Obit: Sally Ride (1951-2012)

Subject: RE: Obit: Sally Ride (1951-2012)
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 26 Jul 12 - 11:05 AM

Time for one last orbit:

All you gotta do is ride around Sally, Ride, Sally Ride!

Subject: RE: Obit: Sally Ride (1951-2012)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 26 Jul 12 - 02:21 AM

I''d like to share a very insightful column from the Sacramento Bee:

Marcos Breton: Let's recognize Sally Ride as a gay American hero

By Marcos Breton
Published: Wednesday, Jul. 25, 2012 - 12:00 am | Page 1B
Last Modified: Wednesday, Jul. 25, 2012 - 11:57 am

I felt the death of Sally Ride deeply, though I never met her and was just one of millions inspired by her when she became the first American woman in space in the 1980s.

What a beacon she was. Ride grew up in 1960s Southern California, before the passage of Title IX, when girls were pointed toward home economics classes and their dreams were stunted by pervasive chauvinism.

Ride was 61 when she died of pancreatic cancer on Monday, but during her life she not only shot to the stars on the space shuttle Challenger in 1983, she rocketed beyond "Leave It to Beaver" conventions of our culture and into places women had never gone before.

For this and much more, Ride's story can be taught to school kids hundreds of years from now, just as long as we don't gloss over who Ride was.

It's right there in her obituaries, minus one word: gay.

Sally Ride, the first American woman in space, was a lesbian. She shared the last 27 years of her life with her partner, Tam O'Shaughnessy.

"I hope it makes it easier for kids growing up gay that they know that another one of their heroes was like them," Bear Ride, Sally Ride's sister, was quoted as saying on Buzzfeed.com.

You say that Ride's sexual orientation shouldn't matter, that it was Ride's business?

It shouldn't matter, but it does. There is nothing wrong with being gay, but many people believe that there is.

Politicians praising Ride this week, both Democrats and Republicans, do so while opposing same-sex marriage – a recognition that would have allowed Ride's life partner, O'Shaughnessy, to inherit Ride's NASA pension.

A bill to grant same-sex spouses and domestic partners the same federal benefits as heterosexual couples is winding through the U.S. Senate. But with a presidential election looming, it's unlikely anything will happen anytime soon.

How sad. Ride flew in space for our country, but our country doesn't approve of who she loved?

Is that who we really are?

According to her family, Ride didn't hide her orientation but didn't promote it, either. She was a private person.

So here is a question: How can we praise Ride's public achievements while discriminating against her private life?

This was a Stanford scholar. She was so accomplished at tennis that none other than Billie Jean King encouraged her to turn pro. She had the emotional maturity to reject that advice and shoot for the stars. And though she could have cashed in on her name, Ride focused her post-NASA life on inspiring girls to pursue math and science.

Sally Ride was an American hero. And she was gay. One distinction does not diminish the other – only we do so with laws that punished Ride for who she was.

Subject: RE: Obit: Sally Ride (1951-2012)
From: SINSULL
Date: 25 Jul 12 - 09:17 AM

Sally "came out" at the end. She will be a symbol for pancreatic cancer sufferers, gay and lesbian groups as well as young women looking for a career in science. Not bad for one short life.

Subject: RE: Obit: Sally Ride (1951-2012)
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 24 Jul 12 - 01:47 PM

(correction: The Mercury 13 were tested, not trained. More at this Atlantic article.)

~ B in T

Subject: RE: Obit: Sally Ride
From: Beer
Date: 24 Jul 12 - 01:25 PM

Much to young. What a fascinating lady.
R.I.P.
Adrien

Subject: RE: Obit: Sally Ride
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 24 Jul 12 - 12:41 PM

As an aside, for some reason I totally had missed the story of the Mercury 13: the 13 women who were secretly trained in the Mercury program, 1959-1961. Although these women passed the training, and in some cases exceeded the results for their male counterparts, a requirement for jet fighter pilot experience was introduced which resulted in women being excluded from consideration for astronaut training for the next 20 years.

This article at Slate alerted me to the story.

~ Becky in Tucson

Subject: RE: Obit: Sally Ride
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 24 Jul 12 - 11:47 AM

NASA Offers Condolences on the Passing of Pioneering Astronaut Sally Ride, at the NASA website.

~ Becky in Tucson

Subject: RE: Obit: Sally Ride
From: SINSULL
Date: 24 Jul 12 - 10:20 AM

My post disappeared.
RIP, Sally.

Subject: RE: Obit: Sally Ride
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 24 Jul 12 - 12:11 AM

"Sally Ride broke barriers with grace and professionalism – and literally changed the face of America's space program," NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said in a statement. "The nation has lost one of its finest leaders, teachers and explorers. Our thoughts and prayers are with Sally's family and the many she inspired. She will be missed, but her star will always shine brightly."

Sally Ride, First American Woman In Space, Is Dead (NPR)

~ Becky in Tucson

Subject: RE: Obit: Sally Ride
From: katlaughing
Date: 23 Jul 12 - 10:59 PM

She was, and will continue to be such an inspiration, esp. for girls and women. It is terribly sad to lose her when she was still so young. I agree with you, Spaw, she was a star!

Thanks, Sally and RIP,

kat

Subject: RE: BS: Obit: Sally Ride
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 23 Jul 12 - 10:44 PM

Gone way too soon. An inspiration to so many.

SALLY RIDE | 1951-2012
American Woman Who Shattered Space Ceiling (NY Times)

Here is the website for her work promoting science, especially to girls and young women: Sally Ride Science.

~ Becky in Tucson

Subject: RE: BS: Obit: Sally Ride
From: catspaw49
Date: 23 Jul 12 - 09:13 PM

When I read this earlier today it was very sad.....still is. She was a star in our space program and a terrific role model. We waited far too long to bring on a female astronaut but when we finally got one.....wow....Sally Ride was a winner!

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Obit: Sally Ride
From: gnu
Date: 23 Jul 12 - 09:12 PM

Indeed!

Subject: RE: BS: Obit: Sally Ride
From: ChanteyLass
Date: 23 Jul 12 - 08:32 PM

What a gal!

Subject: RE: BS: Obit: Sally Ride
From: Rapparee
Date: 23 Jul 12 - 07:16 PM

Damn! Well, at least she's now among the stars.

Subject: BS: Obit: Sally Ride
From: GUEST,saulgoldie
Date: 23 Jul 12 - 05:37 PM

http://www.news-press.com/article/20120723/NEWS01/120723018/1075/Sally-Ride-first-American-woman-fly-space-dies-cancer-age-61?od