Difference between revisions of "Columbia Queer Alliance"

From WikiCU
Jump to: navigation, search
(→‎Founder)
 
(15 intermediate revisions by 9 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
−
The '''Columbia Queer Alliance''', the oldest LGBTQ student organization in the world, is the central [[Columbia University]] student organization that represents the lesbian, gay, transgender, and questioning student population. It's original name was the Student Homophile League (SHL).
+
{{Infobox club
 +
|Name=Columbia Queer Alliance
 +
|Image=NoImage.jpg
 +
|Founded=1967
 +
|Recognition=[[SGB]]
 +
|Membership=?
 +
|Executive board= <br> Caitlin Lowell, President <br>
 +
Nathen Huang, Vice-President <br>
 +
Cam Buzard, Treasurer <br>
 +
Domenic DeSocio, Social Chair <br>
 +
Anya Josephs, Inter-group Liaison <br>
 +
Kaixi Wu, Media Manager <br>
 +
David Morales-Miranda, Historian <br>
 +
Milo Inglehart, Secretary <br>
 +
|Website= cqa1.wordpress.com <br>
 +
|Allocation= $5,296 (as of FY210)
 +
|Category=[[:Category:Political clubs|Activist clubs]]}}
 +
 
 +
The '''Columbia Queer Alliance (CQA)''', the oldest [[w:LGBTQ|LGBTQ]] student organization in the world, is the central [[Columbia]] student organization that represents the lesbian, gay, transgender, and questioning student population. Its original name was the '''Student Homophile League (SHL)'''.
  
 
==Founder==
 
==Founder==
−
Stephen J. Donaldson ((July 27, 1946 – July 18, 1996) ran away to New York City, where Columbia administrators told him that he would be allowed to register, "on condition that he undergo psychotherapy and not attempt to seduce other students." [1] His first year of college was difficult: he met no other gay students or faculty and had to move from a shared suite to a single room when his suitemates "told the college dean David Truman that they felt uncomfortable living with a homosexual".[1]
+
As an openly homosexual student, [[Robert Anthony Martin, Jr.]], pseudonym [[Stephen Donaldson]], [[Columbia College|CC]] '[[1970|70]] ([[July 27]], [[1946]] – [[July 18]], [[1996]]) was told by Columbia administrators that he would be allowed to register only "on condition that he undergo psychotherapy and not attempt to seduce other students."<ref name="eisenbach">[[David Eisenbach]] (2006). ''Gay Power: An American Revolution''. New York, NY: Carroll & Graf, 51-79, 260-262. ISBN 0786716339.</ref> His first year of college was difficult: he met no other gay students or faculty and had to move from a shared suite to a single room when his suitemates "told the college dean [[David Truman]] that they felt uncomfortable living with a homosexual".<ref name="eisenbach" />
 +
 
 +
After his [[1970]] graduation from Columbia, Donaldson enlisted in the U.S. Navy. In [[1971]], the Navy announced its intention to release him by General Discharge on grounds of suspected homosexual involvement. From [[1974]] to [[1977]], Donaldson was the Chair of the [[Student Governing Board]]. On [[July 18]], 1996, Donaldson died of AIDS-related illness.
  
−
After his 1970 graduation from Columbia, Donaldson enlisted in the U.S. Navy. In 1971 the Navy announced its intention to release him by General Discharge on grounds of suspected homosexual involvement. In 1974-77, Donaldson was the Chair of the [[Student Governing Board]].
+
==History==
−
In July 18, 1996, Donaldson died of AIDS-related illness.
+
The original organization had twelve members, who fought with the Columbia administration for a year before their organization was officially recognized. Columbia refused to recognize the SHL because a public membership was required, and the only gay members willing to provide their names were Stephen Donaldson and [[James Millham]]. Eventually, Stephen Donaldson convinced Columbia student leaders to add their names to the list and Columbia was forced to officially charter the country’s first student gay rights group on [[April 19]], [[1967]].<ref>Beemyn, Brett (2003). "The Silence Is Broken". Journal of the History of Sexuality 12: 205-223.</ref> The [[Spectator]] ran an editorial praising the chartering of the group and printed letters from students attacking and defending the decision. At this point, there was no apparent opposition from Columbia faculty or staff. The group was advised by the [[University Chaplain]], the Rev. [[John D. Cannon]].
  
