History

January 5, 1972
Gay Liberation asks for Urbana to amend Sec. 21.38. to not make dressing in non-gender conforming clothing an illegal act.
August 1972
Gay Liberation Front formed at U of I. Activities included consciousness raising.

January 1976
- Gay Illini resource center opens in YMCA (Student Advocate 1/14/76 heading “Resource Center to Begin Operation)
- The resource center provides a circulating collection of books and publications
- Starts a few times a week from 12-1 or 12-2, goes down to Wednesdays from 12-2 due to time constraints with shared space in the YWCA.
- Transfers to the Union in Fall of 1976. (DI April 29, 1978 “Union Space”)
- GAYLY Illini in front of folder 4 talks about the center opening and taking on a more community education and information service role in addition to a lending library of sorts.
January 12, 1976
Gay Switchboard opens. Phone line for information can be called from 7pm to 1am as well as for support and crisis hotline.

Between September 1975-July 1976
- Gay Illini Coffee House Wednesday night meetings of the Gay Illini took place at the Red Herring at 7:30 and are open to the public.
- Gay Illini worked rigorously on the Champaign Human Rights Ordinance
- Open to the public, many members from surrounding community including Danville. Some sources seemed to point to it as mostly being a male organization.
- An Affiliate of the National Coalition of Gay Activists

January 7, 1977
Article from The Courier “Conference to Focus on Homosexual Rights” held in Champaign at the Union for gay liberation organizations across the state of Illinois
Friday April 1, 1977
Article from Gay Life “Gay Appointed Urbana Commission” mentions that Urbana is one of the 35 municipalities in the nation with a gay rights ordinance, but is the only one in Illinois.
April 11-17, 1977
“Gay Illini to Host Pride Week Program (Gay Life 4 March 1977) held at U of I
Wednesday, July 20, 1977
Article from the Daily Illini “Champaign Approves Rights Ordinance” Many articles on this day about it in various papers (Gay Life, News Gazette, Courier)
Tuesday, July 26, 1977
Article from the Daily Illini “City Sets Fine Example for others on Gay Rights”

1987
First report given to the Chancellor on why the campus needs a LGBT Resource center with an office – it was ignored.
April 16, 1987
“Chancellor’s Campuswide Task Force on Sexual Orientation” Final Report submitted by Mary Ellen O’Shaughnessey, Chair.
- (Appointed by Chancellor Thomas E. Everhart in Feb. 1986) submitted a final report on campus climate in 1987.
- Board of Trustees adopted a resolution on Sept. 29, 1987 to prohibit discrimination due to sexuality
June 11, 1987
Illini Week “Ikenberry, board affirm UI policy protects gays"
October 11, 1987
Gay and Lesbian Illini assemble a group of individuals to go to the national march on Washington

December 22, 1988
Article from Chicago Sun-Times “Chicago gay rights bill ok’d after 15 year battle”
- Approximately 13 years after Urbana, 11 after Champaign

June 23, 1989
Article from Daily Illini “C-U mayors jointly declare special day for gay pride”

From video with Curt McKay “Out on Campus”
Formed by faculty and staff initially as a social group, but quickly transitioned into more activism work.
Worked to:
- get Residence halls to allow same-sex couples to live together
- get gender identity and sexual orientation to be included in the university’s non-discrimination policy

1993 – LGBTRC received funding!
Small, shared space in the Illini Union.
1993 – The Ally Network began
The need for LGBT people and straight people who were supportive, to get some training on how to be supportive but also to form a network to help them know who to talk to on campus if a student had a problem or for other needs. That was developed through the Counseling Center which had a sexual orientation, diversity, allies committee (SODA). Soon, there were ally trainings for many of the cultural houses and even Greek ally trainings implemented.
Year?
$10,000 funding came in to remodel and have a bigger space, so the center could become a place to hang out and socialize as well.

In 2013, the LGBT Resource Center Celebrated its 20 Year Anniversary. Check out our 20 Year Anniversary Facebook page.

UIUC Campus LGBTQ Historical Timeline