Real American Hero

Sally and Tam

Sally Ride, an astronaut and physicist who in 1983 became the first American woman sent into space and reluctantly served as an idol of feminist strength and a hero of women’s progress, died Monday at her home in La Jolla, Calif, of pancreatic cancer She was 61.
 Ms. Ride made history on June 18, 1983, when she orbited the Earth aboard the space shuttle Challenger. At 32 years and 23 days old, she was the youngest American to go into space.
 In a statement, President Obama said that Ms. Ride “inspired generations of young girls to reach for the stars.” He continued, “Sally’s life showed us that there are no limits to what we can achieve and I have no doubt that her legacy will endure for years to come.”
 Survivors include her mother, Joyce; and a sister. She is also survived by her partner of 27 years, Tam O’Shaughnessy. The two women co-wrote several books, including “The Third Planet” (1994), which won the American Institute of Physics Children’s Science Writing Award. ( full WAPO OBIT )


Does her being a lesbian make her more of an American hero?
You bet your ass it does.