10 Facts about Sacramento State LGBT History

1. The Society for Homosexual Freedom was the first LGBT student organization recognized on campus, but went unrecognized by the campus administration.
2. In order to achieve recognition, George Raya sued the university President, Otto Butz, for its right to be an official club organization. He won, making a landmark case, citing the first amendment.

3. With their success, they renamed themselves the Gay Liberation Front of Sacramento State, joining a larger, national movement towards gay rights.
4. To help promote gay acceptance on campus, the club invited Beat poet Allen Ginsburg to campus in 1971 to headline a symposium.
5. This organization eventually became dominated by men, causing queer women to seek out other resources and community, beginning with the Women’s Studies program and classes such as “The Lesbian and Society.”

6. In this vein, the PRIDE center itself originally started out as the PRIDE program in 2004, a program in the Women’s Resource Center.

7. This program initially struggled to maintain its presence and financial support, but eventually solidified its presence within the WRC.
8. The center was founded in October of 2007, celebrating its 10 year anniversary in April of 2017, with its 15th anniversary passing during the 2021-2022 school year.
9. It was originally located in the now defunct Foley Hall as part of the Women’s Resource Center, but has since moved to the University Union.
10. Around the same time, Sacramento State students Lenaea Sanders, Fantasia Stesland, and Nick Franco founded the university’s first LGBT co-ed fraternity, Kappa Iota Nu.

For more information and resources on and for LGBT students at Sac State, please visit the Pride Center’s website, or pay a visit in person at the University Union on the first floor.

References:

Ferrannini, John. “Meet the Man Who Sued Sac State for Right to Form an Official LGBT Club on Campus — and Won.” University Wire, Apr 12, 2017. http://proxy.lib.csus.edu/login?qurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.proquest.com%2Fwire-feeds%2Fmeet-man-who-sued-sac-state-right-form-official%2Fdocview%2F1886859310%2Fse-2%3Faccountid%3D10358.

Ferrannini, John. “PRIDE Center celebrates 10th anniversary on campus.” The State Hornet, April 12, 2017. https://statehornet.com/2017/04/pride-center-celebrates-10th-anniversary-on-campus/.

Hyatt, Greg. “Program wins battle over funding.” The State Hornet, May 10, 2005. https://statehornet.com/2005/05/program-wins-battle-over-funding/.

Juarez, Isabelle. “PRIDE Center’s virtual event showcases Sac State LGBTQ+ history, including landmark court case.” The State Hornet, September 25, 2020. https://statehornet.com/2020/09/sac-state-pride-center-welcome/.

Kitaura, Cody. “New PRIDE center offers support, aid for gay students.” The State Hornet, January 7, 2007. https://statehornet.com/2007/01/new-pride-center-offers-support-aid-for-gay-students/.

Megino, Nika. “Campus home to first gay-friendly, coed frat.” The State Hornet, January 7, 2007. https://statehornet.com/2007/01/campus-home-to-first-gay-friendly-coed-frat/.

Reichard, David A. “We Can’t Hide and They Are Wrong: The Society for Homosexual Freedom and the Struggle for Recognition at Sacramento State College, 1969-1971.” Law and History Review 28, no. 3 (August 2010): 629-674. https://www.jstor.org/stable/25701145.

Sacramento State PRIDE Center. 2022. Facebook, September 28th, 2022. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=393243063021592&set=a.393243023021596.