Summer of 1969
I want to say that I must have been born into feminist ways because there are a cajillion family photographs capturing my look of objecting to male power, control and privilige in my own family.
It wasn't until I learned in covert ways about a lesbian couple - not out, back in the days of the early 60s: they both taught at a private college in a nearby town where our family worshipped together in the same church and we used to go help them take care of their property. Somehow, both women must have identified me as being 'family'. They weren't out because it would have cost them their ability to earn a living and damage their hard-won reputation as professors. It wasn't until much later in life when one of the women (having survived the death of her long time lover and partner) entered into a facility where my mother was a director of nursing. My mother was giving me a tour of the facility and she was a resident of that nursing home (this was years ago) and made the comment that she (the woman we knew for years) would not recognize me, but she did! She took me aside and "never give up your power, ever."
I'll never forget her or her partner who nurtured me privately for years.
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