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xchrom

(108,903 posts)
Sat Jul 28, 2012, 12:18 PM Jul 2012

Why Sally Ride's sexuality really matters

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn22115-why-sally-rides-sexuality-really-matters.html



America's first woman in space blazed a trail for equality in the sciences thanks to her sex and her sexuality

My girlfriend was the one who pointed out to me that Sally Ride had a female partner.

I was a mess on Monday when I learned that Ride, who became the first American woman to fly in space in 1983, had died. I had no idea she was even sick – at her request, NASA had kept her 17-month battle with pancreatic cancer secret.

Ride was one of my childhood heroes. I dressed as her for Halloween when I was aged eight and my lifelong passion for space was first budding. Ride's legacy is mostly one of inclusion: bringing more women into science, encouraging girls to think they can do anything. She was a living example of how to crush gender stereotypes, even as she dodged sexist questions from the media. Her first flight on the space shuttle Challenger was before I was born. Thanks to her, I grew up in a world where my sex was not a barrier to the stars.

It runs even deeper for me, as a science writer. When I found out she had double majored in physics and English in college, I felt an intense feeling of identification – she was like me. I too loved both science and words, and felt a bit of tension about it – but if the first American woman in space could cross that line, I could too.
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Why Sally Ride's sexuality really matters (Original Post) xchrom Jul 2012 OP
It hurts to lose one's hero. RIP Sally Ride Dems to Win Jul 2012 #1
Recommended. William769 Jul 2012 #2
Recommended HillWilliam Jul 2012 #3
She is someone I admire so much Marrah_G Jul 2012 #4
 

Dems to Win

(2,161 posts)
1. It hurts to lose one's hero. RIP Sally Ride
Sat Jul 28, 2012, 02:40 PM
Jul 2012

I'm surprised at how saddened I am by this loss; I've cried several times in the last few days. It's as if Nelson Mandela has died, it's that powerful a loss to me.

In 1984, I was a new engineer and ecstatic at Sally's triumph. I played Mustang Sally repeatedly on my stereo, smiling and laughing each time. It is hard to express how important she was to me. Such an inspirational figure.

Sally was always known as a reluctant celebrity. I can understand why she did not want to go through the media circus that would have taken place if she had held a press conference to announce she was a lesbian. Her 'coming out quietly' through her obituary strikes me as pretty ingenious. I hope that she is honored by many future generations, both gay and straight.

In the last few days, there has been much written about Sally's orientation, with some people calling her a coward for not publicly announcing herself as a lesbian prior to her death. I will never, ever read another Andrew Sullivan blog post after his attacks on Sally the past few days. I simply cannot abide Sally Ride being denigrated so soon after her death, by people who have accomplished so little compared to Dr. Ride.

Thank you to Dr. Sally Ride for inspiring an entire generation of young girls. You will be missed.

Marrah_G

(28,581 posts)
4. She is someone I admire so much
Sun Jul 29, 2012, 11:59 AM
Jul 2012

I hate that she had to keep her sexuality quiet, I hate that after all she accomplished her spouse will not have any of the benefits that other souses have.

On the positive side: I am glad that she came out after her death. I am glad the world now knows who she is.

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