Jeanne Córdova, famous for supporting the lesbian and gay rights movement, was married to a feminist radio journalist, Lynn Harris Ballen.
The lesbian couple met during their professional career as they both shared the same goal, which is to fight for LGBTQ+ rights.
In a symbolic ceremony, the feminist journalists Jeanne Córdova and Lynn Harris Ballen exchanged vows in August 1995, in the heart of Hollywood Hills, a testament to their love and commitment.
Following their marriage, the couple united their efforts and co-founded The Palapa Society of Todos Santos, AC, a non-profit organization dedicated to the pursuit of economic justice, a cause they both held dear.
Further, during their 21-year-long marital life, the homosexual couple did not have or adopt any kids.
Lynn Harris Ballen was the daughter of South African freedom fighter Frederick John Harris
Lynn Harris Ballen was born and raised in Pretoria, South Africa, to a catholic religious family.
Her father, Frederick John Harris, born on 4 July 1937, was a South African freedom fighter working as a public schoolteacher.
He was also the chairman of the South African Non-Racial Olympic Committee (SANRO).
As an anti-apartheid campaigner, Frederick was executed on 1 April 1965 in Pretoria Central Prison, Pretoria, South Africa, at the early age of 27 after turning to terrorism while fighting for freedom.
In the Los Angeles Daily News, Lynn revealed that Nelson Mandela, former President of South Africa, closely knew her father, Frederick, who also mourned his loss.
After losing her father, Lynn Harris Ballen moved to America in around 1983.
However, even after decades of leaving Africa, those struggles and memories of the past still run in her veins.
She later started studying his father’s works, and after realizing her father’s contribution and love for the country, she moved to South Africa in 2011.
As the daughter of a freedom fighter, Lynn has not only carried on her father’s legacy but also blazed her own trail. A long-time lesbian activist in Los Angeles, she has fiercely advocated for female rights.
Lynn Harris Ballen currently resides in Los Angeles, California, and actively works for LGBTQ+ rights.
Additional Information
- Jeanne Córdova was born on July 18, 1948, in Bremerhaven, Bremen, Germany, and passed away on January 10, 2016, at 67.
- Coming from a unique cultural background, Jeanne Córdova’s parents were a mix of Mexican and Irish heritage. They raised a large family of 12 children, with Jeanne being the second.
- She won the Goldie Award for her memoir ‘When We Were Outlaws: a Memoir of Love and Revolution.
- Jeanne Córdova’s wife, Lynn Harris, is the Senior Producer of Feminist Magazine and also the board member of DykeDay LA & on the Lambda Litfest founding committee.
