In Walls or Windows, Mary Heron Dyer (Class of 2009) shines a light on the othering that occurs when people are different than societal norms.
As a gay and late-deafened woman, she offers firsthand accounts of her experiences alternating with brief histories of milestones in deaf and LGBT inclusion, acceptance, and advancements. This book urges readers to see the divine in each person, with their differences enhancing them rather than limiting them. The gifts these individuals contribute to society make the world a more beautiful, compelling place.
Mary Heron Dyer says that she was “born with a book in one hand and a picket sign in the other.” During her 80 years of life the causes have changed, but she remains an avid student, with three master’s degrees: English literature, scripture and theology, and counseling.
She came out as a lesbian in 1986, but it was only when she became suddenly deaf in 2008 after routine knee replacement that she began to reflect on how these seemingly disparate parts of her life, being a lesbian and becoming deaf, had the same patterns of oppression and exclusion. Mary weaves her own stories into the fabric of this book, with the hope that it will open hearts and minds to see how we are all impacted by unnecessary oppression and encourage readers to welcome all as “Holy Others.”
Printed Paperback Book and Ebooks available for purchase online at GoodFaithMedia.org. Also available for purchase online at Amazon.com and BarnesAndNoble.com.