OldOld LesbiansLesbians OrganizingOrganizing forfor ChangeChange Founded in 1989

Meet Us in St. Louis: Gateway to Old FLASH—Carolyn Gage’s Tent Of course, no Gathering Revival Sparks Excitement! will be without a superb By Cheryl Larsen, 1949 dinner and dance and a Summer is a great time to renew range of thought- friendships, meet new Lesbians, ignite your provoking workshops; activist tendencies, and engage in thought- the St. Louis July provoking discussions. All these possibilities, Gathering will be no and many more, are within reach when you exception. A fiery panel sign up for this summer’s 2013 Regional will tackle the political OLOC Gathering. Join women from at least sphere’s current War on eight states and Australia at the gorgeous Women, and a visual presentation at Friday’s Hilton Hotel in St. Louis from July 19–21, 2013. opening ceremony will challenge each of us One of many highlights will surely be the to fight our culture’s negative attitudes about Lesbian Tent Revival and a workshop by old age. Other choices will include classism, author, playwright Carolyn Gage. The writing, telling our stories, belly dancing, free Lesbian Tent Revival is a unique combi- mammograms, and current politics and others. nation of comedy, radical feminist politic, Don’t worry about the summer heat, you communal ritual, and riotous high spirits you can enjoy relaxed small-group or one-on-one won’t want to miss. conversations in the comfort of the air- Another high point will be the conditioned hotel or take a dip in the pool. keynote address by inspirational We, the OLOC Steering Committee, look civil rights speaker and Nobel Prize forward to seeing you and your friends in St. Louis! nominee, Mandy Carter. A long- time OLOC supporter and New Members Join the SC member, Mandy is vital to many OLOC welcome three new national Steering Committee members: Pat Cull from organizations and projects. Oakland, CA; Cheryl Larsen from Dobbs On Sunday, we will have the opportunity to Ferry, NY; and Bonnie Wagner from King- watch the marvelous 2009 Lesbian film ston, NY. Each one has taken on a number Hannah Free and enjoy a question and answer of OLOC projects/work and we are grateful to session with the movie’s producer, Tracy Baim. them for helping keep OLOC old and bold.

The Reporter — A quarterly publication of OLOC Vol 23, Issue 2 June 2013 www.oloc.org Toll free 888-706-7506 Page 1 OLOC is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. June 2013 Old Lesbians Organizing for Change

The OLOC Reporter is published by Old Deadline for the next issue is August 1, 2013. Limit Lesbians Organizing for Change: submissions to 300 words. Contact us for a style  www.oloc.org guide. We may edit articles for clarity and length. Send articles to OLOC at [email protected] or OLOC,  e-mail: [email protected] PO Box 5853, Athens OH 45701.  Post Office Box 5853, Athens, OH 45701 If you are a member of a national OLOC who wants to be on OLOC’s national yahoo e-mail This Newsletter Brought to You By: list, you can subscribe by going to Co-Editors: Jennice Thomas, 1940, and Susan groups.yahoo.com/group/NationalOLOC/. If any Wiseheart, 1941. problems, contact [email protected]. Proofreaders and Copy-editors: Nancy Krody, 1939, and Ilze Mueller, 1935. To connect to OLOC on Facebook, go to Content Review: , 1940, and Jan www.facebook.com/NationalOLOC. Griesinger, 1942. OLOC is supported in part by grants from the Arcus Design/Layout: Malinda McCain, 1940. Foundation, the Carpenter Foundation, and the The mailing crew and all of the writers and Rainbow Endowment. OLOC thanks these photographers. foundations for their grants.

