August brought the loss of two amazing women: one well known to the world, one a quiet force. Both were radical in their own way. Both saved lives. Both changed the world. You may recall the series we produced back in December called “The Helpers.” We highlighted organizations that were supporting individuals traveling for abortion care. Helpers give us hope and represent the best of humanity. Here at Outlawed, helpers hold a special place in our hearts. I want to spend a few minutes telling you about two helpers who left a profound mark on the world. I’m grateful to have been inspired by both of them.
Most successful women have strong role models who shine the way. And, boy, did Dolly shine! As an Appalachian child of the 80s, my love for Dolly Parton was woven into the fabric of my being. She grew up on a rural farm in Eastern Tennessee, not too far from my hometown, and found a way out of poverty to live out her dreams. From rags to rhinestones, as she would often say. I related deeply to her story and her sassiness. I grew up listening to her albums and binge watching ‘9-to-5’ and ‘Steel Magnolias.’ I loved that she was unapologetically Dolly - flashy, funny, kind, accepting, so incredibly talented. When she released her bluegrass album ‘Little Sparrow’ in 2001, I found myself entranced again by her distinctive, angelic voice. Her musical talent was unmatched.
Her life was a reflection of her Appalachian values, which you could clearly see in the love she had for her community and the children of the world. While she chose a life without biological children, that did not stop her from loving all those around her. There will be numerous stories and testaments to her generosity over the coming weeks. What if every wealthy American approached giving like Dolly did? It is clear why so many people of all backgrounds loved her. She was not restrictive in her love for the world and was accepting of people for who they were. Her generosity was bigger than her hair, a personal life goal.
Photo: Michael Ochs archive, Getty Images
Heather Cox Richardson wrote a comprehensive and beautiful essay outlining her story this morning that is well worth a read.
I knew Dollywood decades before I ever knew Disney World. If you’ve never been, it is worth the trip. Check out the Dolly museum with her costumes and dresses from all eras of her life. She is beloved in the South and in Eastern Tennessee in particular. Dolly was continually writing a love letter to her mountain home that she held so dearly through her actions and the way she supported those in her community. Here’s a quote from Graham Hoppe author of Gone Dollywood:
“Dolly’s generosity gives us an example of a gently radical way to center our values and to quietly change our world.”
Her wisdom strikes at the core of the human experience and is fueled by her unrelenting hope. She brought light to a world that currently feels very dark.
In early August, we also lost an incredibly impactful lawyer and friend, Marilyn Ozer. Gently radical is a great way to describe her. I first got to know Marilyn and her partner Bill Massengale, when I worked in their law office answering the phones as one of my many side jobs during college. It was a great job - mostly because they were fun, smart people who threw great parties. But they were also doing important work defending people who had received death penalty sentences. It was in this place, surrounded by these people, that I found some of my formative inspiration for fighting injustice in my life and work. Marilyn and Bill came to work every single day fighting for people sentenced to death, often unjustly, and I saw in them people who found a job where they could embody doing the right thing as a career. You go to work, you fight for freedom, you come home and love your family and nature. It’s a fairly simple, yet powerful formula for living.
From Marilyn’s obituary:
Marilyn found her calling working on capital appeals with the late Bill Massengale at Massengale and Ozer. Marilyn represented scores of people charged with crimes, including many capital defendants. She brought dedication, a keen intellect and deep compassion to every case. In 2023, the Center for Death Penalty Litigation awarded Marilyn and Bill with the J. Kirk Osborn award for outstanding leadership in capital defense. Marilyn once said the death penalty was "barbarism cloaked in Gothic. If there is anything more worth fighting, as a lawyer, I don't know what it is."
Marilyn was a brilliant woman. She was soft spoken, not to be confused with soft. She was sharp, but never unkind. She gave short advice, but always good advice.
August 18th of this year marked 20 years without a death from capital punishment in North Carolina. Marilyn was one of the valiant lawyers defending folks sentenced to death and her work protected so many people over the years. She was a quiet inspiration to many. A few years ago, she and Bill received the J. Kirk Osburn award from the Center for health penalty litigation. Read more about that award and the tribute to them here. I feel very lucky to have known her and to have personally enjoyed many years of her incredible Christmas cookies.
The rainbow was always the promise of the stormy times. Rest easy, Dolly and Marilyn. Let us all continue the work you both have started to make the world a better place to be. May we all find our own gently radical way.
In other podcast news… Season 3 starts on September 10th! Just two weeks until new episodes are coming your way. Check out our season 3 trailer for a sneak preview here:
We’ll start the season with 2 episodes about tackling IUD pain. We interview Susan Burton (host and producer of The Retrievals) and Dr. Ghazeleh Moayedi, founder of Pegasus Health Justice center, and dive into the topic of pain and how we can better address it. We’ll have a series about the challenges of training Ob-Gyn’s in the wake of the Dobbs decision. We talk with trans rights super-hero - Chase Strangio of the ACLU- about the overlap between the attacks on trans health and abortion rights. And we’ll continue to interview folks telling us the stories and explaining the science of abortion bans in the US.
Have questions about the podcast? Are you doing something interesting this summer? Tell us about it. Leave a comment below. Or call our Outlawed hotline at 919-442-8101. We love hearing from fans!
Want to make a tax-deductible donation to support our work and keep us ad-free? Link to donate here.
Have an idea for a guest or a topic? Email us here: [email protected]
Jonas has been working hard on the website - check it out!
For Outlawed merch: https://outlawedpodcast.com/merch/