C&RL News, September 2008
Vol. 69, No. 9
by Tami Albin and Jennifer Church-Duran
Even before the emergence and subsequent popularity of the Web, GLBTQ (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered, and Queer) people united, organized, and shaped powerful networks of support and understanding, creating strong political and social communities. Since the explosion of the Web in the mid 90s, GLBTQ communities and organizations have used its power to their advantage, mobilizing, internationalizing, and creating even stronger networks. The Web has not only changed the way GLBTQ people seek out information, but also the way in which they, and their allies, interact with information, from signing an online petition against Proposition 8 to watching their favorite episode of Noah’s Arc to connecting with friends on Facebook.
This list is by no means comprehensive, but it does touch on some of the key GLBTQ Web sites, ranging from political/equal rights organizations to media resources created by and for GLBTQ people.
Legal, civil and human rights
• American Civil Liberties Union Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered Project. This project fights discrimination and shapes public opinion on GLBTQ rights through the courts, legislatures, and public education. In coalition with other civil rights groups, the project also lobbies in Congress and supports grassroots advocacy from local school boards to state legislatures. The site profiles current cases, news items, and a resources section with a collection of podcasts, videos, online resources, and printed materials. Access: http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/index.html.
• The Human Rights Campaign (HRC). Founded in 1980, HRC is the largest GLBTQ civil rights organization in the United States. The focus of the organization is to ensure equality for GLBTQ people through political action and educational outreach. The Web site outlines relevant issues, how these issues are dealt or not dealt with in each state; laws and election issues on state and federal levels, ways to become involved and support HRC, and the HRC Back Story blog. Access: http://www.hrc.org/.
• International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC). A U.S.-based nonprofit, nongovernmental organization, the mission of IGLHRC is to secure the human rights of all people impacted by discrimination or abuse on the basis of sexual orientation or expression, gender identity or expression, and/or HIV status. The Web site contains publications and resources that compile and record evidence of human rights violations, as well as fact sheets and position papers that summarize information related to the human rights of sexual and gender minorities worldwide. Access: http://www.iglhrc.org/site/iglhrc/.
• International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA). ILGA, an “international non-profit and non-governmental community-based federation” has been in existence since 1978. Over the past 30 years, this organization has connected and networked with more than 600 international and local GLBTQ organizations on equal rights issues. This site includes information about GLBTQ legislation (or lack of legislation) by country, articles organized by broad topic, such as homophobia, the United Nations, and World Legal Survey, and international news. The Web site is accessible in four languages. Access: http://www.ilga.org/index.asp.
• Lambda Legal. Lambda Legal has been working towards full equality for the GLBTQ community and people with HIV for more than 35 years on both federal and state levels. The fight for equality is done though venues, such as impact litigation, education, and advocacy. The Web site includes information on significant court cases, publications, news, campaigns, and ways to become an active member, including the Cooperating Attorneys Network. Access: http://www.lambdalegal.org/.
• National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE). A nonprofit organization, NCTE was founded in 2003 by transgender activists. The overarching goal is to advocate and educate, on a national level, issues of importance to transgender people. Issues include, but are not limited to, military, health, homelessness, federal documents, and discrimination. The organization also gives guidance for non-transgender people on ways to be inclusive and support transgender equality. Access: http://www.nctequality.org/.
• National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force is one of the oldest GLBTQ civil rights organizations. Its Web site contains reports, issue maps, and fact sheets on a variety of issues important to the GLBTQ community. One can also find information on ways of mobilizing and being politically active on local and state levels. Access: http://thetaskforce.org/.
Education and family
• Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN). GLSEN is the leading national education organization focused on ensuring safe schools for all students. GLSEN conducts multiple studies, which are available on the site, including a 2005 National School Climate Survey (NSCS), the only national survey to document the experiences of students who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender in America’s schools. Access: http://www.glsen.org/.
• OUTProud. The portal for the National Organization of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Youth, OUTProud provides resources of interest to GLBTQ youth. Sources are divided into broad categories: coming out stories, models of GLBTQ organizations around the world, information on ways to make schools safe and supportive, brochures on sexual orientation, connecting with the queer community for friendship and support, suggestions for books for queer youth and allies, transgender youth support and resources, Oasis (an online magazine and discussion forum), and a subject listing of pertinent sites on the Web. Access: http://www.outproud.org/.
• Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG). With more than 500 affiliate chapters across the United States and a head office in Washington, D.C., the PFLAG organization provides a wide array of support, services, and information. The site provides up-to-date information on programs, tools for change, resources, conference information, and guidance for individuals and chapters wanting to promote support, advocacy, and awareness on GLBTQ issues. Access: http://community.pflag.org.
Arts and media
• Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD). GLAAD promotes fair, accurate, and inclusive representation of people and events in the media to combat homophobia and discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. The site provides information, video clips, and news articles related to both entertainment and cultural media. Within these categories are specific communities of interest, such as Asian Pacific Islander and Latina/o communities. There is also an extensive resources section that includes current and archived publications, such as the GLAAD media reference guide. Access: http://www.glaad.org/.
