The Eugene Lesbian Oral History Project collection consists of interviews of 83 people for the Eugene Lesbian Oral History Project, conducted by Professor Judith Raiskin and Curator Linda Long at the University of Oregon starting in the summer of 2018.
Abstract
Evelyn was born in 1946. She grew up in Atherton, California, and attended Catholic schools. She was aware she was gay in high school. She went to the University of California, Berkeley, majored in English and received an elementary teaching credential. She married a man and moved to Oshkosh, Wisconsin. She divorced and moved to Eugene in 1977 and worked in the admissions office of Lane Community College. She met Janet Anderson at an International Women’s day event sponsored by rape Crisis Network, later renamed the Sexual Assault Support Services. Evelyn became the co-director with Janet Anderson of Womenspace, or an organization that provides safety and healing for victims of domestic violence. Evelyn discusses the challenges in working at Womenspace. She discusses her work at Alvord-Taylor, a support services agency for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She and Janet are volunteers for Mobility International USA (MIUSA). Evelyn and Janet were married in 2014. Evelyn concludes her interview by discussing aging issues, and ponders why so many social service agencies are headed by lesbians.