Margaret
Young Berg (1916 - January 31, 2013) was the daughter of Jewish leftist
activists from New England. She came to lesbianism through feminism. Finding
the women’s movement in 1969 was “the most exciting and validating thing.”
Although she was involved in an intimate relationship with a man, her
immersion in the women’s movement took her further and further into all-female
worlds. She had her first sexual relationship with a woman out of an interest
in sexual experimentation rather than out of desire. “There was a certain
reflection of myself I found in her,” she said. She joined a
consciousness-raising group focused on sexuality, and there she came out,
calling herself a lesbian. But she differentiated herself from butch/fem
culture. She described her emotions at her first women’s dance: “I was very
scared by a number of older women dressed sort of mannishly. Not scared that
they’d do anything to me, but wary of being identified with them.”
Berg married William D. Berg and had three sons. She was a teacher, political activist, campaign manager, candidate for the Connecticut state legislature, tennis enthusiast, UConn basketball fan, unpaid full-time lobbyist for liberal and progressive causes, writer, world traveler, and expert on New England gravestone rubbing.
In 1988, the General Assembly of the State of Connecticut honored her with
an Official Citation "in recognition of a decade of service to the Caucus of
Connecticut Democrats as their spokesperson on all major issues and of a
lifetime of dedication to the causes of peace and humanity, making her the
conscience of us all".
Margaret Young Berg passed away peacefully on January 31, 2013, in Mesa, Arizona, at the age of 96. Although her hearing failed, she remained physically active and mentally sharp to the end. A long-time resident of Connecticut, she moved to Mesa in 2007 from Glastonbury, Connecticut, to be near her son Douglas' family.
My published books:
BACK TO HOME PAGE
