Louisiana Lesbian And Gay Political Action Caucus Annotated Bibliography
This article is a 2001 news story that aims to raise awareness about gay rights in Louisiana. The main goal of the story is to spread the word that in most of Louisiana one cannot be fired by their employer due to sexual orientation. At this time a bill was in the midst of being passed that makes it illegal in all of the state to fire someone based off of their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. In response to the bill, LAGPAC launched a $5,000 grass roots campaign to support the cause. As part of the campaign, they distributed over 20,000 postcards to residents in an effort to make them urge lawmakers to pass the bill. Next, the article discusses how the Chris Daigle, the LAGPAC co-chairman is hopeful that the bill will at least make it to a vote at the Senate. However, Daigle admits that addressing gay issues in the conservative climate they live is always going to be tough. Lastly, the article mentions the opposing groups, such as the Christian Coalition and the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry and the Louisiana Chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management, who argue that one’s sexual orientation is not relevant in the workplace.
David, B. M. (2016). “The only safe closet is the voting booth”: The gay rights movement in Louisiana (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). University of Louisiana, Lafayette, LA.
This thesis from the University of Louisiana is an analysis of the gay rights movement in Louisiana. David explores two time periods in Louisiana’s history, the homophile era and the liberation era. Additionally, his work is centered on the work of two groups: Louisiana Gay Political Action Caucus (LAGPAC) and the Louisiana Electorate of Gay and Lesbians (LEGAL). Moreover, he focuses on how these groups supported the LGBTQ community. In his work, he explains that they both created a safer space for LGBTQ people to live and fought for laws that protected their rights. Overall, he discusses how these organizations functioned in the past, and how they are still pertinent today.
Dimensions [Pamphlet]. (1988). Retrieved from http://www.houstonlgbthistory.org/Houston80s/Assorted%20Pubs/Dimensions/Dimensions-8808.compressed.pdf
This pamphlet from 1988, titled Dimensions, is a gay news column full of social events and opinion pieces. Topics discussed in the “Letter from the Editor” include her exhaustion with the political climate and distrust in the government. Then, it mentions her recent attendance at the Political Action Committee (PAC) meeting, where conservative members spoke poorly of gay men and lesbian women. In an effort to combat the conservative group, she encourages people to donate to their local lesbian and gay community organizations. After the article, she writes all the local gay and lesbian community organizations in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and LAGPAC in New Orleans. Throughout the rest of the pamphlet, there are articles on hospital AIDS discrimination, lesbian information lines in San Antonio, abortion laws, gay employment tips, and special events listings in different towns such as New Orleans.
In the news/ segment 1. (n.d.). Retrieved November 29, 2017, from Ambush Mag 2000 website: http://www.ambushmag.com/is897/news1.htm
Ambush Mag 2000 is a famous Gulf South LGBT Entertainment and Travel Guide Magazine that is centered in New Orleans on Bourbon street. This article discusses the school board candidate, William Bowers, who is endorsed by LAGPAC. Additionally, it cites why LAGPAC supports the candidate. In a public statement, LAGPAC co-chair Christopher Daigle explains that Bowers demonstrates insight and ideas for implementing policies that concern lesbians and gay men. Lastly, it mentions Bower’s opponent, Woody Koppel.
Times of Louisiana Communities. vol no. 1 issue no. 5. (1981, July). Retrieved from http://www.houstonlgbthistory.org/Houston80s/Assorted%20Pubs/Louisiana-TimesOfLouisiana-Jul1981.compressed.pdf
The Times of Louisiana (TLC) is a gay news publication. While this issue includes information about all the social events and bars in different cities in Louisiana, the main article addresses gay activist groups and organizations. This article, titled “Gays Divide Louisiana”, recalls an effort to create a state-wide gay coalition. On June 13th 1981, there was a salient meeting where LAGPAC sat down with other organizations and discussed their involvement in activism. From the meeting, they decided to create a communication system and districts for political action. Additionally, women in lesbian organizations agreed to help establish lesbian groups throughout rural Louisiana, and encourage others to create more LAGPAC chapters. Finally, each organization decided to show their support by attending the first annual gay fest acadiana in Lafayette on July 5th.
Knopp, L. (n.d.). Some theoretical implications of gay involvement in an urban land market. In Political Geography Quarterly (pp. 337-352). (Excerpted from Political Geography Quarterly, Vol. 9)
Knopp’s article is about the era of gentrification in New Orleans, and more specifically the salience of gay participation. Furthermore, he includes details from three events that took place during the time of the neighborhood changes. While one would expect gay neighborhood activists to help promote gay community development, they were not the most supportive group. In fact, Knopp reports gay developers and speculators to be the most active in the fight. Additionally, relationships can be formed across culture and class in gay communities when the neighborhoods are treated as a market. Lastly, this article highlights the development of social and economic male dominance due to the increase in gay men living in the neighborhood.
