{"id":4911,"date":"2025-06-06T11:04:55","date_gmt":"2025-06-06T15:04:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.ohio.edu\/library-archives-blog\/?p=4911"},"modified":"2025-06-06T11:05:50","modified_gmt":"2025-06-06T15:05:50","slug":"jour4130decades-of-defiance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.ohio.edu\/library-archives-blog\/2025\/06\/06\/jour4130decades-of-defiance\/","title":{"rendered":"Decades of Defiance: LGBTQ+ Activism and Community at Ohio University"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

By Allie Stevens, Journalism \u201826, Lizzi Montanti, Journalism \u201826, Anna <\/span>Parasson<\/span>, Journalism \u201826, Natalie Davet, Journalism \u201826, for JOUR 4130 Gender, Race, and Class in Journalism and Mass Media with Victoria LaPoe, Spring 2025.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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During the spring 2025 semester, the staff of the Mahn Center for Archives and Special Collections worked intensively with Victoria La Poe\u2019s JOUR 4130 class, Gender, Race, and Class in Journalism and Mass Media. The students explored, selected, and researched materials from the collections, then worked in small groups to prepare presentations. The students had the option to then expand their research into a blog post like this one for their final project.<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

College campuses have always been places of discourse and vocal contempt for American policy decisions<\/span><\/span><\/a> \u2014 and queerness, despite being long misunderstood, has played a significant role in shaping student activism on college campuses. <\/span><\/span>Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, is one such campus where the history of the LGBTQ+ movement on campus reflects higher education\u2019s evolving role and steadfast support of the LGBTQ+ <\/span><\/span><\/a>community<\/span><\/span><\/a>\u2013 challenging stigmas about the queer community, creating inclusive spaces, affirming queer <\/span>identities<\/span> and advancing social change both on campus and beyond.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Throughout the late 20th and early 21st centuries, the stigma surrounding the LGBTQ+ community was rampant across the U.S. with universities being no different \u2014 but why? The <\/span><\/span>social-learning model<\/span><\/span><\/a> is a media theory that suggests that people learn behaviors, attitudes, and outcomes by <\/span>observing<\/span> and imitating others. During a time when misinformation was on the rise and social media platforms increasingly allowed public figures to voice their opinions\u2014often without factual grounding\u2014this model becomes especially relevant.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Criminalized and Misunderstood: LGBTQ+ Life Before Acceptance<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\u201c<\/span><\/span>At a time when homosexuals were labeled degenerates and perverts and a moral menace, they used the term homophile to describe themselves\u2026 This was a time when homosexual behavior was criminalized throughout the United States, when groups of gay men or lesbians socializing together could be arrested for disorderly or immoral conduct when so called cross dressing was against the law.\u201d\u00a0 <\/span><\/span>(Re-Examining the 1960s, Part One)<\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The <\/span><\/span>two-step flow theory<\/span><\/span><\/a> further explains how such information, particularly when laced with stigmas and misconceptions about queer individuals, travels from the media to opinion leaders.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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Diagram illustrating how mass media messages are first interpreted by opinion leaders, who then convey these messages — often with their own perspectives — to the wider audience, highlighting the indirect influence of media through interpersonal communication. (Newsmoor)<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

A contemporary example of this can be found not only in mainstream public leaders such as politicians, but also in the recent phenomena of influencer culture. An<\/span> <\/span>influencer<\/span><\/span><\/a> is defined as a person who \u201cis able to generate interest in something \u2026 by posting about it on social media.\u201d The popularity of influencer content on social media has <\/span><\/span>\u201cincited advertisers to include them as a new marketing communication tool,\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/a> and influencers are now seen as \u201c\u2018opinion leaders\u2019 who disseminate information and shape the opinions of their followers.\u201d<\/span> Public figures like influencers then legitimize and spread their information, or misinformation, which influences the broader public that follows and trusts them \u2013 and often helps solidify these misconceptions into law.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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Athens City Council Q&A discussing the possibility of a sexual orientation amendment and the stipulations surrounding its passing.<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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“Does Athens need the sexual orientation amendment?” Draft #2, 1989.<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Ohio University, despite having <\/span><\/span>\u201c<\/span><\/span><\/a>a clear and consistent pattern of free speech, free expression, and activism\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/a> has not been a stranger to a lack of understanding surrounding the LGBTQ+ community and the <\/span>subsequent<\/span> homophobia that often follows. Not only were there documented cases of discrimination against students at Ohio University, but there was also a lack of education and sense of animosity from the town of Athens toward the LGBTQ+ community.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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A Swarm of Dykes (S.O.D.) and Open Doors (previously GALA) \u2013 two major advocacy groups for queer people on campus \u2013 joint-published list \u201cdescribing the varying degrees of hate and harassment that had happened locally only within one week\u2019s time.\u201d (1998, Out and Proud Archive).<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Despite there being tensions both <\/span><\/span>locally<\/span><\/span><\/a> and <\/span><\/span>nationally<\/span><\/span><\/a> surrounding the topic of homosexuality, the OHIO community is an example that highlights the importance of student activism, staff and faculty support and institutional accountability and reformation. Students, staff, faculty and community members alike all took stands against prejudice and strides toward a safer campus for all.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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Ohio University students and Athens community members staged a satirical street wedding between the Ohio Constitution and “Bigotry” in front of the Athens City County Courthouse to protest a proposed same-sex marriage ban — highlighting the long-standing tradition of LGBTQ+ advocacy and resistance on campus.<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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An Ohio University associate professor and director of the Women\u2019s Studies Department addresses a crowd at the West Portico of Memorial Auditorium. The demonstration, held in response to Ohio\u2019s recent passage of the \u201cDefense of Marriage Act,\u201d in 2004, exemplifies faculty activism and solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community during a pivotal moment for civil rights.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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In 2004, as Ohio enacted a ban on same-sex marriage, LGBTQ+ activists in Athens joined a statewide movement of protest. Students and community members rallied behind Templeton-Blackburn Memorial Auditorium before marching to the courthouse to request marriage licenses in defiance of the discriminatory law\u2014an emblem of the OHIO community\u2019s long-standing legacy of queer resistance and student-led activism.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n

