Maria Lanz: A "Modern" Women Way Ahead of Her Time

Sometimes I'm right and I can be wrong
My own beliefs are in my song
The butcher, the banker, the drummer and then
Makes no difference what group I'm in
I am everyday people, yeah, yeah

Sly and the Family Stone


Today's Post was inspired by a little article I picked up while killing time at the Newark Airport:

From BBC News:

Emile Ratelband man asks court to declare him legally younger

He has asked a court to legally change his age arguing that trans people can change their gender because they feel like a different sex.

His stance has angered LGBT campaigners who say the comparison is "tasteless".
Clip can be seen using link below:

BBC Clip

My "Observation":  Ratelband claims he "feels" much younger than his birth age of 69 so why should he not be able to change his birth certificate to make him the same age as he feels (or to what his "doctor" thinks).  No doubt he is doing this to "Troll" advocates for transgender legal identification.  However his claim is not without precedent (as my blog will reveal), and the "science" he cites is actually not way off.

When I saw this it made me smile because it reminded me of one of the most interesting women I have ever encountered, my Mother-in Law.

Let me relay two interesting stories about Maria Lanz and her ability to "buck" the system.

Story one:  Maria Lanz's "age"

Many years ago, Maria and Charlie were planning their first trip overseas and she needed a passport.  In order to obtain a passport she needed a birth certificate from the State of Kentucky and they were having trouble locating it.  My "faithful and Obedient Companion" was tasked by her Father to research "the problem".  In doing so he suggested that she call Kentucky and provide them with a birthdate several years earlier than that shown on her Drivers License.  Bingo.....it was actually like 5 years earlier than shown on her license.  Problem solved....for passport purposes.

Several years later Maria indicated to the Philadelphia School Board that she was "ready to retire".  The School Board said "what a minute" your not 65.  She then produced her Birth Certificate and walla she suddenly added years to her life!  The School Board let her retire in peace.

At age 85 Maria had to renew her Driver's license when a Social Security Card was needed for enhanced ID,  and my Faithful and Obedient Companion accompanied her on her visit to the DMV.  When an employee asked Barbara about the discrepancy between her "Social Security" DOB and her driver's license with a "younger age" my loving "Companion" simply responded "Why don't you tell her she is older than her license states".....

Speaking of gaming the system it was not just "age" but race that was an open issue.  In fact she beat even Elizabeth Warren when it comes to Racial Birth Identity. 

Story two: Maria's "Race":

A few of you may have heard the "old" story about my "inter-racial" marriage.  You see Maria Lanz was actually an African American when she needed to be, and not by her own initiative.  Here is the "back story":

Maria always wanted to be a teacher and she eventually discovered a special program to recruit inner city teaching candidates sponsored by Temple University.  This program was designed to provide   a college degree in teaching  to city residents and so she enrolled while in her early 40's.  After years of hard work she obtained her degree and proceeded to take her teaching certification exam on which she scored the 5th  highest in her class of about 300 fellow graduates.  For months she awaited a teaching position but she kept getting passed over for a job.  Meanwhile many of her fellow classmates  with much lower scores were hired.  Rather than give up she called first the school board, then the Mayor, and eventually her congressman. She persisted and finally got that  "phone call".  She was told  to report to the principle of a school for an interview and presumably a job.  When she sat down with the Principle he looked at Maria, looked at her application and said "you cannot be Maria Lanz, your white.....

Yes the politicians made my Mother-in Law the "gadfly" go away by making her  application say "African American".  Affirmative Action be damned she got the job by because a politician (Needless to say in Philly they were all Democrats) made a  racial change on her application different from that on her birth certificate.  What I have found more humorous as I reflect on all this she, unlike Ms. Warren, actually had a direct Cherokee Indian Ancestor born around 1740 ( he was a chief) that was confirmed by yours truly a few months ago while helping my Faithful and Obedient companion go through her mom's hereditary (from the DAR) papers a few months ago.  She probably could have claimed that minority status on her original application!

So I ask you all "What does a Birth Certificate really mean anyway?"   Why shouldn't we all be allowed  to be as old as we "feel" (or even our physicians evaluation of our Biological Age), whatever sex you choose (Our Gender "feeling"), or whatever race suits your needs (Maria being black suited those politicians, just as Harvard was Happy to have a "minority women" on their faculty).  Maybe if we could all just legally be who we "feel" like it might eliminate all this identity politics, and end bickering over the issue.

A postscript food for thought:  At a recent Lions Club meeting we had a speaker outline today's identity taboo's.

He claimed a recent survey showed a majority of people now:
1. Accept marriages of our children to someone of a different religion.
2. Accept Marriages of their children to someone of a different race.
3.  Accept Marriages of their children to someone  of the same sex.

 However the Majority of Americans now oppose  marriage of their children to someone of a different political persuasion.

Says a lot Huh?

(PS my postscript has not been "fact checked" the speaker was a local Denver Radio Personality who has a show that tries to "Bring us all Together")

With that I Bid You

Adieu