Betti Page

[Guest mia 1]

Back in the 50's a cute little pin up model gave her best in liberating the female image on post war America. Betti Page showed herself semi nude, nearly nude and dressed in a couquetish style.

She was the child of an alcoholic father and bipolar mother. She ran away from home, found her self in front of a camera in HOLLYWOOD, and made a wonderful living for herself as the icon of the newly liberated woman.

By the late 60's she was broke, committed to a hospital for the mentally ill,and nearly forgotten. With the help of a companion and therapy she was released and she moved to theFlorida Keys, where she "found the Lord', tried to become a missionary, was rejected by the church because of her past as a nude model, and then joined the BIlly Grahm Crusade.

She left the church and once again fell on hard times. An archivist rediscovered Betti, found a way for her to go on the autograph circuit and was recieving $300.00 an autograph. She saved some of the money, but was a spend thrift and passed away nearly broke. She died of heart disease late last week.

The reason that I am writing this article,is to point out to all of us in our community, that you can be born a natural member of your prefered sex, be a celebrated person,still have depression, and rejection from family and die alone and nearly forgotten. My point is, brothers and sisters, depression and anxieties are with us all. Let us love and celebrate our lives and familys and be thankful for the blessings we do have. My Best to all of you this hopefully wonderful season. With the caveat that it is also THE Most Dangerous Time of the Year for self destructive behavior.

Some of the posts I read today are filled with stories of self loathing and the possible destruction of beautiful young lives.................. We are all here to help.......We Love You People............. Mia

[Sally]

Thank you so much for pointing out how we are all so much alike - even in our differences. No one's life is wothout conflict - the happiest people are those who learn how to live with them.

I have a Tgal friend who is so happy that she has virtually forgottrn about being unhappy or much about having been born male - she has centered in so much on who she is now and how happy she is. An important lesson here she had her surgery at age 61! You don't have to transition instantly to be happy, you just have to learn to be happy!

Try it, we all know how to be sad! Dare to be different and smile!

Love ya all, happier than I have any right to be,

Sally

[Guest Kelly Ann]

I saw the obituary of Bette too Mia...yep...I remember her from pics in dad's workshop...you have...as usual...excellent words to all of us out here. With so much available to experience it boggles me when my friends get depressed. Whats so bizarre is when you really get them to talk about the 'real' issue...whats bugging them generally becomes microscopic...or at least manageable. Something that usually makes me laugh when I occasionally get a little too introspective...and those poor souls that happen to be too close by...as 9 of 10 will join in...is the old Hee Haw tune, "DOOoooOOOoooOM DEEEEEeeeeESpair....OOOooooH Woe is ME..." It just normally makes Gosh darned near anything lighter. Hope I didn't start you humming THAT tune...LoL and hugs, Kelly Ann

[Guest pip]

news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081212/ap_en_ce/obit_bettie_page

[gennee]

Thank you for sharing with us, Mia. The holiday season is a time of reflection for me. I am thankful for the things provided for me. Each day is the beginning of a new dawn. I'm happy with who I am and pray that my sisters and brothers are too.

Gennee