What Women Have Helped You Become Who You Are Today?
 

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March is National Women’s History Month, so “Do Tell” us what ladies have inspired you, helping you become who you are today. What women have influence your life? Share your story here.

I had Sister Carol Ann in grade school, and sister Agnes in high school.
They encouraged me through a rough home life and showed so much patience and love. Because of them I am still here.

My Aunt Erminia who took me in during summers so I didn't have to be in the war zone that was my parents marriage. She worked me on her ranch and it was kind of like "wax on, wax off" (learning important stuff without realizing you are learning).

A whole big list of Femmes who taught me too many things to list here, but gosh my world would be so different without them. They are the ones that continue to touch my life every day.

My grandma,from an early age she knew I was going to be diffrent than any other of her grandkids.Grannie always told me not to be anything but who i really was cause doing anythinhg else would cause me great pain in lots of ways.
My aunt Mary..she kept me sane by listining to all my crazy shit thrue my teenage years with a calm eye and warm heart.
My aunt Louise...not really blood family but as colse as u can get..she was flanboiant,fast liveing,drove a mg convertable that had a repo of a dick for a gear shift stick.She finaly got threw to my thick head that I was the only one who could change my life as well that life was lots of give and take...the diff was knowing when to give and when to take what was offered.
My mom..Even tho we fussed a lot,didnt always get along.She taught me responsablity even if u choked on it that sometimes u just have to do it.
The one thing I wish I had learned was how to let ppl in my life easyer and not guard my heart so tightly..ya know that wall so many of us put up to sheild us from more hurt?I gess I will be working on that one till the lights go out or someone comes along that is brave enough to reach over or threw the defence.I learned there is two sets of rules,one for me and one for the rest of the world even if we all are in the same place.I gess this is some of what my grannie ment about life.

My grandmother and mother were the greatest women I knew. They gave me everything. A toast *raises flute* to those whom we have loved and lost.

My mother:

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Very pretty lady Jet.....classic!!! and a very kind face....you look a great deal like her....!!!

I am ashamed I did not include my mother...she was in the forefront of my mind but I wanted to get the others down so I wouldnt forget them..believing I would NEVER forget Mom...

well I did...

this woman was my rock. Even when I was at my worst, this lady carried me through. But dont believe for a moment she was a cuddly loving mother. Nope..i didnt get that from her. I got tough love. And for decades resented her for it. But then,as I got more and more sober, and with more therapy, I realized 1) she did what she could with what she had as a parent 2) she was dealing with alot of family baggage, her side, dad's side and us kids 3) she had her own compulsive problem with gambling 4) she lived in a time when women were second class citizens and yet she had to fight hard and give up so much to support the men in her life 5) the way her kids repaid her for all she did for the family was to commit suicide, give birth to an illigetimate baby (in a time when that was really taboo) and me, the drunken lesbian...

this woman was incredible for all she had to deal with. She taught me alot of things..including foremost how to be a good parent by watching her be a wonderful grandparent. (she sucked at being a parent!) She taught me how to have a long term relationship...a marriage. Her and my dad were married almost 50 years. She taught me what deal breakers are...and how so much we think are deal breakers, arent. But those that are, are unconditionally deal breakers. She taught me frugality and she taught me generosity.

how did I forget to mention this woman?

Hands down 1# was my mom, she wasn't perfect but she was one hell of a strong woman... I could never thank her enough if I had had a thousand years for all she has given.

My Mom, Deborah, Jane, Maggie and Murphy, my sisters, Natalie and many folks here.

Another great thread!!
 

Women that helped me become who I am today:

My mother: for allowing me to wear formal dresses and faux fur to grade school, because I’d insist on being dressed ‘properly’, even though ‘dressing properly’ meant I looked like a fat little Portuguese drag queen. (seriously, i have pictures--it's crazy!)

My high school Theatre Arts Teacher/Mentor Leah, who taught me the inherent value of a great pair of stiletto heels, AND how to walk in them!

My grandmothers who worked hard, loved harder, and taught me all I know about loyalty and fierce love, to never accept 'acceptance' and demand instead embracing and rejoicing.

The feminist women, all of them, who walked and plowed the road before me.

All the women I have worked with, who have shared their stories, and tears, and have shown me that moments of grace are possible in the most f*cked up situations, that laughter comes just when you need it, sometimes right in the middle of a huge, snot bubbling, donkey braying sob fest, and that we are strong, resilient, magnificent creatures.

MY grandmother was my mentor ~ she was a survivor ~ leader ~ femminist ~ a foreigner who was proud to be an american ~ artist w/ her hands ~ tender and loving ~ all that a woman has to offer ~ and myself ~ I like who I am ~

My birth mother for having both the guts and the wisdom to give me up for adoption ... I wish I could meet her to let her know that I DO love her and to thank her for giving me a chance in life that I may not have had.

