 Well, they would have an oldster like myself following these three fabulous kids, but Kirk Reed got to the microphone faster than I could get to the first step over there When I was growing up My community didn't have very much to read. In fact, we didn't have a community and We only did have a few books, but at least we have it a few books. They weren't terribly cherry books, but we did have some It took until 1982 for this book to come along this wonderful book for young lesbians and It is a book that is very precious to my community is very very much loved I Hmm. I sent an email to Nancy garden In New York last night telling her that I would be reading from her book and how honored I was And she sends a thank you and love to all of you in San Francisco Speaking of San Francisco, I would especially like to thank Susan Hildreth and Joan Jasper for putting this program together. It's There are There are days. I'm very proud to be a san franciscan and this happens to be one of them The the scene I'd like to read involves the two young women who are 17 years old in high school And it's the scene with the two teachers who are lesbians who have been fired when the Secret of their relationship the relationship between the two young girls comes out into the open And it's a scene involving these four people Mrs. Ms. Stevenson got up and went to the window Then she stooped and touched the orange cat's nose affectionately through the grading in his carrying case Look, she said quietly I can't lie to you and say that losing our jobs like this is easy. It isn't But the point is is that it'll be okay. We'll be okay, and we want to know that you will be too Ms. Widmer leaned forward Isabelle was a whack for a while. She said between high school and college Someone found some of my letters to her talk about inquisitions The army's a good deal better at them than foster high school is I can assure you But you know what? Ms. Widmer smiled lovingly at mrs. Stevenson The important thing is she said is that we got through that time too and we're still together Ms. Stevenson patted mrs. Widmer's hand then she came over to me and put her hands on my shoulders I should also tell you She glanced at mrs. Widmer who nodded The cath almost left me after my discharge. She went through more hell than I did Because she blamed herself for writing those letters to me Even though I was the one who left them around She kept thinking that if she hadn't written them If I hadn't been gay said mrs. Widmer softly Then nothing would have happened. No court marshal no discharge It took me a couple of years to realize said mrs. Widmer that it wasn't my fault That it wasn't my homosexuality that had gotten is about discharged. It was what people wrongly made of it Annie's hand tightened in mine and she whispered see I think said mrs. Widmer that I had to accept I was gay before I could realize that it wasn't my fault about the discharge She chuckled That's why I like that quote so much the one about the truth making one free It does you know whatever that truth is And she said mrs. Stevenson said Liza liza forget about our jobs forget that for now. This is the thing to remember The very worst thing for cath and me Would be to be separated from each other Or to be so worn down so guilt-ridden and torn apart that we couldn't stay together anything else Anything else is just bad said mrs. Widmer, but no worse than bad bad things can always be overcome You did nothing to us mrs. Stevenson said gently If you if you too remember nothing else from all of this mrs. Widmer said please remember that Please don't don't punish yourselves for other people's ignorant reactions to what we all are Don't let ignorance win said mrs. Stevenson let love Thank you