mahaffc
 
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Background
Birthday: August 15
Gender: Female
Religion: Christian/Protestant
Location:
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio
United States
School:
Bowling Green State University (PhD, Rhetoric and Writing, 2004): Nazareth College of Kalamazoo (M.Ed in secondary education and writing, 1988)
California State University, Fullerton (BA in English, 1979)
Fullerton Junior College: Adams State College: Grand Rapids Community College
Work:
Instructor of writing and women's studies, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, 2001-present
Owens Community College, Findlay, OH, 2000-2001
Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI, 1990-2000
North Kent Community Education, Grand Rapids, MI, 1993-1994
South Kent Community Education, Cutlerville, MI, 1992-1993
Tri-County Community Education, Sand Lake and Howard City, MI, 1988-1992
Hometown(s):
Galion, OH (birthplace)
Mansfield, OH
Youngstown, OH
Dayton, OH
Cuyahoga Falls, OH
Anaheim, CA
Orange, CA
Fullerton, CA
Monte Vista, CO
Pasadena, CA
Downey, CA
Grand Rapids, MI
Bowling Green, OH
Home is where the heart is.
My Websites:
www.mahaffc.with.bgsu.edu
http://www.womenwriters.net/summer05/scholarly/mahaffey_meade.htm
http://groups.msn.com/CynthiaMahaffeysProjects
Quote:
"When I dare to be powerful--to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid." -- Audre Lorde, 1934-1992
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About Me

mother, feminist, college writing and women's studies prof, out lesbian, writer, poet, musician, guitarist

Interests:
walking, my dog, my son and his friends, music of almost all kinds (except opera and heavy metal), feeding my reading addiction (mysteries and almost anything), gardening, my students, getting beautifully tattooed
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The passing of a lesbian pioner, Del Martin

>San Francisco Chronicle: Lesbian rights pioneer Del Martin dies

> 

>Rachel Gordon, Chronicle Staff Writer

> 

>(08-27) 14:57 PDT SAN FRANCISCO -- Del Martin, a lesbian rights pioneer

>who took part in one of California’s first same-sex weddings, died

>today in San Francisco after a long period of declining health. She was

>87.

> 

>Ms. Martin’s political activism began more than five decades ago when

>in 1955 she co-founded a ground-breaking lesbian rights organization,

>Daughters of Bilitis, named after a book of lesbian love poetry. On

>June 16, she and her partner of 55 years, Phyllis Lyon, were married at

>San Francisco City Hall by Mayor Gavin Newsom.

> 

>"Her last act of activism was her most personal - marrying the love of

>her life," said Kate Kendell, a long-time friend of the couple and

>executive director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights.

> 

>Ms. Martin died this morning at UCSF Hospice, nearly two weeks after

>she was admitted with a broken arm.

> 

>"Ever since I met Del 55 years ago, I could never imagine a day would

>come when she wouldn’t be by my side," Lyon said in a statement issued

>by the National Center for Lesbian Rights. "I am so lucky to have known

>her, loved her and been her partner in all things.

> 

>"I also never imagined there would be a day that we would actually be

>able to get married," Lyon said. "I am devastated, but I take some

>solace in knowing we were able to enjoy the ultimate rite of love and

>commitment before she passed."

> 

>Ms. Martin had been in ailing health for some time, weakened to the

>point where she was pushed in a wheelchair to her wedding ceremony.

>In an interview in her hillside Noe Valley home just days before she

>wed, Ms. Martin described as fortunate the timing of the California

>Supreme Court decision that gave gays and lesbians the right to marry.

> 

>"We’re not getting younger," she said.

> 

>Ms. Martin and Lyon were plaintiffs in the lawsuit that got the state

>ban on same-sex marriage lifted. They were married minutes after the

>ruling took effect.

> 

>Four years ago, when San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom allowed marriage

>licenses to be issued to gay and lesbian couples in San Francisco in

>defiance of state law, Ms. Martin and Lyon were the first of some 4,000

>same-sex couples to wed. Those marriages were later nullified by the

>state’s high court but paved the way for the successful legal

>challenge.

> 

>"We would never have marriage equality in California if it weren’t for

>Del and Phyllis," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the San Francisco

>Democrat. "They fought and triumphed in many battles, beginning when

>they first bought a home together in San Francisco in

1955."

> 

>Pelosi called the death of Ms. Martin "a great loss for me personally

>and for our entire community."

> 

>Newsom, who said Ms. Martin "laid the groundwork for all those who want

>a life of dignity," ordered the flags at City Hall and the rainbow

>gay-pride flag on Market Streets to be flown at half-staff until sunset

>Thursday.

> 

>Ms. Martin’s activist reach extended into the feminist movement, when

>she became the first open lesbian to serve on the board of directors of

>the National Organization of Women, and she helped spearhead a

>successful campaign to get the American Psychiatric Association to

>remove homosexuality from its roster of mental

illnesses.

> 

>In 1995, Sen. Dianne Feinstein named her as a delegate to the White

>House Conference on Aging, where she and Lyon, a delegate appointed by

>Pelosi, focused attention on the needs of aging gays and lesbians.

> 

>Ms. Martin, whose given name was Dorothy but who went by Del, was born

>in San Francisco on May 5, 1921. Her first marriage, at age 19, was

>brief, but produced a daughter, Kendra Mon, who lives in Petaluma. She

>is also survived by two grandchildren.

> 

>Friends and family plan to hold a public tribute to Ms. Martin in the

>near future. Details have not been set.

> 

>E-mail Rachel Gordon at rgordon@sfchronicle.com.

> 

>http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/27/BAGI12JDIS.DT

> 

 

Added: August 28, 2008
Views: 69 | Comments: 1 | Bookmarks: 0
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  Comments (3)  
MadreinSD
MadreinSD says:
Hello Cynthia,

I apologize for the invisible message you may have gotten from me..it was very early in the am and I thought I sent it along okay...but that wouldn't be the first time I "thought" I did something! :o)

I had wanted to touch base and let you know that I totally support your blog and it breaks my heart to know that there are parents out there in this day and age who still have such misconceptions and unrealistic expectations of their children.
We are supposed to be the ones that give them unconditional love regardless of the sexual identity they have chosen. I have three daughters and love them all with every bit of my heart and soul and not one atom of that love would ever change regardless if they came home with a girl or a boy....I appreciate your wise words and I hope many folks on this site have taken the time to read and learn...

Take care Cynthia and have a marvelous evening!
Posted: August 17, 2008 10:19PM EDT
jane
jane says:
Hey Cynthia and fellow anglican!

women's studies? i minored in women studies, and of course, live it. you are a lucky woman! see you on facebook and here!
jane
Posted: July 29, 2008 6:44AM EDT
mahaffc
mahaffc says:
Thank you very much, Jane! Living it is the bottom line. Tell me about your children
Posted: August 3, 2008 6:50PM EDT
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