This digital exhibit was created by Jay Kinde '25, inspired by the 2023 Meliora Weekend Lecture, "LGBTQ+ Legacies: University Archives and Cultural Heritage."
LGBTQ+ History at the University of Rochester
For many reasons, the stories of LGBTQ+ people have been left out of the historical record. This is true even at an institution such as the University of Rochester which prides itself on its ties to early LGBTQ+ activism. The March 2023 designation of Todd Union as the birthplace of Rochester’s Gay Liberation Front was a big step towards recognizing the rich history of LGBTQ+ existence on campus.[1]
However, many questions remain to be asked and answered: How did we get from meetings in Todd Union to the university we occupy today? What battles were fought, and what victories were celebrated? And what about before? Where can we find representation before that fateful Fall? These are questions larger than just one project: this site can only show a glimpse into the rich history of the LGBTQ+ student life, one that spans not just 50 years since the first meeting of the Gay Liberation Front, but at least 80.
Rather than focusing solely on the beginnings, this timeline attempts to trace LGBTQ+ student life across the decades. In a University setting with a constantly shifting population, it can be hard to retain the details of what came years before. Nevertheless, the effort of doing so is rewarding and essential to understanding the progress that has been made and what students are capable of achieving. Using the University Archive collections of the Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation department many of these histories have been brought to light to show a fuller picture of the rich LGBTQ+ life on campus.