My adoptive mother who by telling me who I shouldn't become, who I shouldn't associate with and for not listening when I felt she needed to gave me the strength to become who I am, the courage to stand up for what I believe and the willpower to survive all of life's trials and tribulations so far.

My beautiful grandmother for seeing things through my eyes, for teaching me to whistle, spit watermelon seeds and climb trees. She encouraged my passion for music, talked to me openly as an adult even when I was a child, told me things other relations hid from me and listened when I had something to say. She taught me to cook, held me when I sought shelter and raised me up higher than any other person did. She allowed me to be who I was and defended my individuality.I miss her so much.

My loving partner of five years who has stood beside me through my "small step journey". For showing me that the phrase "your scars don't matter" can be spoken honestly. For showing me how to love again. For taming my anger and for teaching me how to live again, comfortable in my own battle-scarred skin. She is my best friend, my lover, my mentor, my muse and my life would not be the same without her in it.

There are other women of notability but none more important than these four.

The first woman, outside of family. who influenced who I am today was my 6th grade teacher.
I tried to be as close to her as I could at all times. I had such a crush on the old leisure suit wearing butch. *sigh*
We had ERA debates and kept Watergate scrapbooks in her class. First woman I knew that was not a Miss or Mrs, but MS.
I saw a copy of 'The Women's Room' on her desk and tried so hard to read it. It was so over my head. (but it had lesbians in it!)

The women that inspired me were:

1} Momma- strongest woman I have ever met
2) Mrs. Minnifield - a teacher, a strong woman with attitude that wasn't afraid to show it.
3} Luann Falk- a mentor, a friend
4} Both or my grandma's
5} Each of my partner's have had some hand in inspiring me, making me a better woman, whether that be by pissing me off until I expected more or a particular essence they had.
6} My niece, while she is not a woman, she has more wisdom and honesty than most grown women I know.

Women
 

My Mom,Grandmother,Aunt,Angela Davis,Janis Joplin,Joan of Arc,Norma Mankiller and Jamie Sams

My " Mother " I love and miss you Mom . RIP:candle:(f)

My elementry teachers, Mrs Butler, Mrs Lee, Mrs Zinn, Mrs Strasavich and Mrs Smith. Everyone of these ladies helped me build a foundation for success.

And the love of my life Red.

My mom taught me to be strong and independent.

My aunt was a go go dancer. This was when they danced in hanging cages and wore fishnet stockings and sequined bras and FULL bottom bikini's. I use to watch her sew her costumes and she had a lot of boyfriends that treated her like a queen. She taught me that I could be anything I wanted and not give a shit what people thought.

Oprah because she has had so many fabulous shows throughout the years that turned me on to new things. I love Oprah.

My mother, of course. Now I realize she did the best she could and I appreciate her much more than in the past.

My 6th grade teacher, Miss Shupp. I think she was probably a lesbian, though of course I never knew for sure. I don't remember a lick of any subject she taught, but she encouraged me to follow anything I wanted to do.

All the women from another site (that actually didn't have anything to do with being gay) who told me their stories and supported me when I realized that I'd been gay all along.

My first girlfriend,who taught me that when you come to a wall, you can either climb it, go around it, dig under it, or sit on your ass in front of it. It was my choice.

And a woman-to-be, my daughter :). She's smarter than I am in ways, and I enjoy hearing her thoughts on life.

my mom and grandmother are the strongest women I know

my mom
:byebye:

my grandmother :)

Kris & Doris - they were a mother/daughter pair that I worked for as a very young woman. They were the first women I knew who weren't manipulative, controlling, selfish and self serving. They were kind, generous, sensitive and had more class in their little fingers than all the women I had known combined, before them. They had a huge influence on who I ultimately became.

Kamereon - I learned a very difficult life lesson from my love and time spent with Kam. To this day, all these years later, I still say WWKD [what would kam do] when faced with a hard decision. If I could change my heart, I would change it to mirror the heart she had.

All of the butches I have spent time with who have loved me, cared for me, believed in me and encouraged me to be the woman I wanted to be and not who they wanted me to be.

All of the femmes who I have spent time with who raise me to a higher place of love and acceptance.

Hillary Clinton

Women
 

My career was guided by two very strong female professors. The first one I met during my undergraduate studies. She introduced me to the natural environment.

I met the second professor in my graduate studies. She introduced me to wetland ecosystems. I fell in love with wetland ecosystems.

Because of these two women I am an environmental scientist that specializes in aquatic ecosystems.

The woman who taught and showed me that strength was non-negotiable, who showed me that giving back brings you a greater joy than you will ever know, who taught me that being you is all that matters, that honesty is the greatest gift you can give yourself and others and so many more things was my Mom. This has helped make me who I am today and I am forever thankful.

Another woman who left an impression on my soul is my high school English teacher, she gave me my love for language and words which if you know me is one way to get my attention.