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As <\/span>Mickey Hart<\/span><\/a>, the former LGBT Center director and pivotal member of the LGBTQ+ movement on OHIO\u2019s campus, states,\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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\u201cI know that for activism, when I was a student, part of it was just trying to make things better and to provide support for folks and to raise awareness or visibility of LGBT people.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

From Protest to Presence: Building LGBTQ+ Visibility at OHIO<\/span><\/span><\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Ohio University’s journey toward LGBTQ+ inclusion is shaped by changing social attitudes and the power of visibility that Mickey Hart so purposefully instituted. Early queer student groups such as the <\/span><\/span>Gay and Lesbian Association (GALA)<\/span><\/span><\/a> in the 1980s, later known as Open Doors, and <\/span><\/span>Swarm of Dykes (S.O.D.)<\/span><\/span><\/a> in the 1990s, challenged societal norms\u2013 creating <\/span><\/span>cognitive dissonance<\/span><\/span><\/a> for people accustomed to <\/span><\/span>heteronormative<\/span><\/span><\/a> environments.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

GALA started in 1972 to create a space for social connection among lesbians, gay men, bisexual individuals, and those exploring their identities.<\/span><\/span><\/a> At Ohio University, LGBTQ+ student groups like S.O.D. actively challenged pre-existing heteronormative norms on campus. Their efforts not only disrupted the status quo but also pushed faculty and students to confront and reassess their own beliefs and biases.<\/span><\/span><\/a> This activism created a space for increased visibility and dialogue around LGBTQ+ issues.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Additionally, representation has been one of the most powerful tools in shifting pre-existing attitudes<\/span><\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/span><\/a> When queer individuals are seen in leadership roles, in classrooms, or through student organizations, it <\/span><\/span>challenges the idea that being LGBTQ+ is something to hide or be ashamed of<\/span><\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

This increased representation helped break the <\/span><\/span>spiral of silence<\/span><\/span><\/a>, which means that people began to talk more openly about queer experiences. The <\/span>more queer<\/span> voices were seen and heard (through activism and the growth of the <\/span><\/span>Pride Center<\/span><\/span><\/a>) the safer it became for others to speak up. Over time, this helped build a more open and supportive campus culture in Athens.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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A poster for \u201cOut Week\u201d at Ohio University in 2004.<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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A brochure for gay, lesbian, and bisexual employees at Ohio University.<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

In 1998, Ohio University formed GLOBE (Gay, Lesbian, or Bisexual Employees) to support LGBTQ+ faculty and staff. <\/span><\/span>Its goals were to promote visibility, provide support, and advocate for equal rights and inclusive policies on campus<\/span><\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/span><\/a> GLOBE helped lay the groundwork for future progress like the LGBT and Pride Center.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Swarm of Dykes: A Legacy of Student Action<\/span><\/span><\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

S.O.D.<\/span><\/span><\/a> is a student organization founded in 1997 by a group of queer students at Ohio University. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the club fought homophobic stigma on campus and <\/span>established<\/span> a community for queer students and students questioning their gender or sexuality.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

