Posted on 06/06/2005 1:15:28 AM PDT by NYer
LOS ANGELES, June 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Lesbian activist, former nun and Democratic party leader Jean O'Leary died June 4 at the San Clemente, California home of Lisa Phelps, her partner of 12 years, and surrounded by her family and close friends. O'Leary, who had been battling lung cancer for two years, was 57.
Feminist leader Gloria Steinem said, "Jean O'Leary was a link of kindness and humanity and inclusive politics who helped the women's movement to recognize the universal cost of homophobia, and the gay movement to see that marginalizing the voices of lesbians would only diminish its power."
Born March 4, 1948, in Kingston, New York, Jean Marie O'Leary grew up mostly in Ohio. She entered Sisters of the Holy Humility convent in 1966, and said in a 1984 anthology, "Lesbian Nuns: Breaking Silence," that she joined the convent because "there was no anti-war movement, no women's movement, no gay movement in Ohio in 1966" and that she "wanted to do something special, to have an impact on the world."
She graduated from Cleveland State University with a degree in psychology in 1970, left the convent and became the drummer for a girl band, "The Satin Dolls." Soon thereafter, she packed up her drums and moved to New York to pursue doctoral studies in organizational development at Yeshiva University.
She was integral to many groundbreaking moments of gay and lesbian history, including:
* In 1972, frustrated with the Gay Activists Alliance's male-dominated
sexism, she founded Lesbian Feminist Liberation, taking most of GAA's
women with her.
* In 1974, she negotiated an agreement for co-gender management of the
National Gay Task Force, joining Bruce Voeller as co-executive
director.
* In 1976, she was elected as the first openly lesbian delegate to a
national political convention. She then served on the Democratic
National Committee for 12 years, including eight on its Executive
Committee, the first openly gay or lesbian person in that capacity.
* In 1977, she organized the first meeting of gay rights advocates in the
White House. President Jimmy Carter later named her to the National
Commission on the Observance of International Women's Year, making her
the first openly gay appointee to a Presidential commission.
She founded or co-founded many community organizations, including the National Gay Rights Advocates (NGRA), which became one of the first advocacy organizations to focus on the legal and civil liberties ramifications of the AIDS epidemic. She also founded National Coming Out Day with psychologist Rob Eichberg in 1987, noting that " ... coming out is critically important to our community and to our movement. Our invisibility is the essence of our oppression. And until we eliminate that invisibility, people are going to be able to perpetuate the lies and myths about gay people." In recent years, O'Leary, with her business partner, Palm Springs City Council member Ginny Foat, ran a consulting firm specializing in voter contact and candidate consulting.
In addition to her life partner Lisa Phelps, and their daughter Victoria, she is survived by their son David De Maria, his life partner James Springer, and their son Aiden DeMaria. She is also survived by her brothers, Jim O'Leary and Ken O'Leary, sister Diane Urig, and nieces and nephews.
Phelps said, "I am proud to have been with Jean during the last 12 years of her life, and I am proud of Jean's political accomplishments. She set an example of community involvement for our 15 year old daughter Victoria and instilled in her the importance of political activism."
A memorial service, to be held at the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Community Services Center, is being planned.
Things are getting better down here right along with the selection of Benedict XVI. Another one bites the dust. I hope she repented before her death.
later pingout.
The Devil, the master of lies, must smile when the following is posted in an obituary:
###"In addition to her life partner Lisa Phelps, and their daughter Victoria, she is survived by their son David De Maria, his life partner James Springer, and their son Aiden DeMaria. She is also survived by her brothers, Jim O'Leary and Ken O'Leary, sister Diane Urig, and nieces and nephews."####
Let us pray for their souls.
This comment, alone is scary.
(then again, so is Gloria Steinem.)
It's all about the "power." Narcissism at its best. The evil guy with the little red horns must be LHAO.
Sounds as though she left her vocation as nun a while back.
********************
Born March 4, 1948, in Kingston, New York, Jean Marie O'Leary grew up mostly in Ohio. She entered Sisters of the Holy Humility convent in 1966, and said in a 1984 anthology, "Lesbian Nuns: Breaking Silence," that she joined the convent because "there was no anti-war movement, no women's movement, no gay movement in Ohio in 1966" and that she "wanted to do something special, to have an impact on the world."
Jay, sadly she never had that vocation to begin with. There were no vows to God. Her "goddess" might have well been The Peace Corps, or some other liberal intent (hence, her radical lesbian feminazi flag waiving causes, and affiliation with Jimmy Carter) .
All she cared about was herself, and her imprint on the world. Serving God was never in the picture at all.
What profits a man who gains the whole world but loses their soul?
I guarantee you, she is realizing at this moment that she has gained no profit from where she lies now.
Very sad, indeed. Prayers for her soul.
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