William Way LGBT Community Center Digital Collections

Kameny, Frank; Wylen, Bert

Bert Wylen interviews Frank Kameny on February 10, 1994. Kameny discusses his early awareness of his sexuality, his dismissal from a civil service job in 1959 due to a lewd conduct charge, and his 15-year appeals process with the ACLU. Kameny reflects on the limited ambitions of early gay organizations and describes founding the Mattachine Society of Washington in 1961 as the first militant gay rights group. Kameny discusses clashes with political figures, tensions within the movement, and his role in organizing the first gay rights demonstrations in 1965. Kameny reflects on Stonewall’s impact, the founding of the Gay Liberation Front (GLF) and Gay Activists Alliance (GAA), and the formation of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. Kameny assesses the state of modern gay activism, considers the continued use of euphemisms in advocacy, and expresses concerns about the rise of right-wing fundamentalism while reflecting on the movement’s legal victories and ongoing challenges. Kameny describes his continued and plans for future activism. Material used in broadcasts of WXPN’s Gaydreams and Pacifica National News.

1994-02-10

01:41:16

digital audio tape

local: Ms. Coll. 8; https://digital.wilcoxarchives.org/islandora/object/islandora:1524

Gaydreams audio recordings

English

New York, NY; Washington, DC; Philadelphia, PA

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