CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Rters) - Sally Ri was the first U.S. woman space and a role mol for women everywhere. But one group had to wa until her ath this week to claim her as a member - the gay muny.
Contents:
- WHY SALLY RI WAED UNTIL HER ATH TO TELL THE WORLD SHE WAS GAY
- AFTER ATH, SALLY RI REVEALS SHE WAS GAY
- SALLY RI DIDN'T WANT TO BE A GAY IN
- GAY OR NOT GAY? SALLY RI
WHY SALLY RI WAED UNTIL HER ATH TO TELL THE WORLD SHE WAS GAY
In life, Sally Ri beme famo as Ameri's first woman space — and ath, she's now add to her fame as the first acknowledged gay revelatn me a low-key way: Monday's obuary om Sally Ri Science, the tnal venture she found a ago, referred to Tam O'Shghnsy as "her partner of 27 years." A spokwoman for Sally Ri Science, Terry McEntee, s * sally ride was she gay *
Amerin Library AssociatnIn life, Sally Ri beme famo as Ameri's first woman space — and ath, she's now add to her fame as the first acknowledged gay revelatn me a low-key way: Monday's obuary om Sally Ri Science, the tnal venture she found a ago, referred to Tam O'Shghnsy as "her partner of 27 years.
"Bear, a gay Prbyterian mister, tak a different approach. "I'm a rather out-there advote for LGBT [lbian-gay-bisexual-transgenr] rights — my partner and I have even been arrted a uple of tim public prott!
I hope mak easier for kids growg up gay that they know that another one of their hero was like them. Is any surprise, then, that no active or former astronts have publicly announced that they're gay? Why not straights and gays?
AFTER ATH, SALLY RI REVEALS SHE WAS GAY
* sally ride was she gay *
(I'm g the term "gay" here as admtedly aquate shorthand for the LGBT muny. But one group had to wa until her ath this week to claim her as a member - the gay a statement prepared before her ath on Monday of pancreatic ncer, Ri, 61, acknowledged publicly for the first time that she had a longstandg relatnship wh a woman, Tam O'Shghnsy, who was her partner bs, science wrg and astront's webse, Sally Ri Science, listed O'Shghnsy, Ri's partner for nearly 30 years, as a survivor.
“"It was a role which she was never fully fortable, " Hawley Human Rights Campaign, the largt lbian, gay, bisexual and transgenr civil rights group the Uned Stat, posted a tribute to Sally Ri on the ont page of s webse on Tuday.
SALLY RI DIDN'T WANT TO BE A GAY IN
But one group had to wa until her ath this week to claim her as a member - the gay a statement prepared before her ath on Monday of pancreatic ncer, Ri, 61, acknowledged publicly for the first time that she had a longstandg relatnship wh a woman, Tam O’Shghnsy, who was her partner bs, science wrg and astront’s webse, Sally Ri Science, listed O’Shghnsy, Ri’s partner for nearly 30 years, as a survivor. “It was a role which she was never fully fortable, ” Hawley Human Rights Campaign, the largt lbian, gay, bisexual and transgenr civil rights group the Uned Stat, posted a tribute to Sally Ri on the ont page of s webse on Tuday. Should she have ed to fight for gay rights?
Bear further elucidated her sister’s posn on gay rights:. Moreover, as somethg of a classic, Rockwellian Amerin heroe, Ri’s own intifitn as homosexual might have been (and ed, may still be) a more effective talyst for social nservative rensiratn than the admissn of a “liberal ele” actor or “media ele” journalist. What might Ri’s visibily have meant to LGBT youth, to young lbians, who are all too often crowd off of the media stage by gay men?
GAY OR NOT GAY? SALLY RI
Gay youths are sperate need of mentors, and what mak Ri’s reticence all the more disappotg is how clearly gifted she was that kd of role. To be sure, gay kids n benef om relatnships wh mentors who are straight and vice versa, but knowg that you share certa experienc mon n make a world of difference. As one iend on Facebook wrote, jt, "That lady astront was gay.
Progrsive and gay blogs are lamentg the fact that O’Shghnsy will not receive Ri’s feral benefs bee of the Marriage Act (DOMA) and blamg obvly didn’t want to be a gay in. She me out as gay her obuary.
In addn to keepg her health stggl private, Sally Ri also kept one other part of her personal life private until after she died: She me out to the public as gay her obuary, which listed Tam O'Shghnsy as her partner of nearly three s, acrdg to Bs Wire.