• Angela Brinskele, Los Angeles CA:

"I have admired and been indebted to Barbara Gittings for a long time.  In November, I went to UCLA to listen to her speak and take photos.  When I thanked her for all her great work she looked me in the eyes and said, "Keep it going and carry it on."  I told her I would.  One of the best ways for me to do this is to pass on that message."

Here is a photo I took that day: November 17, 2006@ UCLA
 


                    angela brinskele©2006

 
• Brenda J. Marston, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY:

"The world has lost an ardent book lover and courageous lesbian and gay rights activist with the death of Barbara Gittings on Sunday, February 18 from breast cancer.  See the Washington Blade’s story here: http://www.washblade.com/thelatest/thelatest.cfm?blog_id=11465

I want to share some reflections on Gittings’ influence on the realm of gay books and her impact on me at Cornell.  Take a look at the pictures of her in our exhibit (links below); they will make you smile.

Though not a librarian, Gittings contributed much to the library profession.  She led the Gay Task Force of the American Library Association (ALA) from 1971 to 1986.  Founded in 1970, it was the first gay unit of any professional organization, and it started with gusto.  At the 1971 ALA conference in Dallas, the Gay Task Force distributed 3,000 copies of its A Gay Bibliography, presented the first gay book award, and hosted two program sessions.  In addition, they generated press releases each day with headlines including “Catalog librarians declare that 15 million gay Americans refuse to be called Sexual Aberrations.”

They generated the most attention with ALA’s first gay kissing booth, created to draw attention to both gay literature and gay librarians. Gittings was one of the bold participants of the kissing and “Hug-a-Homosexual” booth and assumed leadership of ALA’s Gay Task Force after that meeting.  Under her leadership, the Gay Task Force worked to stop discrimination against gay library employees and to improve libraries’ holdings of and access to gay literature.  Through its bibliographies, the group offered guidance on how to find books that supported a positive view of lesbians and gays.  In 1979, the Gay Task Force published Censored, ignored, overlooked, too expensive?: How to get gay materials into libraries: A guide to library selection policies for the non-librarian.  The group also worked to improve the descriptions of homosexuals found in encyclopedias.  At the combined ALA/Canadian Library Association conference in Toronto in 2003, the ALA presented Gittings with its highest honor, a lifetime membership.

Gittings’ involvement in the gay rights movement started in the 1958 when she helped organize the New York City chapter of the Daughters of Bilitis (D.O.B.). It was there she met her life partner Kay Tobin Lahausen, who has been by her side for 46 years.  An appreciation of books was central to the early members of D.O.B.

As our new online exhibition points out
( http://rmc.library.cornell.edu/HRC/exhibition/stage/stage_9.html ), the goals of the Daughters of Bilitis were education for the “variant” and the public at large, research, and the promotion of change in penal codes.  An important focus was “establishing and maintaining as complete a library as possible of both fiction and non-fiction literature on the sex deviant theme.”  This devotion to literature has certainly been a lifelong personal characteristic of both Gittings and Lahusen.

Gittings and Lahusen visited Cornell University Library once.  It was my honor to give them a tour of the Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections on Sunday afternoon, October 31, 1999.  As devoted bibliophiles, they were in absolute awe here.  I remember how excited they were to pass by Audubon's folios in the vault.  In addition to highlights of the Human Sexuality Collection, I showed them our cuneiform tablets, Lombard Gradual, and Gettysburg Address.  I can think of no other visitors who responded to each and every item with more elation and appreciation.

On their visit to Cornell, Barbara Gittings and Kay Tobin Lahusen donated a few items, including photocopied images of Gittings in gay rights demonstrations in front of the White House in October 1965 and in front of Independence Hall on July 4, 1966 and July 4, 1969.  These early demonstrations by a few brave individuals set the stage for larger demonstrations and an era of gays coming out of the closet.

These items are cataloged as Barbara Gittings and Kay Tobin Lahusen Miscellany, collection #7645.  In addition, the Cornell Library holds Lahusen’s 1972 book, The Gay Crusaders, which has a chapter about Gittings, and:

The Same sex; an appraisal of homosexuality. Ralph W. Weltge, editor. [1969]  A copy signed by Barbara B. Gittings, Foster Gunnison, Jr. and Franklin E. Kameny, who have articles included in book.
A gay bibliography/ Task Force on Gay Liberation, Social Responsibilities Round Table, American Library Association; coordinator, Barbara Gittings. 1974.
Gays in library land: the Gay and Lesbian Task Force of the American Library Association, the first sixteen years / by Barbara Gittings. 1990.

Our new online exhibit, 25 Years of Political Influence:  The Records of the Human Rights Campaign, mentions Barbara Gittings and features several photos of her.  You can see:

The 1950s-1960s Public Protest section:  http://rmc.library.cornell.edu/HRC/exhibition/stage/stage_13.html
Gittings at the 1973 press conference at which the American Psychiatric Association announced homosexuality would no longer be categorized as a mental disorder: http://rmc.library.cornell.edu/HRC/exhibition/stage/stage_22.html
Gittings at the Our Right to Love exhibit at ALA, February 1978, wearing a “Gay Book Buff” t-shirt:  http://rmc.library.cornell.edu/HRC/exhibition/stage/stage_17.html

It was a true honor to have had a chance to spend an afternoon and evening with Barbara Gittings and Kay Tobin Lahusen.  I will always treasure that brief time I had with them.  I deeply appreciate all the years they both have contributed to making positive images of LGBT people available in print and accessible in our libraries.  They are a profound inspiration.

I'm feeling deep appreciation for Barbara's legacy and deep sympathy for Kay right now.  I hope you will join me in pausing to reflect upon the passing of this extraordinary book lover and influential activist.  She lived 75 remarkable years."
 

• Dr. Thomas Gertz, Chicago, IL

 

 

"During my early years (1968-1973) as President & Vice President of Mattachine Midwest in Chicago, Barbara Gittings was there with words of encouragement and support.  Barbara certainly was the "Grand Mother" of the Gay Rights Movement, long before there was the Gay Liberation Movement.

Barbara's work with the American Library Association - The Gay Bibliography she published, as well as her efforts with the American Psychiatric Association "curing" homosexuality by removing as a "disease" which it never should have been.

Thank you Barbara for all you've done for me and all of us.  You will never be forgotten for what you did.  My sympathy to Kay - may memories of the past bring comfort to you in the days to come.

With Deepest Sympathy."
 

CONTINUE TO MANY MORE MEMORIES ON THE NEXT PAGE (click here)

Back to Remembering Barbara Gittings