1960: Oral Biography by Leah Friedman

During my childhood I was aggressive. my mother did not want me to grow up too fast so she encouraged Sports. she encouraged having pets, played down what girls do. I hated dolls, but I don't think she had anything to do with that.   it's interesting, I really didn't, so my grandmother gave me a doll for Christmas once, and I took it out and threw it away, I was so angry.

That she gave you the doll?

Yes. when I was 6 years old my mother remarried and we moved to Kentucky. that was a most exciting time for me. my stepfather gave me a pony. we lived in the country, so I grew up loving animals and being near them, they were part of my companionship, because I was an only child until my baby brother was born, 2 years later. he was a nuisance to me -  I didn't have much to do with him for a time.

So you were eight.

Yes. I played alone a lot, but there were people in the country I knew who also had ponies and we played together. they were all boys I grew up with mostly boy companions I think this had something to do with my being very competitive. when I started school in Kentucky.   There were both girls and boys. later I went to a girls school.  I was not conscious of boys as sex people.  I found them good playmates.  I wore khaki pants and I put my hair in a braid, and

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