S.O.D. used posters to reclaim derogatory phrases used by heterosexual students, both as a form of protest and to promote their organization.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Posters featured popular homophobic remarks, such as <\/span>\u201cIt\u2019s just a phase,\u201d \u201c<\/span>It\u2019s<\/span> unnatural,\u201d and \u201cYou\u2019ll meet the right person someday.\u201d<\/span> Except, these remarks were used toward heterosexuals, switching the dynamic, provoking conversation, and challenging <\/span>pre established<\/span> agendas.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Rather than promoting their organization in a traditional way, such as simply explaining who they are, what they do, and what time they meet, they used attention-grabbing statements, humor, and visuals.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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A S.O.D. organization poster photographed from the archives.<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Victory Early, a fourth year Ohio University student studying Classical Civilizations and first S.O.D. president in over a decade, provides some reasoning as to why the organization takes this approach.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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A collection of S.O.D. posters promoting their organization and beliefs.<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Early states, \u201cWe are working to fight stigma on campus about queer and trans communities. <\/span>We are being visible as well as educating people on the complexities of queerness.<\/span> We are not a monolith; we are a diverse community.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

This organization’s promotion efforts align with the <\/span>Entman<\/span> (1993) outcomes of <\/span><\/span>framing<\/span><\/span><\/a>, which are defining problems, diagnosing causes, making moral <\/span>judgements<\/span> and suggesting remedies; S.O.D. defined homophobia as a problem and made moral judgements about it.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

S.O.D. was an active organization through the early 2000s. In the 2024-25 academic year, a group of Ohio University students, including Early, worked to make the club active again.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\u201cI felt there weren\u2019t enough action groups on campus and enough education about the queer community,\u201d Early said.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The re-emerging S.O.D. is also inspired by the original club\u2019s campus activism.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\u201cWe hope to follow their legacy,\u201d Early said.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

S.O.D. meets every Wednesday at 7 p.m. in <\/span><\/span>Gordy Hall<\/span><\/span><\/a> room 213. It is led by a board of executives who are working to make the club more member-run, rather than functioning through hierarchical roles, Early said. All members are invited to regularly attend <\/span><\/span>officer meetings<\/span><\/span><\/a> and <\/span>participate<\/span> in club planning. Officer meetings are held an hour before regular meetings, at 6 p.m. on Wednesdays on the second floor of <\/span><\/span>Alden Library<\/span><\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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Poster to promote weekly Wednesday meetings from S.O.D.\u2019s Instagram @swarmofdykes<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\u201cOur three focuses are community building, education and direct action,\u201d Early said. \u201cWe are working to fight stigma on campus about queer and trans communities.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Throughout the year, S.O.D. hosts activities like art nights, presentations about liberation, skill-sharing PowerPoint <\/span>nights<\/span> and distributing harm reduction handouts.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\u201cOur involvement has gone up this [spring 2025] semester with the state of politics and members are excited about our activities,\u201d Early said.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

S.O.D. is actively involved in campus protests and demonstrations, specifically <\/span>regarding<\/span> <\/span>Senate Bill 1 (SB1)<\/span><\/span><\/a>. On March 28, 2025, Ohio Gov. Mike Dewine signed the bill into law, targeting higher education\u2019s diversity, equity and inclusion and similar initiatives.<\/span><\/span><\/a> The<\/span> bill will cause resources like Ohio University\u2019s <\/span><\/span>Pride Center<\/span><\/span><\/a> to <\/span><\/span>lose funding.<\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The next day, March 29, S.O.D. responded <\/span>at<\/span> campus protests, helping host a <\/span><\/span>\u201cfuneral for higher education\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/a> to display a cardboard graveyard for the Women\u2019s Center, Multi-Cultural <\/span>Center<\/span> and Pride Center.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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Protest poster from S.O.D.\u2019s Instagram feed @swarmofdykes<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\u201cThere are a lot of changes I would like to see at OU. I would like to see an administration that <\/span>doesn’t<\/span> just roll over in erasing DEI initiatives. I would like to see a proud OU, an OU that appreciates and <\/span>utilizes<\/span> the talents of its queer community. I want to see our ideology spread and other young queers to see hope in their future at a school like OU. With all the oppression of queer and trans people going on right now, we want an OU that does not take our community for granted,\u201d Early said.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Making and Honoring History<\/span><\/span><\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

At Ohio University, LGBTQ+ history is made every day. The courage and work of <\/span>previous<\/span> generations paved the way for today\u2019s generation to be visible and make their voices heard. Over the years, continued student and faculty activism serves as a testimony that queer individuals belong in the OHIO community.<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

On Founders Day, Feb. 18, 2025, an exhibit called \u201cOut and Proud: The Origin and Evolution of Ohio University\u2019s Pride Movement\u201d opened on the fifth floor of Alden Library.<\/span><\/span><\/a> The exhibit highlights LGBTQ+ history at the university from the 1960s to present day through materials from the Ohio University Archives. \u201cOut and Proud\u201d is also available to view <\/span><\/span>digitally<\/span><\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\u201cWe are not just \u2018dykes,\u2019 we are the radical, the oppressed, your sisters and daughters who have gone <\/span>unheard<\/span> our entire lives. We just want our voices heard.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>– Victory Early, President of SOD.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Limitations<\/span><\/span><\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

There were a few limitations that we discovered while compiling our research, and those included:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n