Gay And Lesbian Alumni/ae of the University of Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s College Records (GALA-ND/SMC)
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Content Description
Records of the Gay and Lesbian Alumni/ae of the University of Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s College (GALA-ND/SMC) include constitutions and organizational documents for a variety of gay rights organizations at the University of Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s College and promotional materials, correspondence and articles about gay rights issues and events at the University of Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s College such as The Queer Film Fest and National Coming Out Day. These records also include clippings of articles and advertisements from newspapers and magazines affiliated with the University of Notre Dame, namely The Irish Rover, The Observer, and Scholastic, clippings of articles from news sources external to the University, as well as objects and ephemera.
Key events covered include the activism and response to the University of Notre Dame administration’s decision to deny club status and the use of campus space to LGBT student groups in the 1990’s; the University of Notre Dame administration’s establishment of a Standing Committee for Gay and Lesbian Student Needs in 1997; the denial of the motion to add sexual orientation to the University of Notre Dame's anti-discrimination clause by the Board of Fellows and Board of Trustees and the publication of “The Spirit of Inclusion” in 1998; the “Gay? Fine by Me” t-shirt campaign and establishment of a Queer Film Festival in the early 2000s; and University of Notre Dame President Jenkins’ statement on academic freedom and Catholic character and the restructuring and renaming of the Standing Committee to the Core Council for Gay and Lesbian Students in 2006.
Dates
- Creation: Majority of material found within 1970 - 2022
Creator
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright status for collection materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.
Biographical / Historical
Gay and Lesbian Alumni/ae of the University of Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s College (GALA-ND/SMC) was an unofficial alumni group for gay and lesbian alumni of the University of Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s College. The group was formed in the fall of 1993, following in the footsteps of its forerunner, GALA-ND (founded in March, 1991). The purpose of GALA-ND/SMC was to foster community and solidarity among gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered graduates from the University of Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s College and to help educate the academic community about sexual orientation issues. GALA-ND/SMC played a significant role in the gay rights movement at the University of Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s College through activism and support of LGBT student groups. In 2022, GALA-ND/SMC was replaced by ARC ND (Alumni Rainbow Community of Notre Dame), an officially recognized group dedicated to bringing together LGBTQ alumni and allies.
Biographical / Historical
In addition to alumni/ae groups, the University of Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s College have had a number of gay rights groups formed by active students. These groups worked to provide visibility, awareness and education for gay rights issues at the University of Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s College and beyond. Over the years, these organizations have challenged discriminatory university policies, advocated for LGBTQ+ inclusive curricula, and worked to create safe spaces, support networks and provide education and outreach. These groups faced opposition from conservative groups and administrators, leading to national debates about academic freedom and inclusivity on college campuses.
Extent
2 cubic feet (1 standard records storage box, 1 half legal document box, 1 half letter document box and 1 box of oversize rolled materials.)
Language of Materials
English
- Author
- Sarah Joswick
- Date
- January 17, 2025
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Revision Statements
- 2025-06-02: Finding aid updated to include processing and description of accession 2025-070-COTR.
Repository Details
Part of the University of Notre Dame Archives Repository