Corrections: Coming Next Year The 2012 Financial Report in the March Our 25th OLOC National Gathering will be issue of the Reporter was not correct. If you held in Oakland, CA, July 24–27, 2014. would like to see a corrected version, ask and Cherie Moraga will be Susan at [email protected] or 888-706-7506. among our keynoters and as well there will be a special presentation from Bay Area that the registration form in Did you notice writers and musicians as well. Save the dates the March 2013 Reporter says “National” and watch for more news. Gathering at the top? It’s a mistake. St. Louis is a Regional Gathering! Membership in National OLOC as of March 2013 March on Washington August 24–28 LGBTQIA (Lesbian Gay Bisexual Trans- OLOC continues to partner with the gender Transexual Queer Questioning and National Black Justice Coalition to honor the Intersex) Individuals 50th anniversary of the 1963 March on National OLOC supports the right of all Washington and Bayard Rustin, an African people to be and to present themselves in American gay man who organized it. A whatever way they choose. National OLOC number of us will attend the events. We have supports the right of all people to be treated some funds to help pay expenses for Lesbians fairly and with equal justice under the law. who want to go, especially any who actually National OLOC supports the self- attended the 1963 march, so we can determination of all people. National OLOC is recognize them publicly. If you were at the an ally to all who struggle for justice. National 1963 march, please let us know by phone, OLOC feels it is important to have these mail, or e-mail so we can talk with you. distinctions. Therefore National OLOC Details are still not settled on exactly what welcomes as members only those women will happen when, but get in touch with OLOC or who have reached their 60th year and who watch for further information at www.nbjc.org, are Old Lesbians. www.thekingcenter.org, or www.rustin.org.

June 2013 www.oloc.org Toll free 888-706-7506 Page 2 Old Lesbians Organizing for Change

Contact List for Current Steering Committee OLOC Vision Statement Members OLOC will be a cooperative community of Old Co-Directors: Lesbian feminist activists from many back-grounds Jan Griesinger, 1942, Athens, OH, [email protected] working for justice and the well-being of all Old 740-448-6424 Lesbians. Alix Dobkin, 1940, Woodstock, NY, [email protected] Mission Statement for OLOC 845-679-7586 We are committed to: Steering Committee Members:  addressing what it means to be Old and to be Ruth Debra, 1944, Palm Springs, CA, [email protected] Lesbian 760-318-6794  finding ways to gather Old Lesbians for ongoing Sally Tatnall, 1937, Cleveland Heights, OH, support [email protected] 216-862-0598  working against all oppressions that affect Old Bonnie Wagner, 1942, Woodstock, NY, Lesbians [email protected] 845-679-7710 or 845-417-1481  standing in solidarity with allies for racial, Cheryl Larsen, 1949, Dobbs Ferry, NY, [email protected] economic, and social justice 914-693-7855 OLOC works for change by supporting: Pat Cull, 1942, Oakland, CA, [email protected]  comprehensive immigration reform 415-637-5002  elimination of violence against women  enactment of universal single-payer healthcare OLOC’s Steering Committee welcomes for all constructive feedback and suggestions from  all efforts to challenge/overturn racism, classism, members by way of mail, phone, or e-mail. sexism, ageism  an end to corporate “personhood”

Supreme Court and OLOC Wonderful Book Catalog OLOC member Edie Windsor initiated the Spinifex Press is the Australian press run suit now under consideration by the Supreme by OLOC members Susan Hawthorne and Court (or may be decided by the time you Renate Klein. See the wonderful and read this) challenging DOMA in several numerous offerings at Spinifex.com aspects. Members Mina Meyer and Sharon OLOC Members Release New Books Raphael filed an amicus brief on the same Angela Bowen’s new book, Out of the suit. Edie’s is about inheritance rights, and Blue: Aleta’s Stories, is about growing up in Mina and Sharon’s is about social security. Roxbury in the 40s and 50s. To see more Lesbians of Color Symposium about the book and to learn about the film her Alix Dobkin, 1940, attended the 2nd partner (and OLOC member) Jennifer Abod is Annual LOCS—Lesbians of Color Sympo- making about her life, go to jenniferabod.com. sium—as an ally at the Harvard Law School Here are three comments about the film from in Cambridge, MA, on Saturday, April 13th, a recent advance screening: “Excellent! 2013. Mandy Carter—OLOC’s 2013 Regional Without Angela, these gifted dancers (young Gathering Keynoter—was a Special Guest. children) would never have been able to Driving NW of Chicago on Your Way become amazing and productive artists.” “I to St. Louis? was so touched and uplifted while watching OLOC member Phyllis Bere (630-980- it.” “I was galvanized.” 2476) offers OLOCers driving to St. Louis the Batya Weinbaum’s anthology Feminist opportunity to stay overnight Thursday at her Voices: An Anthology of the Best of Creative house, and she will provide dinner. Then they Writing of Femspec’s First Ten Years was can carpool to St. Louis on Friday. (Continued on page 4)

