LGBTQIAA+ Places in Glassboro
In the virtual and written space of newspapers and magazines, queer history is identified and manifested.
The first chartered organization appeared in the Glassboro State College Yearbook in 1999, called “Gay Straight Alliance.” 1 The first picture for this organization became visible in 2000. Although cameras were not as technically advanced in the 1900s as they are today, in 2019 as I am writing this, it says something how the photograph for the Gay Straight Alliance is the darkest and less focused than photographs from all other organizations. This might be another jab at straight-washing historical records.
Interestingly, an AIDS Awareness organization also popped up 1999. 1981 brought the first cases of the AIDS crisis in the United States among gay men.2 Although it commonly known that AIDS emerged from Africa, AIDS had detrimental impacts to the LGBTQIAA+ community overseas in North America. AIDS was the most threat to black gay men, but also to drug users. There were many cases in metropolitans with large numbers of gay men, such as New York City or San Francisco, but none recorded in Glassboro. I am inferring that this AIDS Awareness group intended to educate the Glassboro community in AIDS concerns both abroad and locally, with a focus on both Africa and the gay community.
The Whit, Rowan University’s student run campus newspaper, hosted a homophobic advertisement for the Venue, an alternative student publication at Rowan University. The Venue was known for being slightly problematic, but culture, vocabulary, and acceptance takes different shape over history. The Venue has published various articles that share the gay “experience”.
Venue’s 1982 article “Seriously Gay” 3 challenged the negative public view of gay people. A student who was interviewed stated, “Straight people may feel threatened by gays because they are actually threatened by the inhibitions and the paranoia of their own sexuality.” [Straight people] “never inquire about the truth because they can’t take it seriously. True to life things aren’t printed. People don’t want to hear it.” This provides some reasoning, which is still relevant in modern day, that explains people’s uncertainty, confusion, and hatred with respect to gay people. Gay people also had an adverse reputation as the only image the public see in newspapers are of gay teachers raping children.
Venue’s 1979 Article “A Gaze at the Gays” 4 unmasks the Together, a gay rap group aimed to increased visibility and awareness on campus of gay rights. The Together, founded by Lauren Stahl and Anite Corriveau, was the first gay organization formed at Rowan that made the publication, although was never officially chartered by the college. This group also acted as a support system, a way to form community and meet other gay people in a relaxed environment. In efforts to increase attendance of the Together, one of the members handed out signs at the Student Center. Unfortunately, a campus security interjected and stopped the flier distribution. It’s discouraging to find that the well intended rap group was prohibited to have a public presence on campus. One member of the Together shared information from a gay rights rally, recent to December 12th 1979, in which there was an estimated attendance of 250,000 people, although homophobic news reporters only listed that 50,000 people were present. This shows the reality of the erasure of LGBTQIAA+ history in America. One gay Glassboro State College Student mentioned that he had to deal with “whispers and cat-calls” but thankfully no bomb threats. Another gay women said, “what bothers me worse is when guys discover why I won’t go out with them and then treat me with a ‘that’s a shame’ attitude”. One member mentioned how difficult it is to find other gay people. I can attest to that, even to this day. There are many LGBTQIAA+ clubs on campus and generally the stigma has be reduced, but it’s still challenging to find community.
Avant, a student run literary magazine, published a poem called “To the Man I see in the Cafeteria on Mondays” 5 by a student whose name was disclosed due to social pressures. This poem expressed one man’s physical attraction towards another in a time when gay identities were suppressed. Reading this was raw, full of emotion and unrequited love that makes a statement as to how gay men socially forced to behave.
In speaking with a gay identifying Glassboro native, and who’s name is respectfully not disclosed, gay people acted straight to blend in. He was not out to his family while he attended Glassboro High School, although he was able to openly express himself after moving to Philadelphia a few years after. He had also mentioned there was only one out gay person that went to the same school as him. He also shared that there were no places for gay people to hang out at, such as bars, clubs, or restaurants. Physical spaces in Glassboro have remained largely the same to this day.
This is a bit startling and heavy, especially since today, in 2019, society has made many shifts and I feel comfortable publicly sharing my sexuality. There are still no gay bars, clubs, or restaurants in Glassboro today, but there are a variety of LGBTQIAA+ organizations on Rowan University’s campus through the Office of Social Justice, Inclusion, and Conflict Resolution. True Colors, Prism, Out and Ally, and the Queer Collective have a presence on campus in creating more spaces for non-straights and allies to support each other and have fun.
1. The New Image Yearbook. Rowan University. 2000.
2. "A Living History: The Ryan White HIV/AIDS." Program.U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://hab.hrsa.gov/livinghistory/issues/Gay-Men.pdf.
3. Ken Rosenthal, "Seriously Gay," Venue 16, no.5 (1982):11,19.
4. Jim LaRegina, "A Gaza at the Gays," Venue 14, no. 5 (1979): 16, 19.
5. "To the Man I see in the Cafeteria on Mondays," Avant 23, no. 2: 24.
