THE VFA PIONEER HISTORIES PROJECT

Jean Mountaingrove

October 8, 1925 – December 20, 2019

“There was a time when as I roamed the land I found myself in a small group of trees near a little stream, and I felt strangely moved. In that space I could do nothing wrong. I could do anything I wanted to do.” – Jean, on how nature has nurtured her life.

Launched magazine, WomanSpirit, published from 1974–1984 with partner Ruth Mountaingrove, a magazine dedicated to the expression and development of a feminist spirituality. Co-founded The Blatant Image, a magazine of feminist photography, 1980. Wrote regular columns in Maize, a country lesbian magazine, and Crone Chronicles, a magazine of conscious aging. Articles published in several anthologies, including “Off The Rag: Lesbians and Menopause.”

Photo 1. Jean Mountaingrove (left) and Ruth Mountaingrove work on the first issue of their publication, WomanSpirit, in 1974. Photo 2. Jean Mountaingrove (right) with her partner Ruth Mountaingrove stand in front of the cabin they shared for five years at Golden, a mixed-gender, gay community outside Wolf Creek, Oregon.