• here! here! is an on-demand television destination offering original films and series, releases, and a variety of programming targeting gay and lesbian viewers. here! is available nationwide via satellite and cable providers with a broadband portal that provides a broad sampling of here! programming. The site offers podcasts, video downloads, blogs, and music. Access: http://www.heretv.com/.
• In the Life. In the Life produces documentary stories for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities. These are designed to document the issues that impact communities through stories on “politics and public policy, personal and community health, religion and spirituality, and more.” The site features current and past episodes for viewing, download, or podcast. Access: http://www.inthelifetv.org/.
• Logo. This site is the virtual presence of Logo, a new lesbian and gay network from MTV Networks. Logo features stories, shows, and news from original series and films, documentaries, and GLBTQ news. The site includes both clips and some full episodes of current programming as well as unique services like “Trip out,” a gay and lesbian travel site and a music section with rankings and ratings of contemporary songs and music videos. Access: http://www.logoonline.com/.
• Queer Arts Resource (QAR). This site is designed to “expand the range and depth of knowledge about contemporary and historical queer art” and make this information freely available online. QAR has produced more than 50 exhibitions that highlight the diversity, complexity, and significance of queer artistic expression. Both current and archived galleries are available for viewing. Access: http://www.queer-arts.org/.
• The Advocate. Web version of one of the longest running GLBTQ print magazines, this site contains up-to-date news reports, lengthier articles on a variety of current topics, blogs, polls, comprehensive list of GLBTQ resources, and a full-text archive of the past year of the print version. The Advocate also links to other Web sites/magazines run by PlanetOut: Out.com, OutTraveler.com, HIVPlusMag.com, Alyson.com, Gay.com, and PlanetOut.com. Access: http://advocate.com/.
Reference and theory
• gltbq: Encyclopedia of Gay, Lesbian. Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Culture. This searchable and browsable encyclopedia includes bibliographies, citation information, and a discussion board. Each encyclopedia department (e.g., Arts, Social Sciences) has both an alphabetical and subject index and every encyclopedia entry contains a find menu that assist in finding related entries, bibliographies, and more. Access: http://www.glbtq.com/.
• QueerTheory.com. This subject guide covers a vast range of queer, GLBTQ, and gender resources related to academics, culture theory, the body culture, music, literature, and other related fields. Since its inception as a classroom project in 2000, it has grown to be the key site for links and reviews of Web sites and books. Advertising on the site is low key, minimal, and mostly focused on books or videos. Access: http://www.queertheory.com/.
Archives and collections
• ACT UP Oral History Project. The ACT UP Oral History Project is a collection of interviews with surviving members of the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power in New York. The purpose of the project is to present the men and women who have made up ACT UP/New York, and the work done to transform cultural ideas about homosexuality, health care, civil rights, art, media, and the rights of patients. A transcript of each interview is available for free download in PDF format. The site also provides five-minute streaming video excerpts of each interview. Access: http://www.actuporalhistory.org/.
• Duke University Libraries’ Sallie Bingham Center for Women’s History and Culture: Lesbian Pulp Fiction Collection. The lesbian “pulp” fiction (popular fiction published as paperback originals) started around the end of World War II. The books in the genre dealt with social and political issues along with issues around sexual orientation. This site includes historical information on lesbian pulp fiction and prominent authors, as well as a complete listing of the collections holdings. There is also an additional readings section with a bibliography for materials that provides an introduction to the historical context and critical interpretation of lesbian pulp fiction. Access: http://library.duke.edu/specialcollections
/bingham/guides/lesbianpulp/.
• The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual Transgender Historical Society (GLBTHS). GLBTHS focuses on the collection, preservation, exhibition, and accessibility of cultural, historical and artistic materials that are a part of “gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender communities, identities, and practices, as well as of other sexual minorities.” The GLBTHS archives represent one of the largest collections of primary resource materials chronicling GLBTQ history. Access: http://www.glbthistory.org/.
• ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives. Affiliated with the University of Southern California, the ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives houses the world’s largest research library on GLBTQ heritage and concerns. The Web site provides descriptive listings of the diverse collections available in the archive. Another dynamic feature is access to the GLBTQ History Timeline, a “work in progress” look at significant events, people and issues through the decades that invites submissions for inclusion. Access: http://www.onearchives.org/.
• Society of American Archivists’ Lesbian and Gay Archives Roundtable (LAGAR). LAGAR was founded by members of the Society of American Archivists to promote the preservation and research use of records documenting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender history. The site’s Projects and Publication area includes archives of “Archival InQueeries” (LAGAR Newsletter) and the “Lavender Legacies Guide”—a guide to resources in North America. Access: http://www.archivists.org/saagroups/lagar/index.html.
Tami Albin is undergraduate instruction and outreach librarian/Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies subject specialist and director of Under the Rainbow: GLBTIQ People in Kansas at the University of Kansas, e-mail: albin@ku.edu, and Jennifer Church-Duran is assistant dean for user services at the University of Kansas Libraries, e-mail: jchurch-duran@ku
�� 2008 Tami Albin and Jennifer Church-Duran