Gay and Lesbian Miscellaneous Manuscript Collection, 1972-2012

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Western Washington University. -- Center for Pacific Northwest Studies.
Title
Gay and Lesbian Miscellaneous Manuscript Collection
Dates
1972-2012 (inclusive)
Quantity
4 linear feet
Collection Number
XOE_CPNWS0136glbtmis
Summary
The Gay and Lesbian Miscellaneous Manuscripts Collection documents some of the history of the LGBTQ+ community of Bellingham and Whatcom County, Washington.
Repository
Western Washington University, Center for Pacific Northwest Studies
Goltz-Murray Archives Building
808 25th St.
Bellingham, WA
98225
Telephone: (360) 650-7534
cpnws@wwu.edu
Access Restrictions

Some access restrictions apply to oral history interviews (Contact repository for details).

Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for preparing this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the Washington State Legislature to the Washington Women's History Consortium. Funding for encoding the finding aid was awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Historical NoteReturn to Top

The Gay and Lesbian Miscellaneous Manuscript Collection comprises a collection of materials gathered and housed by the Center for Pacific Northwest Studies. During the Center's Gay and Lesbian Archives Project in 2001-2002, Center staff solicited archival materials including photographs, publications, posters and other printed materials. A number of individuals from Bellingham and Whatcom County donated materials about the history of the local LGBTQ+ communities.

The Center hosted a workshop to discuss the history and experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals in Whatcom County, encouraged donation of materials and conducted oral history interviews with several community members.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The Gay and Lesbian Miscellaneous Manuscripts Collection documents some of the history of the LGBTQ+ community of Bellingham and Whatcom County, Washington. The collection spans the period circa 1972-2012, with the bulk of material from 1972-2002.

Manuscript materials include fliers, posters, journals and a small number of photographs documenting events and activities in the Bellingham and the surrounding area, clippings and articles, as well as information about local LGBTQ+ resources. These materials include incomplete runs of local women's publication the "Women's Network Newsletter", and a local lesbian publication called "The L Word". Manuscripts also include a journal, posters and fliers pertaining to a traveling women's coffeehouse in the early 1990s, and several programs from the Pacific Northwest Women's Music & Cultural Jamboree (held at Western Washington University in the early 1990s). Information about gay and lesbian community resources in Bellingham include histories of the Womencare Shelter (founded in 1979 as a safe house for victims of domestic violence) and the Elizabeth Blackwell Women's Clinic. Manuscripts also include a 1972 photograph of a local gay bar in downtown Bellingham, ephemera documenting LGBTQ+ events held at Western Washington University, and programs from the Imperial Sovereign Court of the Evergreen Empire's drag ball show in Bellingham. The collection contains one folder of records reflecting the concerns and actions of women at the Puget Sound Women's Peace Camp circa 1983-1984. Posters and fliers document anti-nuclear protests at the Boeing Cruise Missile Plant in Kent, Washington, and include the 1985 publication We Are Ordinary Women: A Chronicle of the Puget Sound Women's Peace Camp.

Audio recordings include copies of Chris Pastorino's lesbian radio show, produced by Western Washington University's KUGS station from the early 1980s through 1993. The collection also contains several oral history interviews conducted in conjunction with the Gay and Lesbian Archives project in 2001-2002.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Preferred Citation

Gay and Lesbian Miscellaneous Manuscript Collection, Center for Pacific Northwest Studies, Western Libraries Archives & Special Collections, Western Washington University, Bellingham WA 98225-9123.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

The Gay and Lesbian Miscellaneous Manuscript Collection is organized in accordance with the following series arrangement:

  • Series I: Manuscripts circa 1972-2001
  • Series II: Audio Recordings circa 1982-2002

Acquisition Information

The Center for Pacific Northwest Studies solicited archival materials for this collection in the course of the Gay and Lesbian Archives Project in 2001-2002. Several individuals donated materials relating to local LGBTQ+ history at the time of the project, with some additional gifts of archival material from community members made in subsequent years.

