Still Winning One for Womanity

Aleah and I lived across the hall from each other our first semester at college but weren't friends because she dated my roommate, who I didn't get along with.

We eventually (inevitably?) bonded over being poor, idealistic, militant feminists the semester we both interned in D.C. It was the 90's so we spent the weekends doing patient escorting at abortion clinics and going to free museums. I proudly marched all over town at Aleah's side while she sported her "Angry Dyke" t-shirt. You never forget the friend who teaches you how to get on food stamps.

We have been b.f.f.s for a long time now and I look forward being an auntie to her babies and mellowing into middle-age style feminism with her.

This is her with her cute butch, Shanna, and beast, Griffin, in their living room (of a house they own!). She is totally living the American lesbo dream in the suburbs of Western Mass, complete with a pit bull.

How do you know Mel?
Mel and I have known each other since we were sweet young 18 year-olds in college.

Where did you grow up, where do you live now and where have you lived in between?
I grew up in Southern California. I live in South Hadley, MA. In between Southern California and the East Coast, I lived in Ohio, San Francisco, Boston and a few other places (for internships).

Where is the best place you have ever lived?
Definitely San Francisco

Where did you go to school and what did you study?
I went to Antioch for undergrad and I got my master's in nursing from MGH Institute of Health Professions in Boston.

Why did you choose those area of focus and institutions?
I chose Antioch because I wanted to live the life of a poor, eccentric nomad for 4 years. I also wanted to design my own major (women's health), which I was able to do at Antioch. Then I chose MGH because I wanted to do a master's entry program to be a nurse practitioner, and I had all the pre-requisites to apply to their program.

Did you have to write a thesis?
Sort of--it wasn't technically a thesis, since I didn't have to defend it. It was called a scholarly project.

What was it about?
It was a literature review about the importance of transgender health awareness in the primary care setting. I also put together a trans health resource guide for the northeast.

What did you most enjoy learning?
I liked women's health the best. I also liked doing my own research on trans and queer health.

What do you do now?
I'm a nurse practitioner. I work in an adult outpatient clinic.

What did you want to do with your degree?
Exactly what I'm doing now. Except maybe I envisioned a little more wealth.

What are the biggest challenges/rewards of your job?
My biggest challenge is trying to help people who have so many other problems that their health is not a priority. The biggest reward is being able to explain something to a patient in a way that suddenly makes sense to them.

Why is it important for queers to be health care providers?
Because a lot of times straight people really don't understand what it's like. And people shouldn't have to be afraid that their health care provider will treat them poorly if they reveal their sexual orientation or gender identity

If you could have any job, what would it be?
I'd still work in community health, but I would be making enough money to pay off my loans within 5 years. And my Spanish would magically progress to "totally bilingual."

What do you think are the biggest issues facing the queer community right now?
I think that if all queers came out of the closet in their families and communities, there would be less discrimination and hate. And if politicians would come out of the closet instead of passing anti-gay legislation and then getting their dicks sucked on the sly, we'd be in much better shape as a country.

Do you see yourself in Western Mass long term?
Hmmm...I'm not sure.

How many pets do you own?
2-a pit bull and a boxer

Do you believe in gay marriage and why?
I believe that marriage should be a civil union that is available to anybody--for the legal benefits. Then churches can have their own symbolic marriage ceremonies if they really feel the need to discriminate amongst their members.

Why do you want to have children?
I want to have foster children because it makes me crazy to think about all those kids rotting away in the system. And I want to have a baby from my loins because I think pregnancy and childbirth is a universal human experience, and I'd like to share that.

Will you name your child a gender neutral name?
Probably not, because I really like old fashioned biblical names like Ezekiel and Jeremiah. But I'm not opposed to gender neutral names.

Where do you most want to travel next?
Mexico