−
==Student Homophile League==
+
Donaldson was active in promoting other SHL chapters around the country, including the [[Cornell]] Student Homophile League in [[1968]] and later the [[New York University]] chapter. By 1971, there were an estimated 150 gay student groups at colleges and universities in the United States.
−
The original organization had twelve members, who fought with the Columbia administration for a year before their organization was officially recognized. Columbia refused to recognize the SHL because a public membership was required, and the only gay members willing to provide their names were Stephen Donaldson and James Millham. Eventually, Stephen Donaldson convinced Columbia student leaders to add their names to the list and Columbia was forced to officially charter the country’s first student gay rights group on April 19, 1967 [2]. The Spectator ran an editorial praising the chartering of the group and printed letters from students attacking and defending the decision. At this point, there was no apparent opposition from Columbia faculty or staff. The fledgling group was advised by the university chaplain, the Rev. John D. Cannon, who gave permission for them to hold meetings in his office and later let Donaldson hold office hours there.
 
  
−
Despite having "assured the administration that publicity would be kept to a minimum," Donaldson "launched an aggressive public information campaign about SHL and homosexuality", making sure it was covered on Columbia radio station WKCR, where he was a staff member, and sending out "at least three press releases to several large newspapers, wire services, and magazines with national and international distribution", although it received little coverage until gay rights supporter Murray Shumach saw the Spectator piece and wrote an article, headlined "Columbia Charters Homosexual Group", which appeared on the front page of the New York Times on May 3, 1967, followed by national and local media outlets all the way to the Gainesville Sun.
+
Over time, SHL underwent many name changes, including Gay People at Columbia-Barnard, Gay and Lesbian Alliance, and Lesbian Gay Bisexual Coalition, before its present incarnation, Columbia Queer Alliance.<ref>[http://www.columbia.edu/cu/cqa/index.html Columbia Queer Alliance Website]</ref>  Before the creation of the [[Activities Board at Columbia]] and the current [[governing board]] structure, CQA served briefly as a quasi-governing board for all queer interest groups on campus, providing funding to other groups for their programming.
  
−
The article also quoted Dr. Harold E. Love, the chairman of Columbia's Committee on Student Organizations, who said there was no reason to deny the request once they had determined it was a "bona fide student organization." The article noted that "[f]unds were said to have been supplied for the organization by some Columbia alumni who were reported to have learned about it from advertisements in magazines for homosexuals" and that Donaldson said that the group "maintains liaison" with, but is not controlled by, outside homosexual groups." The alumnus supporter was "Foster Gunnison, the driving force behind the creation of the North American Conference of Homophile Organizations," with whom Donaldson had strategized about getting the organization approved. Gunnison "sent the administration a letter of support and made a cash contribution"
+
==Protests and Controversies==
  
−
The publicity also led students at other universities to contact Donaldson about starting chapters, and Donaldson certified the Cornell Student Homophile League in 1968 and later the New York University chapter, headed by Rita Mae Brown[. Donaldson was "heavily involved throughout the rest of the 1960s not only as national leader of the Student Homophile League but also as an elected officer of the North American Conference of Homophile Organizations (NACHO) and of its Eastern Regional subsidiary". By 1971, there were an estimated 150 gay student groups at colleges and universities "often with official sanction and and with remarkable acceptance from fellow students".
+
On October 29, 2008, the [[Columbia Spectator]] editorial board published "Education, not Jubilation," <ref>Columbia Spectator Editorial Board (2008). "[http://www.columbiaspectator.com/2008/10/29/education-not-jubilation Education, Not Jubilation]" Columbia Spectator Oct. 29, 2008.</ref> which took Columbia Queer Alliance to task for allegedly failing to emphasize educational events over social events during Queer Awareness Month. The editorial, however, had some errors, including equating Columbia Queer Alliance and Queer Awareness Month as the same group, as well as stating that the [[Columbia University Marching Band]]'s Giant Penis Ring Toss was evidence of the month's overemphasis on "jubilation".
  
−
Eventually various institutions such as Cornell University and New York University followed suit, causing a wave of gay and lesbian student activism the years leading up to the Stonewall Rebellion. [http://www.columbia.edu/cu/cqa/index.html]. SHL underwent many name changes, becoming Gay People at Columbia-Barnard at one point, to its present incarnation, Columbia Queer Alliance.
+
The editors ran a correction on the website and published the day after, addressing the distinction as well as the giant inflatable penis: "The editorial also misstated that a giant inflatable penis was part of QuAM's opening tabling. It was in fact part of a different campus event."
  
 +
This led media outlets such as the [[Bwog]], American Spectator and [[IvyGate]] to identify the controversy as "[[Giant inflatable penis-gate]]." The following day, LGBT groups on campus organized a kiss-in in front of the Spectator's offices.
  
−
==Events and Tradtions==
+
==Events and Traditions==
−
* First Friday Dance
+
* [[First Friday]] Dance
 
* Queer Sushi
 
* Queer Sushi
 
* Queer Curry
 
* Queer Curry
Line 28: Line 48:
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
−
[1] David Eisenbach (2006). Gay Power: An American Revolution. New York, NY: Carroll & Graf, 51-79,260-262. ISBN 0-7867-1633-9.
+
<references/>
−
[2] Beemyn, Brett (2003). "The Silence Is Broken". Journal of the History of Sexuality 12: 205-223. Retrieved on 2008-03-16.
 
