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AIDS and Gay & Lesbian Politics Collection

 Collection
Identifier: MS-97

Scope and Contents

This collection includes fliers, booklets, programs for Gay Pride parades, and other material related to the AIDS crisis and Gay and Lesbian political history from the 1970s-1990s. These items have been collected by the Pacific University Archives for this collection, with an emphasis on gay and lesbian politics in the Pacific Northwest. Related paperback and hardbound books that were acquired for this collection are listed at the end of the finding aid.

Dates

  • 1974-1997

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Pacific University owns the copyright to some, but not all, of the materials housed in its archives. Copyright for materials authored or otherwise produced as official business of Pacific University is retained by Pacific University and requires its permission for publication. Copyright status for other collection materials varies. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.

Historical Note

Gay, lesbian, bisexual and other Americans acting outside of traditional gender norms ("LGBTQ" communities) have long fought for legal rights in the United States. Oregon's political geography, with several liberal cities surrounded by mostly conservative rural areas, has created an interesting mix of LGBTQ activism and counter-activism. Early attempts to codify anti-discrimination laws included city ordinances in Portland (1974) and Eugene (1977). With the rise of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s, LGBTQ activists found a new urgency in their work, bringing their concerns to the mainstream of civil discourse. Conservative groups have opposed pro-gay legislation from the beginning however, and have fought to repeal or prohibit laws protecting gays in Oregon. Often arguing that gays and lesbians wanted special rights -- rather than equal rights -- they protested the idea that the state should protext what they believed were immoral activities. In Oregon, the group Oregon Citizens Alliance (OCA) succeeded in passing anti-gay legislation in many counties in the early 1990s, and sponsored two state-wide anti-gay initiatives that were defeated. Since then, LGBTQ communities in Oregon have seen a fitful but fairly continuous shift towards legal protection. These events, as well as the wider national environment for the AIDS crisis and LGBTQ politics, are illustrated by the many political flyers, brochures, event programs and other materials that both political sides issued from the 1970s-1990s.

Extent

0.5 Cubic Feet (1 box)

Language of Materials

English

Summary

Gays, lesbians, bisexuals and other Americans acting outside of traditional gender norms have long fought for legal rights in the United States, while conservative groups have opposed them. This collection includes flyers, brochures, programs for Gay Pride parades, and other material related to the AIDS crisis and Gay and Lesbian political history from the 1970s-1990s, with an emphasis on the Pacific Northwest. Both pro- and anti- voices are included.

Accruals

New material will be added to this collection as it is acquired by the Archives. Inquiries about donations are welcome. Please contact: archives@pacificu.edu

Title
AIDS and Gay & Lesbian Politics Collection
Status
Completed
Author
Eva Guggemos
Date
2013
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English.
Sponsor
Sponsored by a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission

Repository Details

Part of the Pacific University Archives Repository

Contact:
2043 College Way
Forest Grove OR 97116 United States