Summary Of Dr. Gearhart And Lakey

Dr. Sally Miller Gearhart, a Sweet Briar Alumna from the class of 1952, published a story about her own experience with romantic friendship in the collection of gay and lesbian short stories “The New Our Right to Love.” In her story, Dr. Gearhart describes falling in love with one of her fellow Sweet Briar sisters “Lakey.” The two women began an intimate relationship during their sophomore year at Sweet Briar College, even becoming roommates to conceal their romance. These women carried on an intimate and sexual relationship behind closed doors, yet around campus their interactions remained completely plutonic. The story of Dr. Gearhart and “Lakey” is one that is not unusual for romantic friendships that existed from 1920’s to the 1950’s.

Several notable faculty and staff members were also involved in same sex relationships. Faculty members such as Harriet Rogers and Dr. Lucy Crawford resided together in the home now commonly known as “Red Top.” The two women moved into the home together when it was first built in 1928, and lived there for nearly 40 years according to the Sweet Briar College directories. The home was later named “Red Top,” name given in honor of the two women and their red hair. According to Dr. Sally Gearhart, who was a student at Sweet Briar College during Dr. Crawford and Ms. Roger’s cohabitation in Red Top, “Everybody knew that these were two of the strongest and most intelligent women on campus. Everybody knew they were lovers.” Gearhart also states that the Sweet Briar administration “managed a delicate balance between allowing us, Sweet Briar women, to be who we were and at the same time making us aware of the fact that the general public, the world, was not yet ready to accept us as intelligent and loyal citizens of the

The continuation of romantic friendships at all women’s colleges is greatly attributed to the freedom of choice, as described by psychologist Carla Golden. This is in contrast to Helen Horowitz’s account of a linked erotic element to all women’s college traditions. With evidence such as the photos found in the Sweet Briar Archives and the personal testimony of Dr. Sally Miller Gearhart, the dynamic of the public vs. private pedestal must be considered when applying McCandless’ pedestal theory to the social like at Sweet Briar College. Faculty and students alike continued in romantic friendships well beyond Wilks’ findings at Barnard College, though they were not publicly discussed. This is greatly attributed to Sweet Briar’s ability to distinguish what is deemed “private” and what is “public.” Sweet Briar College, though never publicly addressing the issue, provided a safe environment for women to continue exploring their sexuality. Therefore, this evidence supports an extension to McCandless’ original pedestal timeline of 1920 -1940. There is no evidence that the administration ever rebuked this type of behavior, but rather warned their students of the dangers they could face beyond the gates of Sweet Briar. The evidence shows just a few degrees of separation between the relationships and romantic