Mary Elizabeth Clark
Encyclopedia
Sister Mary Elizabeth Clark (born 1938, Pontiac, Michigan
) is the main mover of the AIDS Education and Global Information System
database, previously a pre-World Wide Web
bulletin board system
.
Clark was born as Michael Clark, and served as a United States Navy
chief petty officer (E-7), serving as an instructor in anti-submarine warfare
. She later underwent a sex change operation and became Joanna Clark; knowing of her past , a U.S. Army Reserve
s recruiter signed her up for the Army. A year-and-a-half later she was discharged from the Army
when her history became known to higher-ups. She brought suit against the Army and won a settlement of $25,000 and an honorable discharge.
During the 1970s, she was an activist for the rights of transsexuals and was instrumental in winning the right of California
ns to have their gender changed on their birth-certificates and driver's licenses.
In the 1980s, she felt a religious calling and worked to become an Episcopal nun. Conflict with the church led to her leaving it shortly after she took her vows in 1988, and she has since become a nun of the American Catholic Church
, a small independent church using Catholic rites.
In 1990, inspired by meeting an isolated young man with AIDS
in rural Missouri
, she returned to her family home in San Juan Capistrano, taking on the bulletin board system
AEGiS begun by Jamie Jemison and eventually building it into the largest AIDS information database in the world.
She is the recipient of the Award of Courage from the American Foundation for AIDS Research
,the Jonathan Mann Health and Human Rights Award from the International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care, the Crystal Heart award from the San Diego GLBT Center and the Joan of Arc award from the Orange County Community Foundation. In 2005 she was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Pontiac, Michigan
Pontiac is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan named after the Ottawa Chief Pontiac, located within the Detroit metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 59,515. It is the county seat of Oakland County...
) is the main mover of the AIDS Education and Global Information System
AIDS Education and Global Information System
The AIDS Education Global Information System is the world's largest Database of AIDS information. It was originally started as a small electronic bulletin board system by Orange County resident Jamie Jemison in 1986...
database, previously a pre-World Wide Web
World Wide Web
The World Wide Web is a system of interlinked hypertext documents accessed via the Internet...
bulletin board system
Bulletin board system
A Bulletin Board System, or BBS, is a computer system running software that allows users to connect and log in to the system using a terminal program. Once logged in, a user can perform functions such as uploading and downloading software and data, reading news and bulletins, and exchanging...
.
Clark was born as Michael Clark, and served as a United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
chief petty officer (E-7), serving as an instructor in anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, or other submarines to find, track and deter, damage or destroy enemy submarines....
. She later underwent a sex change operation and became Joanna Clark; knowing of her past , a U.S. Army Reserve
United States Army Reserve
The United States Army Reserve is the federal reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the reserve components of the United States Army....
s recruiter signed her up for the Army. A year-and-a-half later she was discharged from the Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
when her history became known to higher-ups. She brought suit against the Army and won a settlement of $25,000 and an honorable discharge.
During the 1970s, she was an activist for the rights of transsexuals and was instrumental in winning the right of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
ns to have their gender changed on their birth-certificates and driver's licenses.
In the 1980s, she felt a religious calling and worked to become an Episcopal nun. Conflict with the church led to her leaving it shortly after she took her vows in 1988, and she has since become a nun of the American Catholic Church
American Catholic Church in the United States
The American Catholic Church in the United States is a small Independent Catholic formed in 1999, denomination originating from the Old Catholic Christian denomination. The ACCUS holds some similar theological beliefs and practices to the Roman Catholic Church. It is not in communion with the...
, a small independent church using Catholic rites.
In 1990, inspired by meeting an isolated young man with AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
in rural Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, she returned to her family home in San Juan Capistrano, taking on the bulletin board system
Bulletin board system
A Bulletin Board System, or BBS, is a computer system running software that allows users to connect and log in to the system using a terminal program. Once logged in, a user can perform functions such as uploading and downloading software and data, reading news and bulletins, and exchanging...
AEGiS begun by Jamie Jemison and eventually building it into the largest AIDS information database in the world.
She is the recipient of the Award of Courage from the American Foundation for AIDS Research
AmfAR
amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to the support of AIDS research, HIV prevention, treatment education, and the advocacy of sound AIDS-related public policy.-History:...
,the Jonathan Mann Health and Human Rights Award from the International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care, the Crystal Heart award from the San Diego GLBT Center and the Joan of Arc award from the Orange County Community Foundation. In 2005 she was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.