Rifts in the Movement

The sheer size and diversity of the LGBTQ+ community means there’s never been a consensus about political priorities or strategy. During activism pre and post Stonewall, LGBTQ+ people found themselves at odds about who “belonged” in the community and how to best win over straight people.

To Come Out or Not to Come Out…

Gay Era, March 1978, Courtesy of LGBT-001, Dickinson College Archives. (1)

People disagreed about the role of coming out and whether being visible or not would secure LGBTQ+ liberation.

Who could be visible?

What purpose did visibility serve?

“Flying in the face of respectability..”

Did LGBTQ+ people need to present a certain way to make progress?

Some people felt expressions of sexuality threatened an “respectable” image of LGBTQ+ people. There was a fear the community appeared too radical.

“[Drum Magazine] was flying in the face of respectability…
Clark [Polack] came along and just slammed that to the ground and went charging ahead. Clark made them laugh, gave them pretty naked boys to look at…” (3)

DRUM magazine was a controversial gay publication which included nude photos. Read more about the history of the magazine and its impact on the Central PA LGBTQ+ community on our Richard Schlegel page.

Gay Era, April 1976, Courtesy of LGBT-001, Dickinson College Archives. (2)

Citations
1. Gay Era, Newsletter, March 1978, LGBT-001 Joseph W. Burns Collection Periodicals Collection, LGBT History Project, Archives and Special Collections, Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA.
2. Gay Era, Newsletter, April 1976, LGBT-001 Joseph W. Burns Collection Periodicals Collection, LGBT History Project, Archives and Special Collections, Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA.
3. Transcription of oral history interview with Richard Schlegel, May 11, 1993, LGBT-081, LGBT History Project, Archives and Special Collections, Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA.