LGBT Thought and Culture: Looking beyond the letters

Whether you’re an ally or a member of the LGBTIQ+ community, LGBT Thought and Culture eresource has something for you! We're launching it to celebrate Wear It Purple Day on Friday 27 August 2021. Wear It Purple Day celebrates LGBTIQ+ young people and aims to create a safer, happier world, one that is free from bullying and harassment.  

Experience the rich and sometimes jagged history of LGBTIQ+ activism with LGBT Thought and Culture eresource. See how far we’ve come, from a history steeped in secrets and shame to one of pride and celebration. LGBT Thought and Culture captures this history through an archive of 150 000 pages including letters, speeches, interviews, magazines, memoirs and so much more.

Here are two collections in the archives you might like if you want to learn more about LGBTIQ+ world history:

1. The Kinsey Institute: Studying human sexuality, the Kinsey Institute’s contribution to LGBT Thought and Culture is a wealth of early transgender periodicals as well as papers and writings from prominent LGBTIQ+ personalities.

2. Blacklines: This newspaper was published monthly and chronicles the lives and culture of LGBTIQ+ African Americans. It has a particular interest in gay media and covers the 10 years between 1996 and 2006.

LGBT Thought and Culture isn’t just about the LGBTIQ+ movements in the United States, however, it also has Australian content. Below are some examples of Australian collections that feature in the eresource which bring to light the history of LGBTIQ+ communities in Australia:

1. OutRage magazine: This magazine was first published in Victoria in 1983 and was described as being for “gay men and lesbians”. Ceasing publication in the early 2000s, it is an example of LGBTIQ+ magazines from another era. The archive features cover images, photographs and articles.

2. Campaign magazine: Flagged as “Australia’s national magazine for Gay society”, Campaign was published in Potts Point, Sydney. This monthly magazine began in 1975 and captures the time period of the 78ers, a group of activists who were integral to the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.

3. EROS archive: The Eros archive from Flinders University includes newspaper clippings, letters, reports to committees and publications from the Australian sex industry lobby group. It is a unique glimpse into the LGBTIQ+ activism and protest movement in Australia.

This is just some of the things you can find in LGBT Thought and Culture eresource. Why not search it for yourself and see what you can discover? The hidden histories of LGBTIQ+ people across the globe are just waiting to be explored!