NEWS FROM THE FUND FOR REUNION/PRINCETON GALA A Non-profit Association of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Princeton Alumni, Students, Faculty and Staff P.O. Box 1481, Princeton, New Jersey 08542
Volume VII, No. 1	December 1992

Contents

An Open Letter from Dick Limoges, '60

Dear Friends:

I hope you like the new look of our newsletter, another sign of our continuing development and progress.

We want and need your support, involvement and enthusiasm as we continue to speak with an ever stronger voice on campus and in the Alumni Association.

First, a little history. The FFR/GALA was established in 1986 to provide a welcoming and supportive group for gay and bisexual men and women (especially the alumni/ae who have often felt alienated and irrelevant). We know we are not irrelevant — and the University is waking up to this fact.

Today, our membership includes alumni/ae students (both undergraduate and graduate), faculty and friends. The organization has accomplished much over the past six years under the dedicated leadership of a small but determined group of people.

Given our explicitly alumni/ae orientation, we have in the past especially concerned ourselves with making Princeton Reunions more welcoming to gay and bisexual Princetonians.

You, the membership at large, have made all of these activities and accomplishments possible through your financial support and, in many cases, personal efforts. It is the board of trustees' responsibility, however to provide leadership and direction for the organization in order to assure that the growing visibility of gay and bisexual Princetonians sustains real, long-term change.

Over the past several months, we have been making a concerted effort to find, attract and interest new people in FFR/GALA's leadership. Too many sympathetic people do not know fully who we are or what we do. Others assume there is no part for them to play. This is not so. We need YOU no matter how much or how little you have to contribute.

We are reorganizing now — a part of the natural life-cycle of all organizations — and as a result, are striving to define our new goals for the near future.

We are now focusing our efforts on a limited number of tangible, feasible projects centered in the vicinity of Princeton (particularly in New York and Philadelphia). These projects include: maintaining a strong presence at Reunions with our annual meeting/elections and a dance; establishing continuous communication with the on-campus gay and bisexual leaders by having a representative sit on the Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Task Force that meets monthly; sponsoring an on-campus career panel; continuing our financial support for senior thesis research; and holding at least one fundraiser before Reunions.

Of course, essential to all of this is good communication with you, our membership, through a regular and timely newsletter.

Already we have taken steps toward accomplishing these goals. Michael Phillips '90 has assumed responsibility for the production of the newsletter at least four times annually. Tom Grant '64, Jack Schlegel '57, and Sean Sawyer '88 have organized a fundraiser on Sunday, February 7 in New York. Sean attended the October 20th meeting of the LGB Task Force, and others have offered to help organize a career panel and the Reunions dance.

We are counting on you to help meet these goals. Please send us your dues in the enclosed envelope (now, before you forget). Please also consider giving your time to the extent that you can. There is a place for you and a job to be done as we go gaily forward.

Enthusiastically yours,
Dick Limoges '60

Campus Activism Comes Out, Front and Center

Princeton students and other members of the community have come together in the past two years to create the most focused and effective campaign for better lesbian and gay visibility on campus yet seen. The renaissance began two years ago with the reorganization of the hoary Gay Alliance of Princeton, merged into a new, broadly-based group. Now dubbed the "Lesbian, Gay & Bisexual Alliance" (LGBA, and aided by a paid campus coordinator, graduate and undergraduate students have begun to create "lavender" traditions for Old Nassau.

With the help of campus coordinator, Jen Kates, Dartmouth '88, Princeton pride has taken on a new meaning. Last April 9-11, the campus community celebrated Pride Weekend with a parade, academic panel discussions featuring Professor of English Adrienne Donald, and a concert by Two Nice Girls — all-lesbian pop group extraordinaire (since, sadly, disbanded).

Other on-campus activities during the '91-'92 academic year included two films and discussions on queer topics in conjunction with the Women in Film series, a fifteen film Gay and Lesbian Video Festival, a new LGBA branch of the important Peer Educator Program (with "out" students aboard) and Terrace dances galore.

This past October 8th, a rally for LGB (as students say) concerns took place in Firestone Plaza. A continuation of the process begun by Daniel Mendelsohn (who brought Gay Jeans Day to Princeton six years ago), the rally capped a week of events and workshops. Your correspondent spoke to a crowd of well over one hundred on a bright fall noon, along with luminaries including Dean of the Chapel Frank Strasburger '67, Prof. Stephen Greene of the Psychology Department, and a host of students including Donna Riley '93, and Jason Holley '95.

Jen Kates has announced a number of new initiatives, including a Princeton contingent for the '93 March on Washington, which will undoubtedly be a landmark event of the emerging post-conservative era of national politics. (Those interested in participating in these arrangements should contact Jim Ruggiero '94 or the LGBA office.)

In this writer's view, Jen Kates has played a vital, catalytic role in this upsurge of campus activism, which in turn offers the best hope for an enduring alteration of Princeton's homophobic social landscape. Taking note of the Administration and Faculty proposals to remake undergraduate life (and perhaps graduate too), the Fund has an important role to play in the coming months in nurturing student action and making our voices heard at Princeton. Stay tuned!

February Fundraiser in Soho

Eat! Drink! Converse! Schmooze!

Don't miss the brunch to be held on Sunday, February 7 from 11 am to 5 pm at 428 Greene St. (near Broome) in Soho. (A walk-up loft.... Please contact us in advance to arrange for handicapped access.) Members, friends, family, etc. are invited to join us for a magnificent brunch buffet and open bar. Tickets are $35 per person if you reserve in advance and $40 at the door. Call Tom Grant or Sean Sawyer to reserve. Expect further details by mail.

Campus Calendar

Contacting Us: We can be reached at:

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You can sign up for FFR/Princeton BTGALA using our mail form.

This document was last modified on September 28, 2003.