{"id":361,"date":"2018-06-29T19:26:22","date_gmt":"2018-06-29T19:26:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/apps.lib.ua.edu\/blogs\/empoweringvoices\/?page_id=361"},"modified":"2025-10-06T15:48:20","modified_gmt":"2025-10-06T15:48:20","slug":"tuscaloosa-and-the-university-of-alabama","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/apps.lib.ua.edu\/blogs\/empoweringvoices\/tuscaloosa-and-the-university-of-alabama\/","title":{"rendered":"Tuscaloosa and The University of Alabama"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

The first LGBTQ undergraduate student group at The University of Alabama, the Gay Student Union (GSU), was officially recognized by the University in September 1983. The group has gone through seven total name changes from then until now\u2014each one reflecting a growing understanding of who made up this community of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, and straight allies. Tuscaloosa has also been home to other LGBTQ groups, including the Tuscaloosa Lesbian Coalition (TLC). The coalition was founded in 1986 by Margaret Rose Gladney, an associate professor of American Studies at The University of Alabama, and her partner, Marcia Winter. The group has held regular meetings and sponsored cultural events in the Tuscaloosa area, including film festivals, plays, and music performances that took place on The University of Alabama campus. The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa is also home to the Capstone Alliance, an organization on campus for LGBTQ and allied staff, faculty, and graduate students.<\/p>\n

In February 1983 The University of Alabama’s student newspaper, the Crimson White<\/em>, ran the first of many articles about the GSU’s attempt to pursue a charter as a recognized student organization. Many more articles, columns, cartoons, and letters to the editor followed that addressed the group’s efforts and the students’ reactions to their presence on campus. When the UA Student Government Association did recognize the GSU seven months later (after the threat of potential ACLU intervention), the group’s first faculty adviser was English professor David Miller. Annabel Stephens, a professor in the university\u2019s School of Library and Information Studies, was the group\u2019s adviser from 1988-1996. The collection of Spectrum materials is named for these two early advisers. Collection donors including Annabel Stephens and Rose Gladney were instrumental in gathering materials and coordinating the transfer to Special Collections. The resources in this section of Empowering Voices, mostly from the Miller-Stephens and Tuscaloosa Lesbian Coalition collections, give a snapshot of some of the LGBTQ events at the University and in the city of Tuscaloosa over a period of about three decades, as UA students participated in statewide events like the first Birmingham Pride Parade, organized celebrations for LGBT History Month, and supported LGBTQ students at other Southern universities who sought charters for their own organizations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/td>\nMemo Sent to University of Alabama Faculty Requesting Gay Student Union Sponsorship<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/td>\nCrimson White<\/em> Cartoon<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/td>\nThe University of Alabama Gay Student Union Pamphlet<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/td>\nThe University of Alabama Gay Student Union Anniversary T-Shirt<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/td>\nThe University of Alabama Gay\/Lesbian Support Services T-Shirt<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/td>\nOut of Bounds: A Lesbian Journey<\/em> Event Flyer<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/td>\nTuscaloosa Lesbian Coalition New Years’ Eve Party Flyer<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/td>\nFlyer for Immediate Family<\/em>, a Play by Terry Baum<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/td>\nAlix Dobkin Concert Flyer<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/td>\nThe University of Alabama Gay\/Lesbian Support Services Newsletter: The Lavender Tide<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/td>\nTuscaloosa Lesbian Coalition Informational Flyer<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/td>\n“Tuscaloosa Gay\/Lesbian 24 Hour Telephone Information”<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/td>\nThe Crimson White<\/em>: National Coming Out Day Coverage<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/td>\nThe University of Alabama “Seen and Heard” Flyer: “Kiss This! Come Express Queer Love Loud and Proud”<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/td>\nThe Crimson Pride<\/em>: The Official Newsletter of The University of Alabama Gay\/Lesbian\/Bisexual Alliance<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/td>\n“The University of Alabama Gay\/Lesbian Alliance” Pamphlet<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/td>\nCrimson Pride Poster<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/td>\n“Coming Out Week ’93” Poster: “We Are Everywhere!”<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/td>\n“Voices of Diversity: Living Out in the South” College Conference Flyer<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/td>\n“Voices of Diversity: Living Out in the South” College Conference Preliminary Program<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/td>\nQueer Women on Campus Flyer<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/td>\n“Celebrate GLBT History Month” Poster<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/td>\nCanvas Banner for Day of Silence<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/td>\n“Breaking the Silence” Flyer<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/td>\nRobyn Ochs Speaking Engagement Flyer<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/td>\nLGBTQ History Month Events Flyer<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/td>\nPaper from Brainstorming Session<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/td>\n“On the Road to Equality” Announcement<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\"\"<\/a><\/td>\nSpectrum LGBTQ History Month Flyer<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The first LGBTQ undergraduate student group at The University of Alabama, the Gay Student Union (GSU), was officially recognized by the University in September 1983. The group has gone through seven total name changes from then until now\u2014each one reflecting a growing understanding of who made up this community of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “Tuscaloosa and The University of Alabama”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":397,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-361","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nTuscaloosa and The University of Alabama - Empowering Voices<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/apps.lib.ua.edu\/blogs\/empoweringvoices\/tuscaloosa-and-the-university-of-alabama\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Tuscaloosa and The University of Alabama - Empowering Voices\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The first LGBTQ undergraduate student group at The University of Alabama, the Gay Student Union (GSU), was officially recognized by the University in September 1983. 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