Quotes on the topic of Finding Others
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Deedy, born 1922
She was an ex- WAC and she kind of took a fancy to me. We had a brief relationship. Of course, at that time, I figured, "Wow." We were the only two people in the world. I didn't know the word lesbian. I looked up the word homosexual and found out it was this horrible thing
Deedy, born 1922
She was an ex- WAC and she kind of took a fancy to me. We had a brief relationship. Of course, at that time, I figured, "Wow." We were the only two people in the world. I didn't know the word lesbian. I looked up the word homosexual and found out it was this horrible thing

Elaine, born 1925
In my 70s, and I was going through a grocery store. I saw these two gals together. As I went through the cashier, they came in behind me.I just stood and waited for the first one to come through. I don’t know why I didn’t get belted in the head or something, for asking questions like that! I said to her, “Is that your partner behind you?” She said, “Yes, it is.” I said, “Okay. I want to talk to you. I’m coming out. I’m just a newbie – I mean, I know all about women. I know what I want to do with ‘em, but I don’t know how to contact them. How to find them?”
In my 70s, and I was going through a grocery store. I saw these two gals together. As I went through the cashier, they came in behind me.I just stood and waited for the first one to come through. I don’t know why I didn’t get belted in the head or something, for asking questions like that! I said to her, “Is that your partner behind you?” She said, “Yes, it is.” I said, “Okay. I want to talk to you. I’m coming out. I’m just a newbie – I mean, I know all about women. I know what I want to do with ‘em, but I don’t know how to contact them. How to find them?”

Jenny, born 1927
We're in the back seat, it's pitch dark…kind of necking up a storm. All of a sudden we discover the women in the front were hanging their chins over the backs of their seats watching us. And they go, "I knew it, I knew it. I knew we weren't the only ones."

Bessie, born 1924
We just never had a big group of friends. We would play ball. She [my girlfriend] formed a softball team in 1949 and that's when we started playing ball. Most of the girls on the ball team were gay, but we had thought we were the only two like that. We wouldn't dare let anybody know. But then, that is when I really discovered there were others like me.
Bessie, born 1924
We just never had a big group of friends. We would play ball. She [my girlfriend] formed a softball team in 1949 and that's when we started playing ball. Most of the girls on the ball team were gay, but we had thought we were the only two like that. We wouldn't dare let anybody know. But then, that is when I really discovered there were others like me.

Bev, born 1930
I went a couple of miles away to the high school and I began to find other girls like myself. We never really talked about "it," but we knew about it. Now I had this whole secret world that none of my other friends knew about. So I had two separate worlds… had the world of ordinary people, and I had this other world with girls I had discovered in high school who were not the same as the rest of the world.

Joanna, born 1932
I was about 29 when I was in Binghamton. Two women whom I knew best of all the people at a party told me they were lovers. I was like, “Wow. They’re just people. They’re just like other people.” Then I began to think about that and wonder why that delighted me so much. I said, “That’s what I am.” I remember walking back and forth in my apartment, saying over and over to myself, “I’m not. I’m not that. I’m not like that.” It took a while to realize that that was just me. I really thought I’d have to change somehow. In order to be a lesbian, I would have to change. And I didn’t want to change then. I didn’t know how to change. Finally, I realized I don’t have to. I’m just me.
I was about 29 when I was in Binghamton. Two women whom I knew best of all the people at a party told me they were lovers. I was like, “Wow. They’re just people. They’re just like other people.” Then I began to think about that and wonder why that delighted me so much. I said, “That’s what I am.” I remember walking back and forth in my apartment, saying over and over to myself, “I’m not. I’m not that. I’m not like that.” It took a while to realize that that was just me. I really thought I’d have to change somehow. In order to be a lesbian, I would have to change. And I didn’t want to change then. I didn’t know how to change. Finally, I realized I don’t have to. I’m just me.