"lipstick lesbian" (1972?)

[Ben Zimmer]

Michael Sharp (known to crossword fans as Rex Parker) has a blog
called Pop Sensation that showcases pulp paperbacks, mostly from the
'50s and '60s. He recently featured "Take a Lesbian to Lunch" by Ann
Aldrich (McFadden Books, 1972):

http://salmongutter.blogspot.com/2011/08/paperback-446-take-lesbian-to-lunch-ann.html
Also in this Huffington Post slideshow:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-sharp/pulp-novel-covers_b_937147.html?ref=fb&src=sp#s339832&title=Take_a_Lesbian

Michael says he was told that the book has the first known print
appearance of "lipstick lesbian". OED (Aug. 2001 draft addition) only
dates it to 1984.

The author herself (whose real name is Marijane Meaker and also goes
by M.E. Kerr) discusses the phrase here:

http://www.mekerr.com/phpbbforum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=211
"An e-mail advised me that I didn't coin the term lipstick lesbian, it
was a popular expression among 'the ladies' but I may have been the
first one to put it in print."

Since the book is exceedingly rare (and isn't viewable on Google
Books), I've emailed Michael to ask for a cite.

--bgz

--
Ben Zimmer
http://benzimmer.com/

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