Alumni Caucus for Gay, Lesbian
and Bisexual Concerns at Allegheny College

Meadville, PA 16335

Allegheny Hosted Queer Studies Conference

This past April, Allegheny College hosted a queer studies conference entitled, History and Memory: Gay and Lesbian Literature Since World War II. Organized by Prof. Sonya Jones and Alumni Affairs Director, Dick Stewart '56, the conference pulled together scholars, authors, poets, theologians, students, faculty, and alumni for a lively three-day gathering in Meadville. Noted literary figures present included David Bergman, John Champagne, and Sarah Schulman, yet sadly absent, due to illness, was Bertha Harris. The three day conference included sessions on "The Cultural Work of Gay Pulps", "Queer Theatre in the 20th Century", "A Good Fag Is Hard To Find: Southern Gaiety" and "Wartime Stories and Military Metaphors" as well as numerous readings, a gay dance in McKinley's, and several movie screenings.

Several Caucus members actively participated in the conference. Caroyln Kyler '82 opened the conference with a welcome as Chair of the Scholarship Fund at the Lambda Foundation in Pittsburgh, one of the conference sponsors. John P. De Cecco '46 gave a passionate keynote speech Friday night. Erny Schwarz '56 drove down from Toronto to give a presentation on "Love, Valour, Compassion, and Forgiveness in Gay Plays." J. Scott Van Der Meid '94 presented a portion of his senior thesis on "The Persecutions of Homosexuals During the Third Reich," while Bruce Shewitz '73 played music by Ned Rorem for the Sunday morning worship service in Ford Chapel and hosted the Friday evening reception on behalf of the Caucus.

During Allegheny's International Club's annual dinner celebration in Schultz Hall on Saturday evening, several members of the Alumni Caucus met to strategize the caucus's future. (See article - "Caucus Plans For the Future") Said one participant, "I never thought I'd live to see the day Allegheny had a 'gay' dance in McKinely's, let alone a three day conference on queer studies. It felt so good and refreshing to be apart of that experience."

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©, 1997. Last updated: November 8, 1997
Homepage Established: September 13, 1997

Meadville, PA, USA
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