Quotes on finding information and resources
Mattie, born 1922
I went to the library and I found the books I wanted to read. And I took these books up and I said I wanted to check these out. "Well, you can't check these out without an interview with the librarian." And she looked up and said, "Oh, but you're a registered nurse!" and checked them out.
Bev, born 1919
You have to remember, this was years ago. Probably in the thirties. No indication, nothing written, no organizations, no books. Had no idea that there was such a thing as a lesbian.
Dee, born 1936
I saw this book, The Well of Loneliness, and I said, “Oh, that sounds interesting.” I was ten or twelve, and I remember lying there in that hammock, reading this book, I knew exactly what I was reading. I knew enough not to tell my mother what I was reading. I knew enough not to ask my grandmother where she got the book. I know she didn’t read it, or it would not have been there! From the time I was born, I was called an ‘old soul.’ So, I understood the book. Later, I wondered whether or not I
understood about ‘being different’ because I was always the only black person in classes. Then I decided, “No, I don’t think so.”
I saw this book, The Well of Loneliness, and I said, “Oh, that sounds interesting.” I was ten or twelve, and I remember lying there in that hammock, reading this book, I knew exactly what I was reading. I knew enough not to tell my mother what I was reading. I knew enough not to ask my grandmother where she got the book. I know she didn’t read it, or it would not have been there! From the time I was born, I was called an ‘old soul.’ So, I understood the book. Later, I wondered whether or not I
understood about ‘being different’ because I was always the only black person in classes. Then I decided, “No, I don’t think so.”
Jo, born 1926
I read a book Cynthia had called Diane. Somebody recommended it, some guy actually.… So that was kind of a Bible in a way. There wasn't much of anything in print. Except The Well of Loneliness. Not helpful.
Deedy, born 1922
The only book I read was The Well of Loneliness. And so I thought, "Well, even in fiction they can't make it any better." So I thought, "Who would want this?"
Kittu, born 1919
I realized that in going to my daughter's, I was probably going to meet the lesbians who were helping care for her, and I had not consciously ever met a lesbian before that I can remember. I had been there two or three days, and as I was sitting in the living room talking to some of the women, I looked around and I thought to myself, “Oh my goodness. I’ll bet every woman in this room with me is a lesbian. What do I do?” I was scared. I was afraid of saying the wrong thing, I was afraid of doing the wrong thing. I had no idea what to say. I was just scared. I tell this story because I want people to know that that was my beginning with the lesbians. I felt sorry for lesbians, because I really thought that their lives must be very miserable because they did not fit into society. I really didn’t know whether I could do anything about how they felt. That was my introduction to it.
I realized that in going to my daughter's, I was probably going to meet the lesbians who were helping care for her, and I had not consciously ever met a lesbian before that I can remember. I had been there two or three days, and as I was sitting in the living room talking to some of the women, I looked around and I thought to myself, “Oh my goodness. I’ll bet every woman in this room with me is a lesbian. What do I do?” I was scared. I was afraid of saying the wrong thing, I was afraid of doing the wrong thing. I had no idea what to say. I was just scared. I tell this story because I want people to know that that was my beginning with the lesbians. I felt sorry for lesbians, because I really thought that their lives must be very miserable because they did not fit into society. I really didn’t know whether I could do anything about how they felt. That was my introduction to it.
