Just out., July 17, 1998, Page 7, Image 7

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financial security
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JoAnna McNamara's suicide follows a legacy
v lO U lS
of community involvement by Inga Sorensen
Financial planning is a long-term client-
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“It came when I was attempting to survive a
very vulnerable time in my life, when I was
threatened with the loss of my job because 1 was
beginning gender transition.
“JoAnna helped me at a time when I seemed
to have no options left but desperate ones. She
Their paths first crossed three years
offered her legal talent for free, and argued my
earlier when both were living in Eugene.
case successfully before [BOLI] and my employ­
“When JoAnna and 1 first met, I had this strong
er. Had it not been for her, I would not have
feeling that we had traveled together in previous
been able to support my family or get through
lifetimes. We were soul mates,” she says.
my transition.”
The bond was immediate, its depth enor­
She adds: "But there was something just as
mous.
valuable that JoAnna gave
She and McNamara went to the Willamette,
to me which never showed
where they declared their
up on a [BOLI] determina­
sisterhood.
tion.... JoAnna taught me
“JoAnna was one-quar­
then and since, by her
ter Lakota Sioux, and dur­
example, what it meant to
ing our time together I had
retain integrity, compassion
introduced her to a great
and courage as a trans
deal of Native American
woman, in a world where
tradition,” she explains.
few could understand our
It was a tradition that
true natures.... She showed
McNamara embraced and
me an example of giving to
explored.
others that I will never for­
At the water’s edge, she
get.”
and Crock established their
According to Crock,
sibling coupling through a
M cNamara had at times
Native American ceremony
struggled with matters relat­
in which the spirits were
ed to gender identity, par­
called forth, and vows
ticularly the ways others
JoAnna McNamara
made. M editation and
sometimes reacted to her.
reflection followed.
“Intimacy was very hard to come by, yet it
“We hugged and kissed
was something JoAnna sought and hoped for,”
and welcomed each other as blood,” says Crock.
says Crock, who believes that without an inti­
For most of their eight years together, they
mate partner to provide support and nurturing,
shared living space, as well as life’s pleasures and
the strain McNamara experienced was that
hardships.
much more difficult.
On July 7, one day short of McNamara’s 48th
Crock says one struggle— which few people
birthday, that sharing— and the sisterhood as
were privy to— involved McNamara’s fight with
they knew it— came to an abrupt end when
Crohn’s disease, a chronic and often painful dis­
McNamara committed suicide.
ease affecting the colon and small intestine.
Liberated from the burdens of a body in pain,
Crock says McNamara had been diagnosed
Crock says, her sister’s spirit is finally free.
with the disease more than two decades earlier,
“Though it was too soon for me,” she adds.
and it had taken its toll on McNamara’s body. In
fact, Crock surmises McNamara had a massive
1 oAnna Erin McNamara, who last lived in
hemorrhage just hours before she took her life.
| Lake Oswego with Crock and Crock’s hus­
“The pain and the thought of being in the
band, Michael, was known in many ways by
hospital and enduring that alone may have been
many people. She was a sibling, friend, attorney
overwhelming,” she says.
and activist.
On July 8, 1950, in Ravina, Ohio, she was
n estimated 200 people turned out for a
bom Brian McNamara. Much later in life, she
July 12 memorial honoring McNamara.
transitioned to become JoAnna.
The ceremony, which melded her Christian and
Survivors include siblings Jo Andes
Lakota faiths, was held at the Metropolitan
McNamara, Mary Jane McNamara, Kelly Blake,
Community Church of Portland. McNamara
Sean M cNamara, M ichael M cNamara and
was an M C C member.
Cathy McNamara.
The Rev. Roy Cole, M C C ’s pastor, offers
Within Oregon’s sexual minorities commu­ advice to those who feel they may in some way
nity, McNamara had been involved with many
have failed McNamara.
groups, including the Oregon Gay and Lesbian
“We have to release a loved one to that ulti­
Law Association, Lesbian Community Project,
mate, autonomous act,” he says. “We need to be
and It’s Time, Oregon! In recent years, she
there to assist the person any way we can, hut if
worked on a state and national level on behalf that is the choice a person makes, it’s that per­
of trans rights.
son’s decision.”
"Her totem in the Lakota is the bear, who
Cole says he is concerned by others, particu­
lays low, listens and hears all, and later comes
larly within the trans community, who may ask,
forth to set things right where things are wrong,” “If JoA nna couldn’t make it, how can I.7”
says Crock. “She was a giver of hope.”
He says, “Remember, there were many fac­
Portland resident Lori Buckwalter was one of tors that impacted her, not just [gender identity
the recipients of that hope. McNamara and
issues].”
Buckwalter were involved in a successful effort
Meanwhile, Buckwalter says, “JoAnna often
to get the Oregon Bureau of Labor and
said she felt herself to be spiritually connected to
Industries to accept complaints of discrimina­ her Native American roots, as a Lakota. Lakota
tion based on transsexualism under existing
speak of the ‘winkte,’ who are holy people who
Oregon disability statutes. BOLI started doing so
travel between genders and are revered as wis­
in October 19%.
dom guides.... I think JoAnna was a winkte.”
“My personal relationship with JoAnna was
of relatively recent origin,” explains Buckwalter.
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solutions
ennifer Crock remembers that moment
five years ago when she and JoAnna
M cNamara journeyed together to the
banks of the Willamette River.
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