Frances Kellor Backs Transgender Candidate!

Yesterday I was in the capital city of the Indian State of Uttarakhand, Dehradun.  To my surprise, in the paper I read that a transgender woman, Ms. Laxmi Narayan Tripathi, is running for Mayor.  I had no idea India was so progressive.  I wondered what Kellor would think.  At very least, Kellor would have no trouble endorsing Ms. Tripathi.

Kellor may or may not agree with Ms. Laxmi's policies or those of her BSP party.  It seems that Ms. Laxmi was a legitimate social justice advocate before launching to fame on the reality television show Big Boss.  And, so the convergence of interests seems likely.

But, I see even more likelihood of Kellor's endorsement coming from her own trajectory.  Kellor symbolizes, in her biography Founding Mother, a transition from a Protestant to a sociological view of America.  She was raised in christian times, rescued from obscure poverty by a nominally Christian pastor, and went on to study secular sociology from America's best. 

Moral judgements appear in Kellor's earlier work.  As her Americanization work continues, nearly all references to morals or even culture disappear.  All can participate in America's democracy and be equally American if they fight for social justice.  As she left Americanization, she moved to fighting for the "international human being."  At this point, culture had disappeared as a factor in her work; She viewed citizenship with a totally sociological lens.

All and all, Kellor did prefer the outsider. She found for immigrant protection and open borders her whole career. In Founding Mother  I tie her concern for outsiders to her own LGBT status. She wanted integration of all without judgement.  So, all other factors being equal, I am sure that Kellor would vote for the outsider, the LGBT advocate, Ms. Laxmi Narayan Tripathi.

Kellor, FDR, and LGBT History

For years I had heard that Eleanor Roosevelt had bisexual tendencies.  But, as I have not researched her, I had no evidence.  Rather, I have been studying Frances Kellor (1873 – 1955) for years who lived the “male” role in a relationship with Mary Dreier (1875   - 1963) for 47 years.

 I knew that Kellor met, because of a revealing photo (see below).  It shows Eleanor greeting Kellor and Mary.  The short Kellor has her arm around Mary in a typical masculine posture of ownership.  These women shared their love for each other in front of Mrs. Roosevelt.

Recently, another photo of Eleanor, Kellor and Mary Dreier came my way.  And it shows an even greater intimacy with he LGBT friends. In this one (see below), Kellor and Mary are in a small boat with FDR, Eleanor and their sons!  They are in the back left.  Kellor has the white tie and Mary has her shirt somewhat open.

I received the photo from a great nephew of Antonia Hatvany (1894 – 1974).  The great nephew had been researching her and was convinced, independent of having learned about Kellor’s orientation, that his great aunt was a lesbian.

This relative’s research led him to the conclusion that his great aunt had moved from the old country (Hungary) due to a lack of acceptance of her sexual orientation. He claimed that the part of New Jersey in which his aunt bought a home was in a community that was known as a haven for LGBT persons.

The aunt is in the back right of the FDR photo, (she has a round hat with a brim).  Kellor and she wrote books together. So we have at least 3 LGBT women on the boat.  We don’t know who the others are, but it is interesting to note that one – like Kellor – is sporting a tie. 

This remarkable photo shows the high level of access that LGBT women had in the FDR administration.  And, FDR’s relaxed demeanor indicates that he himself had no discomfort with LBGT women.  Does Eleanor having her lesbian friends on a boat with the family show that she was bisexual?  No.  But, it does demonstrate the extent to which she included LGBT friends in close circles.  And, that alone is enough to make this photo significant.  

Frances Kellor's Grave

I finally located the grave of my hero, Frances Kellor (1873 – 1952) in Brooklyn’s Greenwood cemetery. As my biography of her, Founding Mother, details, Kellor launched women’s sports, got suffrage on national party platforms, founded the National Urban League, and much more. Visiting her grave was very personal to me because after researching someone for over 5 years, you become close.

 

Arriving at the cemetery, I secured a ride up the hill in a patrol car.  On the way to the site, I told the helpful cemetery worker that I was very curious as to which accomplishments Kellor had listed on her tombstone.  Dropped off, we hunted for her burial site.  I found it first!  Rather, I first found a monument to Theodore Dreier, the father of Kellor’s girlfriend of 47 years, I noted other Dreier family members – then, I found Kellor in the back right of their small family plot. 

An emotional realization – Frances’ relationship with Mary and the Dreier family, not political accomplishments - was how her peers had chosen to remember her.  The tombstone simply listed her name, birth and death years.  But more importantly, her inclusion in the Dreier family plot, and being buried next to her partner of 47 years, Mary Dreier, spoke volumes.  And it moved me to see that Kellor – who was raised by a long dead single mother – had been embraced by her in-laws.

I use the term “in-laws,” self-consciously.  LGBT couples could not get married in their lifetimes.  And, kindly, the cemetery's website lists Dreier as Kellor's spouse. But their burial shows some families accepted forms of same sex relations in the past.  Another political implication of the plot, comes from Father Dreier noting his and his wife’s birth in Germany on the tombstone; it also had a German saying on the back. Kellor ran the Americanization movement which assimilated immigrants from 1906 to 1921.  Thus her family’s pride as immigrants says something about the Americanization movement.

  

But the political implications were not what brought tears to my eyes: they came from being physically near Kellor and Mary.  I imagined her short body and smirking face only feet away.  We had finally really met.  My happiness for Kellor’s having such a loving family, also choked me up; she had not been alone in this world.  RIP to Frances, Mary, and the wonderful Dreier family.  

Frances Kellor Video Series Live !!

The video series introducing Frances Kellor, and presenting the evidence that this LGBT role model was a Founding Mother, is now live. 

You can find the entire series via www.franceskellor.com

Please use these videos in your classrooms.  We need to put this LGBT role model front and center in our curriculum.

Thank you,

John

Frances Kellor Founded Modern America - Part 3

In this part Kellor:

1) Defeats scientific racism,
2) Greets Ellis Island generation
3) Founds the National Urban League

Enjoy!

John K. Press, Ph.D.

Frances Kellor Founded Modern America - Part 2

In this episode Kellor:

1) Launches women's sports
2) Puts suffrage on National party platforms
3) Introduces women's political leadership

Enjoy friends!

John K. Press, Ph.D.
www.franceskellor.com

Frances Kellor Founded Modern America Video Series Introduced