The Real Eva Le Gallienne

After reading Aphra’s post of ‘who she is’, I thought I’d share a few lines about who Eva Le Gallienne is. As Aphra stated, Eva is my Guerrilla Girls On Tour name- so the following is true of the woman behind the mask: Like the real Eva, I am an out lesbian [and proud of it!] I am a survivor of rape, sexual and psychological abuse. This happened while I was married to my abuser. Yes: You can be raped by your husband. My first activist act was standing up to a corporation who wanted to build a cell phone and radio tower close to my home, when I was living in a small town in NJ. WE WON! After that, it was the [s]election of GW Bush in 2000 that motivated me to become a full-time activist-artist and travel around the country speaking out against the administration and the war. I hope to be an agent of change in this new era of Obama- both with and without my mask.

In Solidarity,
Eva
www.ggontour.com
© 2008

The Real Aphra Behn

Bill Ayers recently wrote an op-ed in the New York Times about who he really is. This got me thinking about who I really am. After all Aphra Behn is my identity as a Guerrilla Girl On Tour but it’s not my real name. Some people may think that being anonymous is a way to hide and that I should cast off my mask and my pseudonym and celebrate the woman that I am. In keeping with the holiday spirit let me celebrate myself as Aphra Behn by sharing with you the following facts: I was born a feminist and an activist. My first protest was a rally at my High School against the Vietnam War. I have been a member of Catholics for a Free Choice and I have participated in numerous pro-choice rallies some of which involved acts of civil disobedience. Some of these I am proud of and some I am not. I am a survivor of domestic violence and have actively worked in the violence against women movement for over 20 years. As a member of Guerrilla Girls and Guerrilla Girls On Tour I have carried out acts of vandalism, though none to the extent of the Weather Underground. As a waitress in New York City in the early 80’s I worked with a fellow waitress named Bernadine Dorn, the former Underground member, who I very much admired. I agree with Bill Ayers that “talking and listening to the widest range of people is not a sin, but a virtue” and I hope that I can continue this journey as Aphra for a very long time.

- Aphra Behn
www.ggontour.com
© 2008

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