“We’re part of a movement, not just a moment.”
LGBTQ+ people have been pushing for acceptance, safe spaces, and joy for decades — centuries, even. Though it can feel like the hatred and discrimination are making a comeback (or simply never really went away), the truth is we – you – make a difference every day by speaking out, taking action, and insisting on authenticity.
Diane’s first experience about anything lesbian or gay was in 1971, because of a graduate school social work class. Each student had to find out what it was like to live as a different identity. Diane, not one to raise her hand first, was assigned the identity no one else wanted — being gay.
“So I asked these women I knew to take me to a ‘lesbian bar’,” Diane said, using air quotes before clarifying, “It was really just a secret, dark place with a sliding peephole. The place was literally run by the Mafia.”
Once there, Diane remembers feeling scared and very out of place. She had one drink and left. As soon as she got home, her phone rang.
“And there’s this male voice I don’t recognize,” said Diane, “All he said was, ‘I know where you were tonight,’ then he hung up. My number wasn’t listed anywhere. He must have been watching my house. It was terrifying.”
Diane’s partner of 33 years, Karla, also experienced discrimination as a young lesbian. Karla frequented a bar in Denver called the Three Sisters. “It was fondly called the Six Tits,” Karla said with a chuckle. “It was one of the only places we could go at the time. Prior to that, five of us were arrested in Boulder for dancing together. That was 1975 when we did what we called ‘zaps’ at local bars, which was when we’d go in as hetero couples and then switch partners.”
As women born in the 40’s and 50’s, Diane and Karla experienced both homophobia and sexism throughout their careers and lives. However, these early experiences of harassment were formative, and gave them the grit and determination they needed to work to end anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination.
“I helped organize the first LGB (at the time) employee resource group at AT&T/Bell Labs. That was in 1984 so it was one of the first ones in the country that we know of,” said Karla.
In 1992, Colorado’s voters passed Amendment 2, changing the state constitution to prohibit the passage of laws that would protect LGBTQ+ rights in housing, employment, and other areas of life. The community fought back, hired great lawyers and ultimately the Supreme Court overturned Colorado’s discriminatory Amendment 2 in 1996.
“So much has changed for the better since then,” said Diane. “It’s important for people to remember that part of the reason for all this backlash is that we’ve been winning.”
This is the work of a movement. While some rest, others of us continue to push. We take turns, we hold space for one another, and we stick together no matter what. Rocky Mountain Equality will not stop working to create this better world. It is not only possible, it is inevitable.
