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The culture of the times supported intimate relationships among women, partly because “lesbian” was not a concept — they had a hard time believing women like sex at all. But also the men of the time were encouraged to be dominating and abusive. The movies gave Anne good male models — Farnsworth in particular — but in reality she had none. I think she is best interpreted through “fluid sex” that finds places and displaces to go when the prescribed script doesn’t work. She did a LOT of her husband’s work, even preaching when he wasn't up to it. I don’t like the binary understanding of sexual roles, which I see as rising up through agricultural or hunting and gathering tasks, and out of petty noble/semi-royal use of marriage and birth to control power and wealth.

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Mary Strachan Scriver
Mary Strachan Scriver

Written by Mary Strachan Scriver

Born in Portland when all was calm just before WWII. Educated formally at NU and U of Chicago Div School. Clergy for ten years. Always happy on high prairie.

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