In Memoriam

"Doc" Baker

DOB HAS LOST A VERY DEAR FRIEND.

TO THE WORLD SHE WAS KNOWN AS BLANCHE M. BAKER, M. D., PH. D., SAN FRANCISCO PSYCHIATRIST. TO US SHE WAS DEAR, BELOVED, HELPFUL DOC.

DOC WAS A CRUSADER, AND HER "CAUSE" WAS PEOPLE. SHE BELIEVED THAT DEMOCRATIC PROCEDURES ARE DESIRABLE IN HUMAN RELATIONS. SHE DARED TO VIOLATE THE CODE OF THE MYSTERY-MAN CULT OF MEDICINE AND PRACTICED THE ART OF HEALING BY BEING A KINDLY, FRIENDLY, MOTHERLY SORT OF DOCTOR OR TEACHER WHO LIVED BROTHERHOOD AND PREACHED SELF-ACCEPTANCE.

DOC BELIEVED THAT HOMOSEXUALS COULD FILL A UNIQUE PLACE IN SOCIETY, COMBINING AS THEY DO BOTH MALE AND FEMALE ATTRIBUTES. AT THE APRIL, 1957 DOB PUBLIC DISCUSSION MEETING SHE CHALLENGED HOMOSEXUALS IN GENERAL TO FIND AND FILL NEW PATHS IN THIS EVERGROWING WORLD. IT IS UP TO THE HOMOPHILE TO STOP BEING AFRAID, TO DISCOVER HIS OR HER CREATIVE POTENTIAL AND STEP FORTH INTO SOCIETY AND FILL THE WAITING PLACE, SHE DECLARED.

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DOC CHALLENGED DOB IN PARTICULAR AS AN ORGANIZATION TO WORK FOR THE HEALING OF LOST SOULS, FOR "A LOST OR LONELY SOUL IS USUALLY ONE WHICH IS READY TO GROW, READY TO DISCOVER."

DOC REGRETTED THAT THERE WERE NO PSYCHOLOGISTS WITHIN THE DOB MEMBERSHIP AND, UNTIL SHE BECAME ILL, HAD PLANNED TO WORK WITH THE GROUP'S LEADERS IN COPING WITH BASIC PROBLEMS AND EMERGENCIES. UNFORTUNATELY SHE WAS NEVER ABLE TO FULFILL THIS WISH.

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