Louisiana lesbian and gay political action caucus. (n.d.). Retrieved November 29, 2017, from Howard-Tilton Memorial Library Special Collections website: https://specialcollections.tulane.edu/archon/?p=creators/creator&id=805
This text was published by Tulane University, and is a report on the history of the LAGPAC organization. It states that LAGPAC was created on August 8th, 1980 in Alexandria, Louisiana. Also, is describes LAGPAC as an activist group that is committed to attaining legal and social equality for Louisiana’s gender and sexual minorities. Moreover, it includes LAGPAC’s political activism and aims. Lastly, it reports that LAGPAC disbanded in 2002, but another group called Equality Louisiana took its place.
Manuel, D. C. (2014). “We Are Able to Find Pride and Dignity in Being Gay”: Culture, Resistance, and the Development of a Visible Gay Community in Lafayette, Louisiana, 1968-1989 (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). University of Louisiana, Lafayette, LA.
This thesis by Manuel aims to unpack the culture of resistance in Lafayette, Louisiana from 1968-1989. Manuel employs history to examine how the gay community evolved and became more detectable in Lafayette. He speaks of the LGBTQ community’s ability to create their own space in spite of their direct marginalization. Additionally he discusses how much of their history was delivered orally in political activist groups, gay bars, and in social circles. Later, he talks about social and political responses to the marginalization of the gay community and discusses the role of the LAGPAC.
The new orleans gay men’s chorus [Pamphlet]. (1993). Retrieved from http://www.houstonlgbthistory.org/Houston80s/Misc/Heartsong/Heartsong-pdfs/heartsong-93-others-93-061993.pdf
This primary document is the New Orleans Gay Men’s Chorus concert program. The concert took place at the UNO performing arts center on June 19th, 1993. To begin the program describes what types of music they will be singing. Next, it gives small tributes to the directors of the performance Lois Friedman, Lynne Weynand, and James Hammann, Towards the last few pages, there are adds that are geared towards gay men.
NOAGE Trailblazer Award. (2016). Retrieved November 29, 2017, from New Orleans Advocates for GLBT Elders website: http://www.noagenola.org/trailblazer-award
The New Orleans Advocates for GLBT Elders (NOAGE) is a nonprofit dedicated to supporting elderly LGBT people in New Orleans. As an organization, they witnessed LGBT elders facing much poverty, medical discrimination, and need for care. So, they created an organization to help these older adults through events and advocating. In this NOAGE trailblazer award issue, they honor Roberts Batson. Robert Batson is a writer, performer, tour guide, teacher, political strategist, and community activist. In 1980, Batson was the founding co-chair of LAGPAC. Additionally, he helped fund local HIV/AIDS and local LGBT organizations after Katrina.
RICHARDS, G. (2010). Queering Katrina: Gay Discourses of the Disaster in New Orleans. Journal of American Studies, 44(3), 519-534. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/40928865
Gary Richard’s piece focuses on the how gay communities have changed post hurricane Katrina. Furthermore, Richards attributes this change to things such as temporary and permanent relocations and job relocations. Thus, the gay community was show to feel angry, bitter, resignation, and optimism. Additionally, this essay examines gay literary productions that responded to the hurricane. These productions included, “Street: Reflections of New Orleans” and “Blanche Survives Katrina in FEM Desire”. It also cites that discourses that were affected by male homosexuality inescapably circulated and shaped ones understanding of Katrina.
A rich gay heritage. (n.d.). New Orleans Official Guide. Retrieved from http://www.neworleansonline.com/neworleans/lgbt/lgbt-heritage.html
This article from the New Orleans Official Online Guide is about the Gay heritage of New Orleans. To begin, the article talks about the start of Ellen DeGeneres’s career in New Orleans at a Mr. and Ms. gay pride contest. Then, the article talks about the rich history of the New Orleans gay community, and how gay people were almost invisible for a period of time. Next, the author discusses other prominent gay figures in New Orleans such as Tony Jackon, Lyle Saxon, Truman Capote, Frances Benjamin Johnston, and Tennessee Williams. Additionally, they mention that after prohibition gay social life became more public; there was the Fat Monday Luncheon, the Steamboat Club, and Krewe of Yuga. There was also discussion of how the Gay liberation movement was slower to develop in New Orleans because of the political climate. Finally, in 1975 and 1980 gay rights activist groups started in New Orleans. One of the noteworthy groups they mentioned was LAGPAC, who was known for being instrumental in developing an active community infrastructure.
Stewart Butler, long time LGBT leader and rights advocate, to receive award from ACLU of Louisiana. (2013, October 30). Retrieved from Gale Database.
This 2013 article is about Stewart Butler’s Award from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Louisiana. Stewart Butler is a well known LBGT civil rights activist and community leader. Additionally, Butler was a student at the University of Alaska where his passion for equality based activism started. The award he was granted is traditionally given to people who are committed to the advancement of civil liberties in Louisiana. Furthermore, Butler was one of the founding members of LAGPAC in 1980. With LAGPAC, he worked to pass a New Orleans gay rights ordinance in 1984, 1986, and 1991.