The late lesbian activist and writer Jeanne Córdova, whom the Google Doodle recently honored, went through several ups and downs in her life due to her gender identity.
After coming out as gay at 20, she suffered the dark age of her life as she had to remain estranged from her family.
In her 1990 book Kicking the Habit: A Lesbian Nun Story, Jeanne Córdova clearly mentioned that her strong catholic parents struggled a lot in accepting her when she came out. She stated that she was a fascinating individual to her siblings as well, as she wrote, “They questioned what it meant — coming out, being gay.”
Jeanne Cordova was a Lammy Award winning author, activist, butch icon, and publisher. She was a trailblazer whose life cause was freedom and dignity for lesbians. pic.twitter.com/wLNIGyIpWt
— Lambda Literary (@LambdaLiterary) June 1, 2021
It took Jeanne several years to reconcile with her Irish-American mother, Joan McGuinness Córdova, and Mexican father, Frederick Córdova.
Jeanne Córdova’s parents, Frederick and Joan, were married for 63 years
As mentioned in Frederick Córdova’s obituary, he was in a marital relationship with his wife, Joan McGuinness Córdova, for 63 years before he passed away on February 5, 2010, at his residence in Granite Bay, California.
In this regard, Jeanne Córdova’s parents tied the knot in 1947 in New York. After that, the couple settled down in San Marino and expanded their family, welcoming twelve children, including Jeanne Cordova.
Celebrating Jeanne Córdova, the beloved #butch activist and Chicanx trailblazer who pioneered lesbian activism and the inclusion of trans femmes into lesbian feminism.
— California Endowment (@CalEndow) June 14, 2023
"Being butch is my hallelujah."#Pride #Pride2023 #Lesbian pic.twitter.com/OUS9BUdB6p
Jeanne Cordova was the second-born child of her parents. She had 7 brothers France A. Cordova, William V., Frederick B. III, Vincent P., Zoe T. Cordova, Declan F., and Thomas M. Cordova.
Likewise, her sisters were Jeanne R. Cordova, Leslie J. Holleman, LuMarie Cordova, and Kathleen Cordova Lyon.
According to our sources, Jeanne’s younger sister, LuMarie, a resident of Boulder, Colorado, remained supportive of Jeanne. Once, referring to her elder sister’s gender identity, she said, “We were so sheltered from the world and had no idea what a kaleidoscope of diversity lay outside our door.“
Additional Information
- Jeanne Córdova’s father, Fredrick B. Córdova Jr., was a Tamopico native. He studied at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
- Jeanne’s father, Fredrick, was born on January 11, 1921, and passed away at the age of 89.
- Fredrick was a humanitarian organizer who worked with the organization ‘Care’. Likewise, Jeanne’s mother, Joan, was a businesswoman.
