’We Didn’t Think It Would be Well Received’: The Gay Alliance of Students’ Legal Victory over Virginia Commonwealth University, 1974–1976

Michael Hevel; Timothy Reese Cain

doi:10.5944/hme.18.2023.35774

Autores/as

Michael Hevel University of Arkansas https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9006-3851
Timothy Reese Cain University of Georgia https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5805-6558

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5944/hme.18.2023.35774

Palabras clave:

LGBTQI , Estudiantes universitarios, activismo, derecho, educación superior

Resumen

En 1974, un grupo de estudiantes universitarios intentó llevar a cabo el sencillo acto de registrar una organización estudiantil oficial en la Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). A diferencia de todos los demás grupos de estudiantes que habían solicitado dicho estatus, al grupo, la Alianza Gay de Estudiantes (GAS), se le denegó el registro. Se les denegó porque el grupo estaba compuesto por estudiantes LGBTQI+ que querían promover el bienestar y la comprensión de sí mismos y de otras personas LGBTQI+ en el campus. Este artículo examina la fundación, la experiencia y las batallas legales de GAS, una organización importante tanto en la historia de los estudiantes LGBTQI+ como en la historia de los derechos LGBTQI+ en general. En respuesta a su denegación, GAS demandó a VCU ante un tribunal federal de distrito de EE.UU., alegando violaciones de sus derechos fundamentales en virtud de la Constitución de EEUU.. Tras una decisión dividida en su caso inicial, GAS apeló y obtuvo una rotunda victoria sobre los administradores de VCU y sus intentos de negar a los estudiantes LGBTQI+ sus derechos. Esa victoria fue la primera de una organización estudiantil LGBTQI+ a nivel de apelación federal y sentó un precedente para otros estudiantes LGBTQI+ en cinco estados. Este artículo utiliza métodos históricos para situar estos esfuerzos en su contexto institucional y local, contribuir a la incipiente literatura sobre casos legales de estudiantes LGBTQI+ y considerar este caso clave que tuvo implicaciones más allá de VCU y, de hecho, más allá de la educación superior.

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