Why Sally Ride waited until her death to tell the world she was gay
25 Jul 2012, 00:26 UTC
In life, Sally Ride became famous as America's first woman in space — and in death, she's now added to her fame as the first acknowledged gay astronaut.
The revelation came in a low-key way: Monday's obituary from Sally Ride Science, the educational venture she founded …
Sally Ride, the first US woman in space, captured the nation's imagination with her historic journey into space. NBC's Rehema Ellis looks back at the intrepid astronaut's life and legacy after she lost her battle with pancreatic cancer. By Alan Boyle
Follow @b0yleIn life, Sally Ride became famous as America's first woman in space — and in death, she's now added to her fame as the first acknowledged gay astronaut.The revelation came in a low-key way: Monday's obituary from Sally Ride Science, the educational venture she founded a decade ago, referred to Tam O'Shaughnessy as "her partner of 27 years." A spokeswoman for Sally Ride Science, Terry McEntee, said Ride and O'Shaughnessy, who is the company's chief operating officer and executive vice president, worked out the phrasing of the announcement before Ride's death.In an email today, Sally Ride's sister, Bear Ride, explained why the former astronaut kept quiet about her sexual ...
