Quotes about marriage to men, and kids
Arden, born 1931
I tried to engage in more traditional ways. One guy was in high school and one at the beginning of college. When I finally came to terms with who I was, the breakup was real, real difficult. I was trying to acknowledge my true self. What I had been trying to do – marry a man – was wrong. It was more that I didn't want to marry the guy. I was always uneasy. I could never stand for a boy to put his hands on me. I never wanted to sit in the backseat of a car and neck. I always got pissed if the boy thought I owed him something because I went on a date with him. That really upset me. Now, I know why.
I tried to engage in more traditional ways. One guy was in high school and one at the beginning of college. When I finally came to terms with who I was, the breakup was real, real difficult. I was trying to acknowledge my true self. What I had been trying to do – marry a man – was wrong. It was more that I didn't want to marry the guy. I was always uneasy. I could never stand for a boy to put his hands on me. I never wanted to sit in the backseat of a car and neck. I always got pissed if the boy thought I owed him something because I went on a date with him. That really upset me. Now, I know why.
Dorothy, born 1917
I met this man that was very much attracted to me. He was in the Signal Corp, Fort Thomas, and he was from Wisconsin. I just figured he was the man I wanted to marry, 'cause everybody got married. Even though I was very much attracted to this one gal who was the best maid at my wedding when I got married.
Betsy, born 1935
I became cheerleader, homecoming queen, finally married, and became a mother. Mind you, I have NO regrets of any of this. Someone asked me if I felt that I’d wasted the time. Absolutely not! I was in a good marriage—and especially--I have always loved being a mother. Those experiences make me who I am today.
Gloria, born 1935
While dancing, I went from Chicago to Milwaukee, back to Detroit and... I'm trying to remember how I got back home again! I finally did decide I needed to go back home and go back to school. So I went back to Ohio, to, Kent State. I was dancing weekends at supper clubs in the area and I met the man who later became my husband and the father to my son. Throughout all of this I was getting pressure from my mom. "When are you going to get married? When am I going to have grandchildren?" Ya-da-da-da-da-da-da. I was fighting it, fighting my mother, but also not having a lot of success in my lesbian relationships.
While dancing, I went from Chicago to Milwaukee, back to Detroit and... I'm trying to remember how I got back home again! I finally did decide I needed to go back home and go back to school. So I went back to Ohio, to, Kent State. I was dancing weekends at supper clubs in the area and I met the man who later became my husband and the father to my son. Throughout all of this I was getting pressure from my mom. "When are you going to get married? When am I going to have grandchildren?" Ya-da-da-da-da-da-da. I was fighting it, fighting my mother, but also not having a lot of success in my lesbian relationships.
PJ, born 1939
I did get married one time to a gay man who was about eleven years older. It was after my first girlfriend had left. I was really down. I met him one night at a bowling alley. We were drinking.… I agreed to marry him. We were going to be straight. He didn't want to be gay. I don't think he wanted the stigma attached to being gay. We had been friends for maybe ten years, so we thought we could be straight. I wasn't doing it for cover and I don't think he was either. I was tired of being gay.… I just figured I could graduate from school, be a lesbian, and have a nice, normal life, and things would be okay. I got a divorce after about 2 1/2 years.
I did get married one time to a gay man who was about eleven years older. It was after my first girlfriend had left. I was really down. I met him one night at a bowling alley. We were drinking.… I agreed to marry him. We were going to be straight. He didn't want to be gay. I don't think he wanted the stigma attached to being gay. We had been friends for maybe ten years, so we thought we could be straight. I wasn't doing it for cover and I don't think he was either. I was tired of being gay.… I just figured I could graduate from school, be a lesbian, and have a nice, normal life, and things would be okay. I got a divorce after about 2 1/2 years.
Barbara, born 1934
By the time Nancy came along, he was toast, because all of a sudden, I knew what had been "wrong with me" for 20 years.
