Sally Ride, First U.S. Woman In Space, A Lesbian, Dies Of Cancer At 61

[æonpax]

Dr. Sally Ride, the first American woman in space as well as the youngest American in space, founder of Sally Ride Science, a nationally ranked tennis player in college, and a lesbian, died today after a seventeen-month battle with pancreatic cancer. Dr. Ride was 61. She is survived by her partner of 27 years, Dr. Tam O’Shaughnessy, who is also the COO and Executive Vice President of Sally Ride Science and a Professor Emerita of School Psychology at San Diego State University, along with her mother, Joyce and sister, Bear.

Sally Kristen Ride, Ph.D., earned her master’s degree and a Ph.D. in physics, went to NASA in 1978 after responding to a newspaper ad, left in 1987 for Stanford University’s Center for International Security and Arms Control. - http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/sally-ride-first-u-s-woman-in-space-a-lesbian-dies-of-cancer-at-61/news/2012/07/23/44378

Requiescat in pace, Sally

[Long Duck Dong]

I have very fond memories of sitting in the lounge with my mother and step father in the early hours of the morning, watching the space shuttle lift off.....the flight sally was on....... then going to school and having the teacher talk about it......it sparked a interest in space and astronomy for me, that I still enjoy today.....

that was just on 30 years ago...lol....

some of us dream of reaching for the stars, and some of us take the first steps.....

RIP sally

[Realist]

An amazing lady....I never knew she was gay.

[æonpax]

An amazing lady....I never knew she was gay.


Which brings up the question; should her orientation not have been announced publicly?

Consider this; Sally ride never hid the fact that she was living with, another female whom was her close friend; Tam. They were seen together, socially and exclusively, enough times that only the simplest of minds, could not see what was going on. Yet, Sally and her mate, deliberately chose not to publicly announce that they were lesbians.

Sally Ride became iconic because she was the first (US) woman in space and the youngest American in space. When I was in grade school, she became symbolic of what a female can achieve. I can say, up until 12 years old, I was schooled in a Baptist school that was rather “far right.” Had the school/church heard that Sally Ride was a lesbian, I never would have learned about her.

It is because of women like Sally Ride; I learned that orientation should not be a block to success and that someday…nobody will care.

[DuckiesDarling]

RIP Dr. Ride, you did so much to spark interest in science for an entire generation and more to come.

[Gearbox]

God rest her, and bring comfort to her partner.


Which brings up the question; should her orientation not have been announced publicly?
Well that's the double edged question that doesn't have an iron clad answer IMO. She and partner didn't want it announced, so we should go with that really.

I'm NOT being sarcastic or disrespectful of the marvellous lady, when I say that I can understand why she didn't want to be known as Sally Ride. PHD. Lesbian.
That's how she'd be thought of, and despite the fact that she was not ashamed or embarrassed at being a lesbian, she probably didn't want to be KNOWN for that. If I had achieved what she did, I'd want to be know for that, and not because I was bi. Dear God, it took no effort at all to be bi, but I'd make damn sure I'd take credit for the things I did put effort into.

The first thing I think of when the name Rock Hudson crops up is 'GAY', then 'actor', then 'Hollywood' etc.
It seems that sexual orientation gets priority association with any of LGBT status, no matter what they did to be famous.
Sally Ride accomplished a LOT for any Human, never mind a woman or a lesbian.:bowdown:

On the other hand though, like you say, it's comforting to know that sexuality doesn't stop us accomplishing great things. Only attitudes towards it can do that.

[DuckiesDarling]

Which brings up the question; should her orientation not have been announced publicly?



I say no and I will explain why. Why for so many years the word lesbian basically meant to a lot of people a man in a woman's body, that is not being disrespectful just telling it how a lot of people viewed it. Sally Ride was a wonder for sparking the interest in science for all people but most especially for little girls who dared to hope and dream and reach for the stars. Having her publicly proclaimed as a lesbian would have, to some, made it seem as though science was still a "male" field. :2cents:

And as Gear said, it's a shame that once a sexuality is known, regardless of what is being accomplished that is all anyone ever thinks of first and it can, at times, devalue the rest of what they accomplished as people try to use it for their own gains, whether politically or in a forum.