June 2013 www.oloc.org Toll free 888-706-7506 Page 3 Chapter and Regional News (Continued from page 3) others being considered in Seattle, Tacoma, and Port Townsend. released at the end of May. Femspec Our South Sound monthly lunch group focuses on Feminist Speculative Fiction. continues to grow, with 20–30 Old Lesbians Femspec Books has also published On the gathering each month. We co-sponsor the Palmist Road, Volume Two of Batya’s Coming Out Women support group, which column about palm reading, “Opening meets twice monthly for women at any stage Palms,” which ran from 2007 to 2012 in the of the coming out process. Santa Barbara Independent. Batya has been We also meet up at weddings as more and working on a mural project on Isla Mujeres, more of us are choosing to acknowledge our MX, installing goddesses in mosaics and commitments through this hard-won legal painting community murals. For more process in our state. And, we are gearing up information about this project, contact for the PRIDE season and will participate in [email protected]. parades and festivals in Olympia, Seattle, Puget Sound Chapter Tacoma, and Kitsap County. By Gloria Stancich, 1935 Palm Springs Rally Puget Sound members will present a By Ruth Debra, 1944 version of the spoken-word performance Well, I have to brag a little. We had a piece that opened our NW Regional OLOC marriage equality rally in Palm Springs and I Gathering here in 2011 as part of the was one of the organizing committee. We “Queering the Museum” Symposium had only one in-person meeting and the rest www.queeringthemuseum.org on June 8th at was done by e-mail and phone. Over 700 the new Museum of History and Industry in people showed up, and it was fantastic. Palm Seattle. These readings are excerpts from Springs is really a small town, and we had archived stories from the OLOHP (Old more attendance than LA and San Diego’s Lesbian Oral Herstory Project, olohp.org) and rallies. I invited Katherine Forrest (and her give voice to our Lesbian foremothers born in partner Jo Hercus) to speak, and she was the early 20th century. Many of us here fantastic! I was so happy to have the visibility continue to work at gathering, transcribing, of Old Lesbians and loved that Katherine and submitting herstories. Several PS said she is 74. OLOCers are also involved in the upcoming Anyway, I had my OLOC banner and wore Celebrating Lesbian Legacies symposium my “This Is What an Old Lesbian Looks Like” planned by OLOHP in Houston, TX, October 10– shirt. The TV stations stayed for almost the 13, 2013 (more information elsewhere in this issue). whole thing. Our new Congressperson spoke We are working with Equality Washington, and I got a real hug from him afterwards. He WA State NOW (National Organization for said, “This is why we won.” Women), PSARA (Alliance of Retired Americans), and others on support of immi- gration reform. Folks from the local Caring To find out about OLOC chapters and groups, Across Generations and Pacific Northwest presently in California, Colorado, LGBT Elder Care Providers Network have Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New joined this effort. Other members are Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Utah, involved with efforts around the Sound to Vermont, and Washington, look here: www.oloc.org/about/chapters.php. Or call us: establish SAGE affiliates. We currently have 888-706-7506. one group working well in Olympia, with

June 2013 www.oloc.org Toll free 888-706-7506 Page 4 Chapter and Regional News Hudson Valley Chapter Lastly, some of us were at the Round- By Bonnie Wagner, 1942 house in Santa Fe for their flash mob. Others We had a special event on April 28 at our also attended the Indigie concert at LGBTQ Center. We showed the documen- the Aux Dog Theatre in Albuquerque. tary United In Anger: A History of Act Up. From Bay Area Chapter’s April Sara Schulman, co-producer, was at the 2013 Newsletter: screening for questions and answers Bay Area OLOC held their spring retreat in following the film. May. At their check-ins it goes by age, oldest We are planning for our upcoming Pride March first. Intended both for fun and for dealing and Festival. This year, we will host an open mike with issues of the structure of Bay Area prior to the March. We anticipate a good OLOC, it includes workshops, a salon, and turnout and lots of great entertainment. meetings. They ask attendees to “Please New Mexico Chapter refrain from using scented products as some By Elizabeth R. Berrey, 1945 of us have severe reactions.” Because the OLOC members participated in the One chapter has experienced conflict over whether Billion Rising (against violence against trans persons who identify as women and women) and other Albuquerque events. Lesbians can be chapter members, they SAFE House, a local shelter for survivors of have had a series of sessions about the intimate partner violence sponsored a flash issue and about the group’s structure. At an mob (spontaneous public appearance) earlier meeting, the majority of the group dance on February 14 at the Civic Plaza in said yes, and a few members, some of them Albuquerque, NM. As requested, we wore crucial to the chapter, left the group. purple to support survivors of domestic violence and teal to support survivors of sexual assault. One chapter member, who works in the women’s detention center, helped organize residents and staff for a One Billion Rising presentation that the residents put together and performed.

