OldOld LesbiansLesbians OrganizingOrganizing forfor ChangeChange One More for the Record Books: 2011 Pacific Northwest Regional Gathering By the Gang of Four Wow! What an incredible weekend, one Of course, a few boundaries were pushed many Old Lesbians will never forget. and barriers broken, making this Gathering a The Gathering officially kicked into gear strengthening opportunity for all involved. The with personal welcomes from the mayor of event was brought to a close by two powerful Tacoma, Marilyn Strickland, and out-Lesbian and inspiring contributions. Dr. Malka Golden- state legislator Laurie Jinkins delivering a Wolfe helped us all understand the magnitude of message from Governor Christine Gregoire, as what we had just accomplished by sharing in the well as from herself. We were humbled to be Gathering, and we were sent away energized by welcomed to the land of the First Nations by the amazing women of Sista Drum. Irene Fruzzetti of the Comanche Tribe. We won’t pretend it was perfect, but we Thursday was an evening know, without a doubt, it was of welcome and of honoring the successful. We wish you all could founding mothers of OLOC who have been there! As we had were present, Vera Martin, Ruth anticipated, whenever the need Silver, and Rosemary Hathaway, was there, dozens of Lesbians and honoring the oldest pitched in to help the local team amongst us. There were more throughout the event, which than 30 Lesbians in attendance only goes to prove what we who were 75 years and older, suspected all along; OLOCers are and each was recognized. The incredibly generous. evening also offered an original It was a 50/50 weekend: piece written and presented by Roughly half of the Lesbians Elana Dykewoman. Under the Nyla Dartt and Marcia Perlstein pose for a attending came from the Pacific direction of Marcia Perlstein, "Cheeky Old Lesbian" photo at the recent Northwest and roughly half women from Puget Sound OLOC 2011 Regional Gathering in Tacoma. had never been to an OLOC performed a dramatic reading Gathering. The unofficial count of stories from the lives of Lesbians who have was that 201 Lesbians participated in the shared their life stories with the Old Lesbian Oral Gathering. Since we ran out of registration forms Herstory Project. It concluded with “This is Your at the door, our guess is that there were at least Life, Arden Eversmeyer,” a surprise gift to her from a dozen more. But those are just numbers. The the readers and director. feeling of sharing three days with so many Old After a moving start to a challenging and Lesbians who care deeply about our community inspiring weekend, Lillian Faderman delivered and are passionately working toward changes an impressive keynote address that had us that will improve our lives and the lives of others scrambling to arrange for a transcript so it could was truly indescribable. be shared. From there, the weekend was filled (Gloria Stancich, 1933; Mary Henry, 1939; Margaret with many highlights, too many to enumerate. Purcell, 1951; and Deidre Knowles, 1947) TheThe ReporterReporter … A quarterly publication of OLOC September 2011 VOLUME 21 ISSUE 3 OLOC is a nonprofit 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization. Two Bricks from OLOC for Museum OLOC Writers Featured By Alix Dobkin, 1940 in Lesbian Connection Last year, Ruth Debra, Susan Wiseheart, and I all OLOC encourages its supporters to toured the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis subscribe to Lesbian Connection, which Tennessee. comes out in print 6 times a year and To walk through the museum, taking it all in often features OLOC writers. The May– within a few hours, proved truly staggering and life June, 2011, issue had material from Gloria changing. The accumulated words, pictures, videos, Stancich and Mary Henry on the recent audios, and even environments (such as actually OLOC Regional event and also materials boarding the bus Rosa Parks rode and touching written by Charlotte Ellis from St. Louis, life-sized sculptured figures of people sitting in at a Sally Cohn from Portland, and Ruthie lunch-counter and of picketing Memphis sanitation Berman from W. Palm Beach, FL. Contact workers and more) were profoundly affecting. Lesbian Connection at Elsie Publishing, The museum provides a compelling journey, PO Box 811, East Lansing, MI 48826, a primer in the courage and determination Black [email protected] or 517-371-5257 people have demonstrated throughout this country’s history, a powerful sample of what they have Dealing with Stuff endured, resisted, and overcome: a historical narrative A group at the Yellow Springs, OH, that took my breath away. Senior Center, called “Older and Bolder: The front of the museum is paved with bricks The Joys and Challenges of Growing engraved with names of contributors to the insti- Old,” discussed what to do about sorting/ tution. Last fall and winter, the OLOC Steering removing all the stuff we accumulate. For Committee put out appeals to