Year |
Event |
1950s |
Three gay faculty members are dismissed by Amherst College presidents after being unfairly treated because of their sexual orientation following; though they were involved in so-called “scandals” that ranged in severity, their involvement was either never proven or without fault |
1960 |
Massachusetts State Police make national headlines when investigating gay professors in the area for possessing “obscene” materials |
1970 |
Five College Student Homophile League places an ad in The Amherst Student, leading to a full article later that month; group grows from twelve to nearly thirty in five weeks; males outnumbered females three or four to one |
1971 |
Two students attempt to start a gay group on the Amherst College campus with little success |
1974 |
Amherst College Board of Trustees approve a coeducation proposal |
1977 |
First support group for gay and bisexual men at Amherst College successfully forms with the support of the administration; no group for women exists on campus |
1979 |
Student group holds very successful gay Homecoming dance with the support of the Student Council; despite this, the college lags behind the other four area colleges and national gay activism |
1980 |
Lesbians begin attending Amherst Gay Alliance meetings; group changes its name to Gay and Lesbian Alliance (GLA) the following school year |
1982 |
Amherst Gay and Lesbian Alumni formed amidst a mixture of support and opposition from heterosexual alumni |
1983 |
Homophobic incident during fraternity rush stirs campus wide conversation |
1984 |
The Amherst Student publishes an overtly homophobic piece critiquing a presidential candidate’s support of gay rights, followed by several rebuttals and debate across campus
|
1984 |
Eve Sedwick arrives to teach at Amherst College. Sedgwick taught English at Amherst from 1984 to 1989, during which time she helped to create the Women’s and Gender Studies department.
|
1986 |
Pink triangles are anonymously spray painted around campus and then defaced in act of anti-gay vandalism, sparking campus conversation |
1987 |
Amherst College creates a Women’s and Gender Studies department; faculty vote to adopt a new campus recruitment policy requiring organizations to comply with the university’s nondiscrimination clause or be explicit about the ways in which they do not through an open forum
|
1988 |
“Bisexual” added to the name of the Friends of the Gay, Bisexual and Lesbian Alliance |
1990s |
Chapters of ACT UP and Queer Nation begin meeting in Amherst |
1990 |
Former Amherst College Trustee creates The Stonewall Prize to be awarded to students for gay and lesbian scholarship |
1991 |
Friends of the Lesbian, Bisexual and Gay Alliance merges with the Lesbian, Bisexual and Gay Alliance |
1994 |
Professor of Political Science Hadley Arkes cosigns a homophobic letter published in The Wall Street Journal and ignites debate across campus |
1995 |
The Affirmative Action Office first acknowledges transgender issues by sponsoring a speech by author and activist Leslie Feinberg; LBGA sponsors first Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Alumni Mentoring Weekend; a homophobic harassment incident disrupts weekend events but results in an increase of support from the student body and college administration; the following fall, members of the LBGA create a new group, the Queer/Straight Alliance, to advocate for political rights and bridge the queer and straight communities on campus |
1996 |
Several homophobic incidents occur, including a violently homophobic anonymous letter sent to a gay student; students plan a rally in response and call for a reworking of the college disciplinary system; Folger Cleveland ’67 creates the first fund of its kind to support student work on gay and lesbian issues; LBGA adds “transgender” to their name, becoming the Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay and Transgender Alliance |
1997 |
A conservative campus newspaper publishes satirical pieces ridiculing the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and especially transgender community; the student government defunds the publication, causing controversy on campus and nationally, although the paper continues to publish independently |
2000 |
The administration provides space and a part-time paid staff position for an LGBT resource center called the Rainbow Room in the basement of Pratt dormitory |
2001 |
The LGBTA is renamed the Queer Union of Amherst College; Pride Alliance is created as an umbrella group under which QUAC and QSA operate; Admissions creates two LGBT intern positions to help attract LGBT applicants
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