Paula Fisher, Jonnie Gathings, Carole Englehart; Front row: Susan Turner

June 2013 www.oloc.org Toll free 888-706-7506 Page 5 Memorials Marlene Feingold, Lois Mae Applegate, 1931–2013 1928–2013 By Felicia Sobel, 1944 OLOC member Lois Marlene Feingold was a Applegate’s partner (also an long time OLOC member who OLOC member) Lanna served for a time on the National Rodgers was at her side Steering Committee. A when she died. Lois was a voracious reader, Marlene clubwoman and a joiner, an was never without a book. She was an advocate for women in politics, and a activist, participating in the causes of the supporter of many organizations, including rights of animals, women, and the LGBT those for women, Lesbians, and LGBT. population. She also participated regularly in Lanna said, in Lois’s obituary: “Lois was a SAGE (Services and Advocacy for GLBT force to be reckoned with. Towards the end Elders) programs and led the SAGE Singers. of her life, although she suffered from She grew up in Brooklyn, NY, and Alzheimer’s-like dementia, simple things attended Hunter High School for gifted brought her great pleasure. She always had students in Manhattan. There she learned a smile on her face, especially when chopping French and, as a teenager, also studied veggies whenever Lanna made vegetable Yiddish. She graduated from Queens College soup. Lois was the most brilliant, generous, with a major in Elementary Education and devoted, loving, sweet, fun, silly partner— taught sixth grade at PS 209 in Queens, NY, even to the end. She is deeply loved by all for many years. She was in charge of the who knew her and cherished her altruistic school’s glee club and was beloved by many spirit. LOIS WAS BIGGER THAN LIFE.” students, who appreciated her independent Elaine Weber, 1925–2013 spirit and sense of humor. She was known Elaine was an OLOC member. She was as a strict but fair teacher. interviewed in 2008 by the Old Lesbian Oral Marlene’s interests included travel and Herstory Project, and her story is featured in camping. She and her friend of many years, the book Without Apology: Old Lesbian Life Carol Falcetti, drove across the United Stories. She came out at 78 and was 87 States several consecutive summers and when she died. visited most of the National Parks. Susan Merilyn Miller 1941–2013 As testament to the many friendships By Jan Couvillon, 1940 Marlene forged over the years, there were three memorial services for her—one Susan was a member of OLOC and San organized by Carol in a funeral parlor, Francisco Bay Area’s writers/performers another arranged by SAGE, and a third by group Mothertongue. Her wit and pathos, OLOC’s New York City Chapter. combined in her writing and performance, Dottie Fowler, 1927–1913 reached women whose lives were as tumultuous as Susan’s. Her love reached all, We will have more on Dottie in the next and she was loved by all. Susan experienced issue. In the day leading up to her death she many trials before undiscovered ovarian is reported to have awakened briefly and cancer took her. She steadied and comforted said “I’m glad I’m an Old .” An OLOC us as she moved closer to her death. Susan member for a long time, she also was was a hero and supported many of us in both involved in organizing several nonprofits in Mother-tongue and OLOC. Susan’s spirit will the Bay Area and founded Lavender Seniors. live on in us.

