20 Facts About Barbara Macdonald

Barbara Anne Macdonald was an American social worker and lesbian feminist activist.

Barbara Macdonald is best known for her activism against ageism.

Barbara Macdonald was born as Barbara Charles in Pomona, California and grew up in La Habra, California.

Barbara Macdonald attended Long Beach Junior College from 1931 to 1932 and Santa Ana Junior College from 1932 to 1937.

Barbara Macdonald was nearly expelled from Santa Ana Junior College for being a lesbian.

Barbara Macdonald later attended University of California, Berkeley, from 1938 to 1940 where she supported herself as a stunt parachute jumper.

Barbara Macdonald later attended the University of Washington from 1950 to 1953 where she received her bachelors and a masters of social work.

Barbara Macdonald moved to Wenatchee, Washington, where she was a supervisor in Child Welfare Services.

Barbara Macdonald was invited to talk at many different organizations throughout her life, including universities, social worker organizations and to "lesbian and feminist audiences".

Barbara Macdonald was invited to speak on international panels at the Non-governmental Organizations forum at the 1995 United Nations World Conference on Women in Beijing.

Barbara Macdonald began to think about aging in the late 1970s.

Barbara Macdonald saw ageism as a "central feminist issue" and made it the core of her activism.

Barbara Macdonald identified many aspects of age-related issues that affect older women, such as poverty, physical challenges caused by age, violence against older women, and health issues, all of which she felt were not adequately addressed by younger feminists.

Barbara Macdonald felt that defining women by their familial roles was the central contributor to ageism.

Barbara Macdonald felt that older women tend to be seen as caretakers and mother-figures, instead of as individuals.

Barbara Macdonald adopted her husband's family name and used it throughout her life.

In 1974, Barbara Macdonald met Cynthia Rich, who was teaching a feminist workshop that Barbara Macdonald attended.

Rich and Barbara Macdonald became a couple and stayed together for twenty-six years.

Barbara Macdonald suffered from "debilitating memory loss" in the last four years of her life.

Barbara Macdonald died of Alzheimer's disease on June 15,2000.