Thanks for sharing this, Robert. I always enjoy hearing about stories from our community's past.

And sadly it is still our present.

I remember those years well although I was no collegiate and had to work the trades to survive they were still good times! My memories of Indiana were of fishing the Tippecanoe, floating the Kankakee and hunting for Morels in the spring, Festivals of every kind, outdoor concerts and cookouts these where indeed fond memories. The atmosphere pertaining toward anything to do with GLBT in the rural communities was much the same as anywhere else, a slowly growing acceptance. A Methodist Minister acquaintance of mine from those days felt that understanding and acceptance would eventually prevail and we would all be treated equally and fairly. I miss my old fishing buddy! He was straight, married and liked to have an occasional beer while fishing! The fanatics aka religious extremists were to be watched out for as always, claiming forgiveness whenever they choose to break from practicing what they preached and practice something less Christian. Seems like there is a rise in their rhetoric these days since they have finally learned how to use the internet themselves promoting their message of bias, of course all their websites have titles proclaiming American or Christian values but not equal constitutional values! They have to have an opponent for their prejudice to be valid and as history has always shown it's minorities that make for easy targets. They would have others believe the LGBT is nothing more than a sin that has to be eradicated. If they would keep their beliefs to themselves and not think they had some right to force it onto others I wouldn’t feel the need to oppose their beliefs but they just don’t know how to live and let live some people just prove themselves to be thick headed over and over! As time goes on though it becomes more obvious which of the denominations encourage division from the ones that favor unity and real freedom!
Anywho, it’s always nice to see something relating to Robert G. being a displaced Hoosier it’s nice to think of home.

Nicely said. Just that. Nicely said.

Gerri, Thank you, I am just waking up. You may recall that homosexual acts were illegal in Indiana in 1972. When GLF was recognized the Lafayette "Courier-Journal" editorial page and Letters to the editor were particularly vicious. A publicly funded university allowing a homosexual group on campus was even derided as the moral equivalent of "legitimizing pickpockets." I was in an interesting spot being working class, Hoosier Scholar" who still had to earn enogh money to pay his living costs.

I have to ask you Gerri, Michael-Michelle? He was a pre op transexual I knew who worked at a hair salon. Last I heard of him was many years ago as he wished to go downlow. He had a man who accepted him as a woman and had the full surgery. Sweet person with a heart as big as Christmas. I had to go to Lafayette across the river and got to know a number of the good local townsfolk. I am sure we must have met if you were out and about in those 1972-1974 years. Remember "The House of Fitzgerald?"

I love hearing about our history too, Waymon. Thanks Robert.

Sorry to say Dear, I was further north during that time and for our paths to have crossed it would have been very unlikely but then again not totally improbable. I was totally rural only trekking out to the larger cities occasionally and that would have been Plymouth, South Bend , Gary, Michigan City and all points basically north of where I lived which was just a little ways east of Toto and west of Ober. Even now in my adopted state of Arkansas I gravitate toward the rural I can’t help it it’s just my way of staying close to nature having been a flower child and all.

I’m afraid I never met the acquaintance that you mentioned, Michelle, for I was never a patron of Fitzgerald’s House of Beauty where I assume she would have been. I can’t help but be reminded of Donna R’s recent posting and the confusion that seems to emit from those of us who are Trans when it comes to the use of descriptive pronouns when you inquired of this person. Even though we are the epitome of queerness in humanity our very own social standing is in the fact that we identify as opposite of our biological gender. Not beating you over the head here Robert but the proper use of pronouns and labels in the Trans community is highly personal expressive issue to us! There is a certain amount of confusion on this subject even among Trans and the emotional effect that pronouns have on us is very strong, intensely so when it comes to loved ones as you could see from Donna’s post and the comments that followed.

Still, I will always enjoy the articles that you post on TBP being that your part of the GLBT living history, one of it’s movers and shakers, and I have a deep appreciation of the efforts you where involved in and yet still keep abreast of. How are the Buddhists treating you over there? Wonderful people really!

Gerri, thank you for your correction, and I stand corrected. It is because I first knew Michael when he had a beard that he grew to be "more acceptable" at work because the she that she was had delicate features. She and I would go out together only as friends and she dressed as a woman whenever she could and she shaved the beard of course.

Halloween was important because that was the one day of the year she was not subject to arrest in Indiana for dressing as a woman. She had great wisdom and taught me a lot about myself and coming into contact with my "feelings" because those sorts of things had been pushed out of me by the expectations of "manhood." I loved going driving with Michelle when she was dressed and she loved having me because I was ready, able and willing to intimidate anyone who would threaten her.