  
 
[[Category:Political clubs]]
 
[[Category:Political clubs]]
 
[[Category:SGB groups]]
 
[[Category:SGB groups]]
 
[[Category:Activist clubs]]
 
[[Category:Activist clubs]]

Latest revision as of 19:41, 29 January 2014

Columbia Queer Alliance
NoImage.jpg
Founded: 1967
Recognition: SGB
Membership: ?
Executive Board:
Caitlin Lowell, President

Nathen Huang, Vice-President
Cam Buzard, Treasurer
Domenic DeSocio, Social Chair
Anya Josephs, Inter-group Liaison
Kaixi Wu, Media Manager
David Morales-Miranda, Historian
Milo Inglehart, Secretary

Category: Activist clubs
Website: cqa1.wordpress.com
Contact: {{{Contact}}}

The Columbia Queer Alliance (CQA), the oldest LGBTQ student organization in the world, is the central Columbia student organization that represents the lesbian, gay, transgender, and questioning student population. Its original name was the Student Homophile League (SHL).

Founder

As an openly homosexual student, Robert Anthony Martin, Jr., pseudonym Stephen Donaldson, CC '70 (July 27, 1946 – July 18, 1996) was told by Columbia administrators that he would be allowed to register only "on condition that he undergo psychotherapy and not attempt to seduce other students."[1] His first year of college was difficult: he met no other gay students or faculty and had to move from a shared suite to a single room when his suitemates "told the college dean David Truman that they felt uncomfortable living with a homosexual".[1]

After his 1970 graduation from Columbia, Donaldson enlisted in the U.S. Navy. In 1971, the Navy announced its intention to release him by General Discharge on grounds of suspected homosexual involvement. From 1974 to 1977, Donaldson was the Chair of the Student Governing Board. On July 18, 1996, Donaldson died of AIDS-related illness.

History

The original organization had twelve members, who fought with the Columbia administration for a year before their organization was officially recognized. Columbia refused to recognize the SHL because a public membership was required, and the only gay members willing to provide their names were Stephen Donaldson and James Millham. Eventually, Stephen Donaldson convinced Columbia student leaders to add their names to the list and Columbia was forced to officially charter the country’s first student gay rights group on April 19, 1967.[2] The Spectator ran an editorial praising the chartering of the group and printed letters from students attacking and defending the decision. At this point, there was no apparent opposition from Columbia faculty or staff. The group was advised by the University Chaplain, the Rev. John D. Cannon.

Donaldson was active in promoting other SHL chapters around the country, including the Cornell Student Homophile League in 1968 and later the New York University chapter. By 1971, there were an estimated 150 gay student groups at colleges and universities in the United States.

Over time, SHL underwent many name changes, including Gay People at Columbia-Barnard, Gay and Lesbian Alliance, and Lesbian Gay Bisexual Coalition, before its present incarnation, Columbia Queer Alliance.[3] Before the creation of the Activities Board at Columbia and the current governing board structure, CQA served briefly as a quasi-governing board for all queer interest groups on campus, providing funding to other groups for their programming.

Protests and Controversies

On October 29, 2008, the Columbia Spectator editorial board published "Education, not Jubilation," [4] which took Columbia Queer Alliance to task for allegedly failing to emphasize educational events over social events during Queer Awareness Month. The editorial, however, had some errors, including equating Columbia Queer Alliance and Queer Awareness Month as the same group, as well as stating that the Columbia University Marching Band's Giant Penis Ring Toss was evidence of the month's overemphasis on "jubilation".

The editors ran a correction on the website and published the day after, addressing the distinction as well as the giant inflatable penis: "The editorial also misstated that a giant inflatable penis was part of QuAM's opening tabling. It was in fact part of a different campus event."

This led media outlets such as the Bwog, American Spectator and IvyGate to identify the controversy as "Giant inflatable penis-gate." The following day, LGBT groups on campus organized a kiss-in in front of the Spectator's offices.

Events and Traditions

  • First Friday Dance
  • Queer Sushi
  • Queer Curry
  • Queer Cupcakes
  • Holiday Party
  • Valentines Party

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 David Eisenbach (2006). Gay Power: An American Revolution. New York, NY: Carroll & Graf, 51-79, 260-262. ISBN 0786716339.
  2. ↑ Beemyn, Brett (2003). "The Silence Is Broken". Journal of the History of Sexuality 12: 205-223.
  3. ↑ Columbia Queer Alliance Website
  4. ↑ Columbia Spectator Editorial Board (2008). "Education, Not Jubilation" Columbia Spectator Oct. 29, 2008.
Retrieved from "https://www.wikicu.com/index.php?title=Columbia_Queer_Alliance&oldid=51589"