Curve Magazine Collection
This collection contains materials from the Curve Foundation's "Collect & Connect" event that took place on October 13, 2024, at Pearl Bar, a lesbian bar located in Houston, Texas. The collection includes fifty-nine issues of "Curve" and "Deneuve" magazines, a poster advertising the event, and a DVD copy of "Ahead of the Curve," a 2020 documentary about the origins of "Curve" and its founder, Franco Stevens.
Included among the issues are a copy of the May-June 1991 premier issue, signed by Stevens; the September 1997 issue, which was donated to the Curve Foundation at "Collect & Connect" by Dayna Steele, a candidate for Texas's 36th congressional district in the 2024 election for the U.S. House of Representatives; and multiple issues featuring cast members from the Showtime television drama series "The L Word," including the May 2009 issue, signed by actress Pam Grier.
Dates
- 1991-2024
Creator
- Curve Foundation (Organization)
Language of Materials
English
Conditions Governing Access
Open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Special Collections owns the physical items in our collections, but copyright normally belongs to the creator of the materials or their heirs. The researcher has full responsibility for determining copyright status, obtaining permission to publish from copyright holders, and abiding by current copyright laws when publishing or displaying copies of Special Collections material in print or electronic form. For more information, consult the appropriate librarian. Reproduction decisions will be made by Special Collections staff on a case-by-case basis.
Extent
1 linear feet
Additional Description
Brief Historical Note
Frances “Franco” Stevens is the founder of Curve magazine (formerly known as Deneuve), the lesbian/woman-centered publication that launched its premier issue in 1991 and distributed in mainstream bookstores and newsstands across the U.S. and internationally. The magazine covers news, politics, entertainment, pop culture, fashion, and travel. In 2010, Curve was acquired by an Australian media company, but in 2021, Stevens and her partner Jen Rainin gained ownership of the publication and donated it to The Curve Foundation, which strives to create connection through sharing stories, intergenerational programming, and building community. While Curve magazine is no longer printed, digital issues are freely accessible, highlighting “LGBTQ+ women’s and nonbinary people’s culture and stories.”
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated by the Curve Foundation on October 15, 2024.
Subjects
Collecting Areas
Related Names
Finding Aid & Administrative Information
- Title
- Guide to the Curve Magazine Collection
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Joyce Gabiola, Kevin Kinney
- Date
- August 21, 2026
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Repository Details
Part of the University of Houston Libraries Special Collections Repository
University of Houston Libraries Special Collections
MD Anderson Library
4333 University Drive
Houston TX 77204-2000 USA
713-743-9750