June 2013 www.oloc.org Toll free 888-706-7506 Page 6 Memorials Joyce Jackson, 1948–2013 and inspiring ceremony of remembrance to OLOC is sad to report that Joyce Jackson, commemorate those Lesbians who have OLOC member from Lansing, MI, died in late died. Memorial plaques are displayed along March. She attended the Boston Gathering with a slide presentation. If you make a $20 last year and will be strongly missed. We donation (more if you can, less if you can’t), hope to have more about Joyce in a future issue. submit a photo of the Lesbian you wish to In Remembrance Program honor, and include her birth and death years, we will include her in our slide show. Also You can honor a loved one who has donations from anyone of any amount will passed away by purchasing a plate to be help to cover the cost of honoring Lesbians added to the OLOC Memorial Plaque. At who have died. each National Gathering, we hold a moving

Letters to the Editor Dear OLOC, the world over, are rendered miserable Have we finally achieved equality? because of blatant woman-hating, which is I noticed the beautiful ad on the inside covered up by the bland name of sexism? back cover of Lesbian Connection for the I urge the national steering committee of July Gathering. It says OLOC is committed to OLOC to ALWAYS link the three main accessibility, anti-racism, and anti-classism. oppressions—the three-legged stool of What about anti-sexism? Is it a done deal? patriarchy—sexism, racism, classism, and Are we finally accepted as women, Lesbians, NEVER leave one of them out of the females in the world? Is there equal pay? equation. And NEVER substitute the vague Has violence against women been eradi- term “accessibility” for any of them. cated? Perhaps I missed the 51% majority of Sandy Tate, 1935 women in Congress. And, while I was slumbering for a few years, a woman (Note: The Steering Committee agrees with occupied the White House, and as many Sandy and apologizes for the inadvertent women as men were chairpersons of the omission in the ad. If you notice other places boards of Fortune 500 companies. Fashion we have left out sexism, please let us know.) houses showed women in comfortable, Dear OLOC, functional shoes and stopped showing I wish to share a thought I have in cleavage. And mothers dressed little girls in response to Words for Thought from comfortable play clothes designed for Cruikshank on p. 3 in The Reporter, Dec. outdoor games instead of colorful party 2012. Peg Cruikshank refers to the term old dresses, open-toed shoes, and long hair as an identity that is hiding other distinctions designed to retain their femininity. such as health status and class. However, I And how could I forget pornography, that don’t think the term old as used by OLOC is flourishing multi-billion-dollar business that is meant to describe an identity as much as it is dedicated to the degradation, humiliation, an attempt to turn a negative label into a and destruction of the female spirit? neutral or positive one. So, here’s my question. Why does the Old in our society has been used to national steering committee of OLOC refuse designate something or someone used up or to acknowledge that the patriarchy is alive needing to be discarded. OLOC has turned and well, that women—females—Lesbians (Continued on page 8)

June 2013 www.oloc.org Toll free 888-706-7506 Page 7 Articles old into a tool and should not shrink from heterosexual women. She also cited the using it as Barbara MacDonald and Baba research finding that Black Lesbians, Copper originally intended, as a driving idea especially those who are viewed as butch to help those over 60—especially women and and who live in isolated Black townships, are Lesbians—to throw out the stereotype and to particularly vulnerable to such attacks. take their destinies into their own hands. More generally, members of the LGBT What is different is that Old Lesbians are communities in South Africa are subjected to taking this power in an explicit rather than in widespread discrimination, despite the fact an implicit way, not with euphemisms like that this country’s constitution “was the first in Graying of America or Golden Agers or the world with a clause explicitly forbidding Senior Citizens but with in-your-face Vibrato. discrimination on the grounds of sexual We are Old Lesbians Organizing for Change orientation.” A Lesbian housemate of mine in and we take our name seriously. Cape Town in 1993 was a member of a small Sharon Raphael, 1941 group of gays who used to meet in our home to work on a draft of this progressive section (Note from Peg Cruikshank: “I agree with of the constitution. The disparity between Sharon Raphael’s response to my rap on old the progressive law and the vicious acting out of as an identity.”) the homophobia that is especially prevalent among ’s Memoir Black Africans reveals that progresssive laws are Available from Aunt Lute Books: A Simple useless if they aren’t implemented. Revolution: The Making of an Activist Poet by Regarding the astronomical prevalence of Lesbian poet Judy Grahn. In telling her life rape of women in general in South Africa, story, Grahn reflects on the profound cultural Hunter-Gault reported that one woman in two shifts brought about by the women’s and gay in South Africa can expect to be raped at rights movements of the 1960s and 1970s. least once in her lifetime; and a reputable www.auntlute.com/a-simple-revolution study found that one in four men admitted “” in South Africa having raped a woman. By Diana Russell, Ph.D., 1938 Call for papers: I was surprised to discover that the A thematic issue of the Journal of Lesbian gruesome misogynist male crime called Studies tentatively titled “Old Lesbians” will feature articles exploring community, kin, “corrective rape” in South Africa was the topic friendship, and well-being. Peg Cruikshank of an article in The New Yorker on May 28, and Sharon Raphael, editors for this issue, 2012. So-called corrective rapes are invite short proposals for submissions of perpetrated by lesbiphobic, misogynist males completed or nearly completed articles by who rape Lesbians to “cure” them of their January 15, 2014. For more information, sexual orientation. According to Charlayne send inquiries to [email protected] and Hunter-Gault, the author of this article, at [email protected]. least 31 Lesbians have been killed in attacks that started out as “corrective rape” since OLOC T-Shirts Denim Shirts 1998. Few arrests have been made for these Sweatshirts Cloisonné Lapel Pins lethal femicides—the feminist term referring Buttons And More! to the killing of females by males because they are female (i.e., misogynist murders). e-mail, phone, write, or go to Hunter-Gault noted that South African www.oloc.org/market/market.html Lesbians face assault twice as often as and click on OLOC Market.

