In a message dated 8/2/98 6:02:50 PM Eastern Daylight Time, [log in to unmask]
writes:

> But then, preservationists run into the same sort of thing on the question
of
>  what to preserve, and how much of it, and I don't see where interested
> people
>  shrink from being called preservationists.  The difference must be that
>  feminism/sexism is a sexual controversy, so it raises the fear of invasion
> of
>  privacy.

Kathy makes an excellent point in linking these two "movements."  During the
strident days of the late '60's (boy, am I dating myself here ...) I preferred
to describe myself as a "wine and cheese feminist" in those late night
consciousness-raising sessions -- meaning that I loved the idea of sisterhood,
loved talking over issues, felt a great kinship with other women, but didn't
think combat boots were something I wanted to add to my wardrobe.

I have found something similar in preservation, especially in the testy
climate of property rights support. A wonderful local architect who serves on
our local Commission stood up at a joint Council-Commission meeting and said
something like "I'm not a preservationist, but I love old buildings and ..."
However, when our historic train station was faced with a gut-job, he was the
first on the ramparts and was the most passionate about its preservation.
It's interesting ... it's sort of like being a mother. You sometimes don't
know what you are really going to feel about it until the baby is actually in
your arms.

Feelings about preserving old buildings sometimes seem to lie dormant in
people's hearts until they are faced with losing them -- connections with
one's history and memories that are about to be severed. It's amazing to see
folks come out of the woodwork when that happens.

Mary K.