Processing Note

About Harmful Content

To learn more about problematic content in our collections, collection description and teaching tools (including how to provide feedback or request dialog on this topic), see our Statement About Potentially Harmful Language and Content

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Series I:  Manuscripts, circa 1972-2012Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
1 1
Blackwell's Women's Clinic (history)
circa 1973-1981
1 2
Community Resources for GBLT community
undated
1A 1-2
Gender identity, transgender rights and experience (2 folders of articles, clippings and published resources)
approximately 1995-2012
1 3
"Grandma's Assumption" article by Suzanne Kolm
undated
1 4
Imperial Sovereign Court of the Evergreen Empire-I.S.C.E.E. (Drag) event programs,
1996-2001
1 5
"L" Word newsletter
1994-1995
1 6
Labyrinth
undated
1 7
Lesbian Coffeehouse journal and flyers
1990-1993
1A 3
Marriage Equality - Clippings and published material
2005-2012
1 8
Pacific Northwest Women's Music and Cultural Jamboree
1991-1994
1 9
Posters and flyers for local events
circa 1979-1984
OV1
Posters for local events
circa 1979-1984
Folder
1A 4-6
Religion, gender and sexuality - publications and resources (3 folders)
Includes a Directory of Inclusive Faith Communities in Greater Seattle area (2003-2004), copies of thE Cable and Record newsletters from Evangelicals Concerned (2003-2008), and copy of a statement from the rector of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Bellingham re: human sexuality.
approximately 2003-2011
OV1
The Stranger: The Queer Issue, Volume 16:41
June 21-27, 2007
Folder
1 10
Up & Up bar – historic photograph
1972
1 11
Western Washington University related ephemera
1971-1972
1 12
Western Washington University – Motherlode concert photographs
undated
1 13
Whatcom County Coalition of Washington Citizens for Fairness/Hands off Washington campaign for senate bill 1443
1993-1994
1 14
Womencare Shelter – history
undated
1 15
Women's Network Newsletter
1981-1983
1 16
Women's Peace Camp
1983-1985

Series II:  Audio Recordings, 1982-2001Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Chris Pastorino's radio shows
1982-1993
Box Folder
2 1
Meg Christian and Chris Williamson (Chris Pastorino and Valerie Fisher) - Press Conference
1983 June 4
2 2
Women on Air "Lesbians Show"
1982 August
2 3
Betsy Rose and Janet Peterson Interview
1985 August
2 4
Meg Christianson Interview
1982 October
2 4
Holly Near Interview, Seattle
1983 September 24
2 5
Women on Air "History of Lesbianism"
1984 January 5
2 6
Meg Christian Interview
1984 April
2 7
Women on Air - Betsy Rose
1985 February 13
2 8
Chris Williamson and Tret Fure
1985 November 9
2 8
Linda Allen Interview
1986 January 20
2 9
Linda Allen Interview
1989 March 21
2 10
Women on Air
1992 August 31
2 11
Women on Air
1993 April
2 12-13
Women on Air Final Show
1993 June 7
Oral History Interviews cassettes and transcripts
1982-2002
Box Folder
3 1
Ashworth, Robert
2002 February 4
3 2
Jubilo, Sherry *Interview is indecipherable.
2002 August 27
3 3
Morgan, Steve
2001 December 5
3 4
Pastorino, Chris *Restrictions apply to this interview
2002 February 22
3 5
Rowell, Ross
2001 November 12
3 6
Oral History Interview CDs
Box Folder
OV1 OV1
Rebecca Valrejean New Testament LP
1977

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Antinuclear movement--Washington (State)--History--Sources.
  • Bisexuals--Washington (State)--Whatcom County--History--Sources.
  • Feminism and the arts--Washington (State)--Whatcom County--History--Sources.
  • Gay rights--Washington (State)--Whatcom County--History--Sources.
  • Gays--Washington (State)--Whatcom County--History--Sources.
  • Lesbians--Washington (State)--Whatcom County--History--Sources.
  • Oral history--Washington (State)--Whatcom County--History--Sources.
  • Transgender people--Washington (State)--Whatcom County--History--Sources.
  • Women and peace--Washington (State)--History--Sources.
  • Women musicians--Washington (State)--Whatcom County--History--Sources.
  • Women's health services--Washington (State)--Bellingham--History--Sources.
  • Women's rights--Washington (State)--Whatcom County--History--Sources.
  • Women's shelters--Washington (State)--Bellingham--History--Sources.
  • Women--Political Activity--Washington (State)--History--Sources.

Form or Genre Terms

  • Interviews
  • Records (Documents)