June 2013 www.oloc.org Toll free 888-706-7506 Page 8 Announcements Red Tent Movie SistahSinema Want to see a trailer about a new movie For those with streaming, you can now find called Things We Don’t Talk About: Women’s a list of at least 21 films featuring queer Stories from the Red Tent, a documentary women of color (with more being added that chronicles part of the growing worldwide weekly) at buskfilms.com/category/films/ women’s Red Tent movement? We’ve heard queer-women-of-color it includes Old Lesbians. redtentmovie.com “2013 will be a REVOLUTIONARY year for Wonderful Play Queer Women of Color cinema, but it won’t If you love live theater and get a chance, be televised.” Go here for more information: see Guapa. It centers on two women, sistahsinema.com addresses sexism and classism and racism, has five very engaging characters, is written by a woman, and is making the rounds in From the Older Feminist Network (London, areas with Latino communities. It is in England) newsletter: English. You can find out more by Googling “In politics, if you want anything said, ask a man; it, if you have computer access. if you want anything done, ask a woman.” –Margaret Thatcher

OLD LESBIANS ORGANIZING FOR CHANGE PRESENTS REGIONAL GATHERING 2013 July 19–22, 2013 Meet Us in St. Louis: Gateway to Old Lesbians Keynote speaker, workshops, entertainment, dinner, dance, hospitality room with games and food. Lesbians 60 or over (and female partners/female caregivers of any age) are invited. Last chance for early registration is June 30. The Hotel The lovely Hilton St. Louis Frontenac is our hotel for the Gathering. An express bus is available from Lambert St. Louis International Airport to the hotel. Rooms are $104 per night and include free breakfast for two people each day and complimentary Wi-Fi service. You can have either one king-size bed or two double beds and up to four people in a room, but if more than two, you will have to figure out about the breakfast. The hotel has an outdoor pool, gym equipment, and many small areas for Old Lesbians to gather. You will need to reserve your own room by calling the hotel at 314-993-1100. Remember to inform the reservationist that you are with OLOC to confirm the rate. Be Kind to Yourself and Your Sisters We request that you make every effort to help us create a space that is free of the chemicals used to make scented products. They adversely affect the health of all of us, some more severely than others, and they degrade the environment. Please come with fragrance-free body-care products and clothing and, if you normally use cologne, essential oils, or perfume, we ask you not to use these during the Gathering. Thank you.

June 2013 www.oloc.org Toll free 888-706-7506 Page 9 Online Registration available: regonline.com/ oloc2013 Note that you still must register separately with the hotel for your lodging.

06/2013 OLOC NONPROFIT PO Box 5853 U.S. POSTAGE PAID Athens, OH 45701 ATHENS, OH PERMIT NO. 82 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

Time to Renew? If your label says 2013.06 (meaning 2013 June) or earlier, your membership/ supportership has ended and it is time to renew.

July 2013 Information inside

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