I confess. I killed Ann Ferguson. Premeditatedly and with malice aforethought. We ran an article in the November issue of THE LADDER entitled "Your Name is Safe." Ann Ferguson wrote that article. Her words were true, her conclusions logical and documented--yet she was not practising what she preached.
Somehow it didn't seem right.
She spent some time considering the situation. Then came to a conclusion. At the December public discussion meeting of the Daughters of Bilitis we got up--Ann Ferguson and I--and did away with Ann. Now there is only Phyllis Lyon.
Seriously, my pseudonym was taken in the first place without much thought. Somehow, it seemed the thing to do. But all it did was create problems. If you're going to write under a pseudonym then you should go by that name in personal contacts. But everybody connected with the Daughters of Bilitis already knew me as Phyllis and the attempts to call me Ann confused everyone, including me.
I'm sure that I am not placing myself in any jeopardy by using my own name--and I'm only simplifying matters and practising what I preach.
THE LADDER staff is preparing a quarterly publication which includes the first three issues of THE LADDER. This will be ready in the very near future. All persons who have subscribed recently and who stated that they wanted the subscription to start with Volume I, Number I, will receive this quarterly.
Others who would like to have a copy may address their requests to Daughters of Bilitis, P. O. Box 2183, San Francisco, Calif., enclosing 50ยข for each copy desired.