Browse by Decade
Before the 1970s
Although people of diverse gender expressions and romantic and sexual attractions have existed in cultures across the world over the course of human history, documentation of their lives is hard to come by. Rarely did safe spaces exist for people to form community with each other.
ExploreThe 1970s
Gay and lesbian communities in the Triangle grew dramatically in size and visibility in the 1970s. A number of activist groups sprang up in the early part of the decade, but didn’t have much staying power. Campus groups found more lasting success, the first of which was the Duke Gay Alliance (DGA) in 1972.
ExploreThe 1980s
The turn of the decade catapulted Triangle gays and lesbians into political visibility. They played a public role in the responses to the murders of the “Greensboro Five” at a Communist Workers Party anti-Klan demonstration in 1979.
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The 1990s
In the 1990s the far right wing politics of North Carolina senator Jesse Helms sparked activity from many different segments of the LGBTQ+ community. Unseating him was a focus of many politically active LGBTQ+ people and progressives across North Carolina.
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The 2000s
The 2000s brought significant milestones for couples, from the adoption of domestic partner benefits by Durham city and county governments in the early 2000s to marriage equality in 2014.
ExploreThe Present: 2010 and Beyond
The arrival of nationwide marriage equality, while still being challenged by religious exemption laws, has meant that mainstream LGBTQ+ groups have shifted some focus to other issues long critical to the community.
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