We had rednecks in those days who needed to be taught to leave us alone. Had there been a Matthew Shepard in those days (and there certainly was) the world would never have heard about it. At Purdue I and Rick Thacker (goddess bless her) would wupp ass as needed and remind those who had had their butts wupped that they forever would have to remember that they were wupped by us and not to pick on fairys.

Rick became a women's shoe buyer! What fun! Top exec at Spiegels, then Montgomery Wards and lastly Payless shoes. Sadly, he caught a mysterious Asian flu and died in 2001. Also a Hoosier boy.

Now as to Gay history, I am nothing. Franklin Kaemeny, my old boyfriend Vito Russo (ok, he was a one night stand, but he sent me letters!). People of this time, were the important folks. I had mentors and we all need them. With my partner I frankly got interested in Chicago neighborhood improvement. Sort of beyond "Gay Lib" to "people liberation." We lived openly in a not gay neighborhood, but we were the ones who sponsored Little League, Special Olympics, and served on the Park Board and worked with the police to keep gangs and drugs away from kids. I found this completely worthwhile because I could see the benefit to people I knew.

I am 55 years young and I am still learning and hope to learn much more. I have said it before, Bilerco Project has helped me reconnect with my inner gay man and I am grateful for that. For Buddhism ask Terrance, he is a practicing Buddhist and you will find him at "The Republic of T" I am a great admirer of Buddhism. I grew up in Michigan City. Maybe we were in Marquette Mall at the same time! I have a cousin living in Plymouth right now so you were closer than you thought.

Robert you are such a gentleman and your denial toward any worthy mention to your own early efforts at Purdue and the GLF are just too precious. I'm sure there are many who would thank you for having been there for them during that time.

You wouldn’t have seen me at the Marquette but if you liked outdoor concerts at the Dunes or fished the warm water discharge of NIPSCO power plant during the salmon and lake trout runs we may have possibly crossed paths. For me fishing is a welcome release from the surrounding world and a time of contemplation, relaxation and the thrill of the catch of course.

Anyways, it’s so nice to have a communiqué going with someone from a familiar time and place this has been very pleasant for me. Thank You!

Gerri, like most things in life it is getting up and working one day at a time. What used to cheese me off was trying to get more than fifteen people on a very large campus to show up to a meeting. What is being done now is remarkable. I cringe at phrases above "Our community's past" or "history" because to me it is all current news until the problems are solved for everyone.

I guarantee that if you go to small towns (such as where you live which I am sure is beautiful) in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Florida or anywhere in between there is still plenty of discrimination. That is one reason I had to choose the great city rather than the rural one. Thank you Gerri

Thanks for that. I'm not sure if it made me feel good as in: there were those who were irritated and attacked before, or sad because the next generation of these poor, confused souls is caught in the tired misdirection of their parents.

I worked in downtown Indy at the Borders when CC4C kids came through. To their credit, they didn't actually confront people, at least not the 33% of employees who were queer. Mostly it was the Jr. high stares, whisper-giggles, and pointing. On the streets, they pretty much just kept to themselves or held loud get-togethers right in the middle of pedestrian thoroughfares.

Personally, I think their group had devolved into a convenient way for boys to get the scripturally safe BJs from the ultra-painted Tammy Fayes in-training. Apparently they get their definition of sex from Bill Clinton, how ironic. At least, that's the way it looked from my perch.

Thank you for fighting the tough war, your service and the service of those like you has made it possible for the newest generation of queer kids to feel anything but queer. The laws may not be changed, and he fundies may still howl at the door, but so much ground has been won. Sometimes it's easy to forget that.

Looking to contact Robert Ganshorn. I am a long-time Permanent Resident of Thailand (Canadian) and would like to meet.

I'm sorry, the internet has been down for a day because someone snipped a wire during a remodel somewhere in my building. I am not worthy of holding Franklin Kameny's coat. I have had correspondence with him and he remains amazing. When, on Bilerico Project I hear division over words, I think about his brave deeds.

A historical note in the interest of IU/Purdue rivalry: the very first Hoosier GLF (Gay Liberation Front) was started in Bloomington, Indiana, at Indiana University in September of 1970.

Wilson, you are quite right. The conditions at Purdue was particularly oppressive. Not that there were not plenty of "stonies" at Bloomington with bigoted points of view. I finished my BA at Purdue in two years and nine months. Had I gone to IU instead it would have taken me six years. I did go on to IU for my graduate degree, but I tell anyone who bothers with rivalry that each school is right from it's own point of view, I dislike sports so I truly don't care about who has an oaken bucket, but care deeply about who has a cultural life and IU certainly had a vibrant diverse cultural makeup Purdue probably still lacks.

Both schools are land grand colleges created by act of the Indiana State Legislature. Rivalry Schmivalry.