our subscribers to a summary of this discussion contact Jan help us raise money for one of the bricks. Thirty- Griesinger – [email protected] or 740-448-6424. seven individual OLOC Lesbians and one chapter Or go to these websites: (Bay Area California) responded with donations. I’m www.Discardia.com delighted to report that we raised enough money www.Bookcrossing.com for two bricks, not one. We mailed a total of $1000 www.flylady.net to the Civil Rights Museum for our bricks, which will display the messages: OLOC Chapters & OLOC Approved Research Old Lesbians Organizing In Solidarity Old Lesbians for Change To find out about OLOC chapters, Organizing for Change presently in California, New York, Ohio, Works for Justice Founded, 1989 Missouri, Oregon, Washington, and Colorado, look here: Good work, OLOC Lesbians, and a big thank you www.oloc.org/about/chapters.php from the Steering Committee! Are you doing or wondering about We urge anyone who finds herself in Memphis participating in research? Check in with to pay a visit to the National Civil Rights Museum. our Research Gatekeeper, Sharon Raphael, Along the left side of the entrance wall you will [email protected], or view our guidelines be greeted by a series of portraits of outstanding here: www.oloc.org/researchrules.php (mostly Old) Black women who played essential roles For chapter or research information in the struggle for equality. They are excellent role in print, phone 1-888-706-7506 and leave models for all social justice activists. your name and address. OLOC provides Old Lesbians with the chance to meet like-minded women in our common struggle to confront ageism, to share mutual interests, and to experience the joy and warmth of playing and working together. First Same-Sex Marriage in NY s At 12:01 a.m. on July 24, 2011, history Letter unfolded across New York State as hundreds of to the Editor gay and Lesbian couples tied the knot. It was a jubilant day–especially for Phyllis Siegel, 76, and Connie Kopelov, 84, the first same-sex couple to wed in Manhattan. Phyllis and Connie were On Ageism members of the original New York OLOC chapter. For the past three days or so, thanks to News from Washington DC reading the OLOC Reporter, I have been think- By Mandy Carter, 1948 ing about the way I have often used the word “elderly” as a medical social worker and it One of the exciting things happening on has not made me proud of myself, but I have the Hill is the formation of a new Black Caucus– changed! Hispanic Caucus–Asian Pacific Islander Caucus Relying on my good old Wikipedia searches, collaborative that was announced at last year’s I find that the word “elder” is a word that com- Congressional Black Caucus Legislative Week mands respect across cultures, often implying conference. They are recognizing the ever- one who is superior to others. By contrast, growing people-of-color demographics and “elderly” implies one who is in decline. I have figuring out ways to work together. been guilty of using that word in that manner for several reasons related to working in a medi- Black Lesbians Organize cal field. No more! I have made the firm decision ZAMI, a National Organization of Black to avoid all adjectives related to age and stick Lesbians on Aging (NOBLA) based in Atlanta, strictly to the person’s ability to function, which has a focus on Black Lesbians 40 and older. does not have anything to do with age, when I Sixty women attended a recent event. All am communicating needs to other members of are welcome! Even though the focus is Black the interdisciplinary team or community service Lesbians 40 and older, social events are open providers. Nothing like finding you have relics of to all regardless of age, ethnicity, orientation ageism lurking in your brain. or identity, unless otherwise indicated. For --Kris Wrenn, a 57-year-old supporter of OLOC more information contact: Mary Anne Adams, [email protected]; 404-831-2743 No more “guys” It sure improved a bad day to read about “Feminism is not simply a struggle to end male chauvinism or a movement to ensure that others objecting to calling wimin “guys.” There women will have equal rights with men; it is are so many alternatives; gals, y’all, you-all, a commitment to eradicating the ideology of youse, folks are ones that come to mind. domination that permeates Western culture Language is important in how we see the on various levels—sex, race, and class to name world, and I know for sure I’m not a member of a few—and a commitment to reorganizing “mankind” and I’m not a guy! society…so that self-development of people -- Zana, 1947 can take precedence over imperialism, eco- nomic expansion and material desire.” Check This Out bell hooks Quoted in Colonize This: Young Women of Color For a great short interview with Sally on Today’s Feminism, edited by Daisy Hernandez Tatnall, OLOC Steering Committee member, see and Bushra Rehman (originally in Feminist this YouTube link: Theory: From Margin to Center, 1984).