[jarhead]

Reading up a little on Sally Ride, and frankly, if not for her passing I would not even have thought of her, but it is noted that she was a very private woman. Considering that she was a very private individual, it would explain why I would not have thought of her, but seriously, outside of some of the original Apollo astronauts, how many of the shuttle crew members do we even know of? Miss Ride would be a stand out simply for her being the first woman astronaut. As for her being a lesbian, well, that may have been even further hidden by the fact that she was married to a fellow astronaut for five years during the 80's. For me, her being a lesbian doesn't define her one bit, but after reading blogs off the Huffington Post, I was saddened by the many voices who are now tromping Mitt Romney who tweeted her passing with words of praise. Now, for the vast majority of us, our learning of her sexuality did not become apparent until her death and I find it hard to not feel more than a bit pissed at the fact that these so called "big tent" stiff necks are now throwing poop at something that they themselves just found out.

[darkeyes]

The link I post here perhaps explains why Sally Ride was silent on her sexuality. She was silent on so many things and it appears that it was just the person she was. No one should be pressed into being out and loud and it seems she was out, or at least not closeted which is not quite the same thing, but just very private about her sexuality and her partner.. and that is something which is both laudible and understandable. Many are private about their family and the ones they love. She appears to have been just such a person.. one whose sexuality was but a part of the whole and lived her life just so, because she was so much more than just some old dyke.

I was too young to remember her trip into space and tbh I couldn't tell you when she entered my consciousness.. even on the day of her death she was never very much in my thoughts except as a vague historical figure who once went into space. Yet having read something about her in the last few days and spoken to a few Americans, I find her a more than admirable human being whose devotion to environmental science and the science of climate change alone make her a person worthy of a place more prominent in my consciousness. Far more noteworthy than the fact that she ever flew in space and more important than the fact that she was a lesbian. It is not what we are which defines us, but how we live life.. and in Sally Ride's case she lived it in the way we should all live our lives.. for the betterment of those other than ourselves and for a better world..

http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/07/24/12933519-why-sally-ride-waited-until-her-death-to-tell-the-world-she-was-gay?lite

[æonpax]

Sally Ride sparks posthumous debate on coming out - (Read it yourself)
http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/sally-ride-sparks-posthumous-1484558.html

There are pro's and con's to this. I side with those whom wish privacy. Either way, we still live in a society that is prejudiced and hateful towards homosexuals...with oftentimes, deadly consequences.

A sad event like this doesn't escape the political arena, to wit;



Mitt Romney Tweets Condolences On Sally Ride's Death, Drawing Fiery Response From Gay Advocates - ...Not surprisingly, Romney's tweet quickly drew a number of heated responses on Twitter, with most pointing to the former Massachusetts governor's track record of not supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights, including marriage equality. Some replies were also directed at Sarah Palin, who also tweeted her condolences on Ride's passing.

The indie-rock group Mountain Goats were among the first to respond, noting: "Kind of despicable & grotesque that her partner of 27 years will be denied federal benefits, don't you think?" - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/24/sally-ride-death-mitt-romney-tweet-gay-response_n_1699385.html



While I do think it's unfair and uncivil to use what appears to be a sincere reaction by Willard to Ms Ride's death, this is a heated election and it would seem nothing is sacred now a days.

[Long Duck Dong]

I agree with you there, aeon......sally was a person, not just a lesbian.... and mitt sent condolences to her partner, a person that also happened to be a lesbian...

the opponents of mitt, are acting like we are LGBT and the fact that we are also people and human beings, is secondary to our sexuality.....
I find it ironic that LGBT people are acting in the same way that they are condemning others for doing.... treating us as a sexuality, not people

mitt was fucked from the start, sending condolences gets him in the shit, but not sending condolences would have got him labeled as a uncaring homophobe ......

and yes, I do not know much about mitt romneys political stance.... but I base my stance around my own actions, I would reach out a hand to my worst enemy if they were getting the shit kicked out of them in a gutter, in the same way I would reach out for a LGBT person in the same situation.....