Four members of the Theater Offensive youth troupe, "True Colors," in a production.
Boston Alliance of Gay and Lesbian Youth, Inc. records
The Boston Alliance of Gay and Lesbian Youth, Inc. known as BAGLY, Inc., was founded in 1980 as the first youth-run organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth in Boston. Headed by Executive Director Grace Sterling Stowell, BAGLY is a youth-led, adult-advised social support organization that creates, sustains and advocates for programs, policies and services for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth aged 22 and under.
Gay Academic Union of New England records
The Gay Academic Union (GAU) was founded in 1973 in New York City, New York, for the purpose of institutionalizing GLBT studies and activism at colleges and universities throughout the United States. Among the other aims of the organization were support for early feminist activism, the creation of a support and communication network for gays and lesbians, and active opposition of anti-gay discrimination. Regional chapters included those in New England, New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. The organization was disbanded in 1984.
The Theater Offensive records
The Theater Offensive was founded in 1989 by Abraham Rybeck "to form and present the diverse realities of queer lives in art so bold it breaks through personal isolation and political orthodoxy to help build an honest, progressive community." The Theater Offensive mounts and produces festivals and individual productions by national and local queer performers, and also serves as a development environment for new theatrical work. In addition, The Theater Offensive works to build community through education, outreach, and political activism. The True Colors Youth Theater is the Theater Offensive's youth troupe.
Boston Intercollegiate Lesbian and Gay Alliance records
The Boston Intercollegiate Lesbian and Gay Alliance (BILGA) was created in 1983 as an umbrella organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender student groups in the Boston area. The group coordinated student activism and community-building, provided support for fledgling student groups, and began an annual conference, the Northeast Lesbian and Gay Student Activist Conference. The conferences spawned the Northeast Lesbian and Gay Student Union, which began to run the event in 1985. The Boston Intercollegiate Lesbian and Gay Alliance disbanded in 1990.
Student Homophile League of Boston newsletters
The Student Homophile League of Boston was organized in 1969 by an MIT student, Stan Tillotson. The group assisted gay, Boston-area, college students in the process of coming out. The Student Homophile League of Boston provided a safe place for gay students to meet and performed educational outreach. The Student Homophile League disbanded in December 1972 after being asked to leave their meeting space.