july february prominent american activist gay equality organized new_york chapter edited national magazine ladder worked closely 1960s picket lines brought attention ban employment gay people largest employer time united_states government early experiences trying learn fueled lifetime work libraries 1970s involved especially gay caucus professional organization order promote positive literature homosexuality libraries movement drop homosexuality mental illness self described life mission tear away related homosexuality associated crime mental illness awarded lifetime membership named annual award best gay lesbian novel gay lesbian alliance named activist award memorial service executive director said owe barbara early life education born elizabeth née brooks vienna austria father serving diplomat barbara siblings attended catholic schools montreal immersed catholicism point childhood considered nun family returned united_states outbreak world war settled wilmington delaware aware attraction girls said heard word homosexual rejected membership high school despite excellent student teacher reservations character took aside told rejection based teacher believed homosexual drama developed close non sexual friendship female student prompting rumors led examine sexual orientation attempts understand suspicions confirmed psychiatrist offered cure having money regular visits unable money father reasoned problems psychiatrist solve priest close friend suggested encourage rumors having talk issues consuming decided read topic found little found described abnormal medical books texts abnormal psychology odd stated unable whistle favorite color green found information focused homosexual men recalled interview thought love happiness better research took time northwestern ended failing school found purpose time saying mission general education find life like stopped going classes started going library organizations turn days libraries safe information contained dismal college age returned northwestern disgrace failing school unable tell family compelled continue search information found novels available time loneliness extraordinary women soon father discovered loneliness pile things bedroom appalled found instructed burn book letter unable speak face face eager learn homosexuality took night course abnormal psychology met woman brief affair age left home moved philadelphia began weekends new_york_city dressed man visit gay bars knew philadelphia knew places gay community interview recalled wore drag thought way gay changed early 50s basically types women gay bars called ones short hair plain masculine attire called ones dresses high heels makeup knew high heels makeup weren personal style thought kind found little common women met bars witnessing gay male acquaintance beaten leaving bar began focus energies collecting books activism 1950s 1960s daughters traveled california advice visit office new inc early organization dedicated providing support california met founded san_francisco cute haired young woman wearing shift remember seen like remembered meeting living room brought obscurity thought impractical difficult spell referenced fictional bisexual character homosexual pretty like wasn nice reasonably good spirits martin asked start chapter new_york_city dozen women responded notice newsletter asking women new_york area interested forming chapter september served chapter president years new_york philadelphia twice month remembered joined movement subject homosexuality complete silence radio talk shows documentaries united_states maybe half dozen groups people active daughters served social alternative bars took great care deny arranging immoral contacts president new_york attending members numbered meeting met twice month invited doctors ministers attorneys address meetings message clearly recalled grateful people anybody pay attention listened accepted said matter bad helped break silence matter silly look today important admitted early meetings writings urged members upset mainstream society integration acceptance won dramatically different worked clerical positions time spending years operator architectural firm new_york chapter distributed newsletter people worked required stay overtime job company mail newsletter covering firm wrote firm newsletter addressing distributed sure fired boss woman stated familiar topic having served armed forces fired cautioned careful instead ladder edited organization magazine ladder following martin editors political stand san_francisco mayoral race martin preferred ladder remain impressed influence editor impacted magazine opinions readers discovered power press power want order influence readers said convention newly formed audience heard speaker named tell exclusive homosexual articles essays ladder carried viewpoints difficult doctors address homosexuality form said people like talked homosexuality sickness talked cure sit listen social hour afterward spoke gay activist making impression point useless try find causes homosexuality valid evidence illness thinking didn change came said firmly homosexuality kind sickness disease disorder malfunction fully par suddenly found looking things happened past different light taking position increasingly positions began implement changes ladder included adding lesbian review underneath title cover replacing line drawings cover photographs actual taken partner distributed ladder new_york philadelphia store displayed magazine prominently selling copies month focus magazine shifted controversial issues spark debate printing articles titled hate women remarking women politically act teach forth debate effective educate public political action protests participated earliest lgbt actions united_states marched gay picket lines white house independence hall philadelphia protest federal