Spinsters and Lesbians: Independent Womanhood in the United States

Contemporary Lesbians

Contemporary Lesbian s AUDREY STREIG , bor n 1936 , is the only child of a wealthy family. Sh e was raise d i n th e Ne w Yor k Cit y area . Sh e earne d B.A. an d M.S.W . degrees . Sh e ha s worke d a s a socia l worker , rancher, an d businesswoman . Wit h he r longtim e lover , sh e adopted three children. She is a grandmother . J O MARTINEZ , a Chicana , wa s bor n i n 193 6 i n a smal l town in central New Mexico. She was the older of two children , and has earned B.A. and M.A. degrees. She has worked primar ily as an educato r bu t als o has a long history o f communit y ac tivism . JAMIE HENSON , bor n 1938 , is the oldest child of a work ing -class, German-America n family . Raise d i n th e Northeast , she entere d th e medica l field afte r hig h school . Sh e settle d i n New Mexico with her partner, Bobbi Denova, in the 1970s . She is an independent health-care provider . BOBBI DENOVA , bor n 1941 , is als o th e oldes t chil d o f a working-class Euro-American family . She has a number of years XXV xxvi • Contemporar y Lesbian s in postsecondar y health-car e trainin g an d i s a n independen t health-care provider . Sh e worke d oversea s befor e settlin g i n New Mexico with her partner, Jamie Henson . JEAN LABO V i s th e olde r o f tw o daughter s o f a Jewis h family. Sh e wa s bor n i n 194 3 i n Ne w Yor k City . He r fathe r died whe n sh e wa s young . Sh e earne d a B.A . an d live d an d worked i n Europe fo r severa l years . She is a self-employed pro fessional . CARRIE STERN , bor n 1943 , was th e secon d chil d an d onl y daughter adopte d b y a wealth y Ne w Mexica n couple . Carri e has a B.A . fro m a small , privat e women' s college . Sh e starte d her ow n busines s severa l year s afte r college , an d no w ha s a second business career . PAULA MITCHELL , bor n 1944 , is the older o f tw o daugh ters born to a middle-class, Euro-American family . Raised in the Midwest, sh e move d t o Ne w Mexic o fo r college . She earned a B.A. and teaching certification. Afte r teachin g for over a decade, she now works in a wholesale business. ANNE MCCONNELL , bor n 1945 , was raised in the South . She is the oldest daughte r o f a large Irish-American family . Sh e was raise d i n "gentee l poverty. " Sh e earne d B.A . an d M.A . degrees, i s a prize-winnin g author , an d co-own s a women' s business. AMY ADAM S wa s bor n i n 194 6 and raised in southern Cali fornia . Sh e is the oldest daughte r an d secon d child of a n upper middle -class WAS P family . Sh e als o earne d B.A . an d M.A . de grees an d taugh t befor e movin g t o Ne w Mexico . Sh e owne d a women' s busines s befor e returnin g t o school . Sh e i s no w an accountant . Contemporary Lesbian s • xxvii GLORIAWHELAN, bor n 1947 , was raised in the New Yor k City are a i n a larg e Irish-America n family . Sh e has severa l ad vanced degrees . Sh e move d t o Ne w Mexic o t o tak e a teachin g position an d is an active athlete. ROBIN EDWARD S wa s born i n 194 7 in Albuquerque, Ne w Mexico. A n onl y chil d o f a WAS P family , he r fathe r wa s il l when sh e wa s youn g an d die d whe n...