of a more accepting university community, so she hitched to New York City to attended New York University. However, in 1964 she was expelled by the university for participating in the civil rights movement. In 1962, Rita received a scholarship to attend the University of Florida. Brown played on the tennis team at her local high school and started to develop crushes on and romances with other girls. Her time in Florida was critical in the development of her as a writer. The family moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida when Rita was in middle school. Her mother’s cousins, Julia & Ralph Brown, adopted her and raised her in York, Pennsylvania. Rita Mae Brown was born November 28th, 1944 in Hanover, Pennsylvania to an unwed, teenage mother who gave her up for adoption at the local orphanage.

Today we look back on her early life, career, and activism to celebrate her work in forwarding the LGBTQ & Femenist movements. Her most popular work, “Rubyfruit Jungle,” was one of the first books published that went against gay stereotypes and showcased a lesbian character in a positive manner. Rita Mae Brown, New York University alumnus & former Greenwich Village resident, has achieved great success in the fields of LGBTQ activism and writing.

Rubyfruit jungle a novel