government policy discrimination holding sign read sexual preference irrelevant federal employment men agreed picket wear suits ties women participated wear dresses heels look federal government reactions varied tourist witnessing demonstration remarked don believe somebody stunned high school student pointed look normal recalled remember man said kids hold dirty woman dragging string kids said angrily married children like distributed described reasons surprising recipients unaware fired easily remembered risky scared popular tactic time cause gay people evening prior group secretary state announced press conference connected high profile visibility breakthrough mainstream publicity led annual reminder independence hall philadelphia july riots june riots annual commemorating riots took place differences political stance leadership began came culmination ousted editor ladder source claims creating issue reported convention late according source removed adults cover magazine consulting november worked counsel hearings held discredit expert witness named testified converted question policy held homosexual employees fired named publicity objective recalled years later dressed wore buttons said gay good pray held press conferences benefit sharp eyed reporters went hearing room certain shake hands participants avoid reading buttons attorney end cross examination removed lists expert witnesses hundreds appearances speaker late 1960s carried mission convince alike homosexuality illness stating letter trying convince people movement charge sickness greatest problem progress directions assumption sickness demolished sympathetic person attitude homosexuality undesirable sort twist malfunction failure kind psychic sickness society sick people definition sick equal treatment equal treatment want compassion swallow think represents improvement attitudes equal treatment activism 1970s later 1970s continued search resources libraries addressed homosexuality positive supportive way discussing pursuit improvement materials libraries said years libraries book shops trying find stories read people active arenas gay rights movement kept eye emerging literature began talk healthy happy good lives bells libraries gay books found home gay group formed gay caucus professional association coordinator pushed visibility profession staffed kissing booth dallas convention underneath banner homosexual women men took advantage patience sarah author pen kissed rolling television cameras describing success despite reaction negative said needed audience decided let gay love live offering free mind free sex kisses let tell came booth free kissed shown twice evening news morning map appearance pbs including open appear television debated long held stereotypes week appearance david middle aged couple approached supermarket claim realize gay people love way arnold organized discussion entitled friend foe dialogue panel discuss homosexuality partner noticed protested remembered partner said isn right pitted need panel agreed add gay psychiatrist find come forward wrote letters phone calls country gay psychiatrist philadelphia finally agreed appear panel heavy disguise voice microphone calling discussed forced practicing read aloud letters declined appear fear professional described event homosexuality removed statistical manual mental disorder celebrated photographed philadelphia newspaper headlines million gain instant cure spent years working libraries campaigning positive gay lesbian themed materials libraries eliminate censorship job discrimination wrote library land gay lesbian task force sixteen years brief history group helped start called later named served board 1980s inspired nurses form held exhibits conventions gay love good medicine portrayed happy healthy legacy appeared documentary films past remembered decisions open life said time decision forward stay use real television decline earliest picket lines remain usually took public position weren afford risk honored contributions lgbt cause seventh annual philadelphia organization described parks gay lesbian civil rights movement renowned ferocious dedication cause eyed optimism kindness gentle sense humor recognition contributions promotion gay lesbian literature renamed book awards book award barbara literature award honored highlighting dedication activism year announced books dedicated gay lesbian issues items collection second largest gay lesbian collection books outside rewarded highest tribute lifetime honorary membership earned award goes people significant impact mental health october acquired sign carried donated readers advocate included list favorite gay lesbian heroes october city philadelphia named section street memory inducted legacy walk outdoor public display celebrates lgbt history people personal life avid music lover interested baroque renaissance music sang choral groups life spending years hiking lifelong partner known born met picnic rhode_island described began hit started flew boston got plane big bunch flowers hand couldn resist care world thought dropped flowers grabbed kissed years donated copies materials photographs covering activism donated original papers photographs head said collection donated remarkable hand chronicle detailing battles overcome prejudice restrictions prevalent prior activism protest movements started 1960s main library received donation books gay book collection pushed grant couple membership reduced price health insurance acts activist come newsletter published assisted living facility reside february died pennsylvania long battle breast cancer survived life partner sister summed inspiration activism teenager struggle learn meant gay years satisfaction working gay people country backs oil closet door change hearts minds gay love good rest world hard work vital fun
Barbara Gittings