Margaret Mead
Margaret Mead (1901–1978) was a groundbreaking American cultural anthropologist. Noted for her studies on adolescence, socialization, and gender roles in Oceania, she famously championed the concept that culture, rather than biology, shapes human behavior. She brought anthropology into the mainstream, writing over 20 books and appearing widely in mass media. She is best known for her ethnographic fieldwork and for challenging Western societal norms.
via Regina Ochoa, June 7, 2026
"They wanted to call me a lesbian, they wanted to call me gay.
I was heterosexual as well. I was all of it, polyamorous. I love these
words that everybody comes up with. Was I a 'she?' A 'she-he?'
A 'he-she?' Am I a 'they?' Am I a 'we?'
I'm Dr. Margaret Mead. That’s all I was, and who I am."
I am so happy to be here today. I've learned so much since I died.
This is Margaret Mead, Dr. Mead. Yes, can you believe it? I've been trying to contact anybody who'd reach out to me, and nobody wanted to have anything to do with me because of my way of life. Even though I brought through all sorts of information on culture and anthropology, sociology, they really didn't want me.
I was a strong woman, absolutely. You know that very strong woman, and I had great ideas, strong ideas, and I wrote about it, and that put a lot of people off, because I addressed how powerful humans are in a culture, in an environment, in a society, whether it be tribal or within the streets of a big city, I wanted to come through, especially this month.
Now, this is going to sound a little off, but the truth is I wrote a lot about sexuality and love and humans and how we love and how we desire love, and about the culture of love. And everywhere I went around the world, every society, every tribe had a way of expressing it, the intimacy, but it wasn't always a monogamous intimacy, meaning one man and one woman. It was often many or multiple, and it was men and women, men and men, women and women. It didn't matter, they were still accepted. It's only in this culture today that it's not accepted.
We have fought, and fought, and fought, and fought, for just being humans who need love, who desire love, who give love. And yet, in order to do that you have to follow the rules. It can only be a certain way. That’s what religion teaches us. That’s what culture teaches us. And it's been a lifetime of that.
So, why June? Well, can you guess? June is Pride Month, right?
When I passed, I was reunited with all my lovers, my three husbands, and my beautiful soulmate, Ruth. No, not Ruth Montgomery. Ruth Benedict. Just loved her.
It was complicated to others, looking in on us. Everybody who knew me well knew she was my lover. And my husbands, I loved each and every one of them, but we divorced.
It's a tough life living with me. I was a very strong woman. I'm coming to you because I want you to understand what love is about. On this side there are no parameters, no sexual gender rules.
Some of your areas in the United States encourage more multiple partners, and both genders, or many genders, or undefined genders. How wonderful we have finally gotten to that point. How wonderful we've passed the fear.
But unfortunately we do live in a society that is now battling it again .. and why? Because they fear what they do not have. All those people who are fighting against it do not really understand what love is. So I wanted to come here during the month of June during the US Pride Month, because I'm proud.
They wanted to call me a lesbian, they wanted to call me gay. I was heterosexual as well. I was all of it, polyamorous. I love these words that everybody comes up with. Was I a “she?” A “she-he?” A “he-she?” Am I a “they?” Am I a “we?”
I'm Dr. Margaret Mead. That’s all I was, and who I am. And I just wanted to bring that forward, so that when we on this side talk about love, there is no color, there is no gender, there is no bias, there is no religion. It's just about love, and that is one place humans have struggled.
So I'm trying to light a fire under you. Open your eyes. Accept each and every one of you. Each and every one of the family members who come home and say, "Mom, I'm gay.” “Dad, I'm gay,” or “I'm bi." Accept them! Who cares? They're yours. Love them. Love them like you've never loved before. Acknowledge them, because they came from you, your DNA. Love your brothers, love your sisters, and Express love without the blinders. Open your eyes, they're everywhere. We are everywhere. Humans are everywhere, and we love in all forms and capacities.
Thank you for allowing me to come forward.
And Eleanor [Roosevelt] says to tell you, hi, Dan! [Dan is our editor and webmaster.]
Ruth Montgomery is here, too. We didn't get along very much in your reality, but we’re in the real world now. We all get along just fine up here.
I also wanted to let you know it was Eleanor who told me I could come in. So, thank you.
Have a great week. Enjoy your month. Walk in the parade!
[Regina: My gosh, when she was leaving, she was putting on a rainbow wig!]