Saniyah Pullen, Contributing Writer
Sophie Messick, Contributing Writer
50 years ago, the Gay Alliance of Students at VCU won a court appeal that would force VCU to recognize them as a registered student organization, according to a previous report by the CT. On Oct. 16, a marker was unveiled, honoring the GAS student founders and their fight for expression.
The organization was intended to create a “unified support community for men and women of all sexual orientations, serve as an informative resource to the university and surrounding community and assist the university in creating a positive institutional image,” according to the VCU Scholars Compass.
The organization submitted their application to the VCU Office of the Dean of Student Life on Sept. 5, 1974. The application was referred to Richard Wilson, the Vice President of Student Affairs, and then the Board of Visitors.
GAS was denied registration in a vote of 7-2 by the BOV.
“Existence of GAS as a recognized campus organization would tend to attract other homosexuals to the University,” according to the VCU Scholars Compass.
Josh Leidy, director of affinity engagement & philanthropy, at VCU’s office of Development and Alumni Relations said now, VCU students are able to see diverse representation of the queer community and the institution is trying to keep up with that.
“There’s a lot of outside pressure being put on higher education to stifle LGBTQ initiatives, and I think VCU is trying to do its best to support LGBTQ initiatives,” Leidy said.
Leidy said the VCU has a responsibility to tell history and preserve it, even if it does not paint it in a positive light.
On April 9, 1975, a local attorney, John M. McCarthy, filed a lawsuit on behalf of GAS. McCarthy argued that VCU’s refusal violated the students’ First and Fourteenth Amendment Rights.
VCU’s assistant attorney general defended their denial with four reasons.
“GAS would increase opportunity for homosexual contact; the existence of GAS as a registered organization would encourage some students to join the organization who otherwise might not join; being involved in GAS could be socially and psychologically harmful to individuals; and GAS would tend to attract more homosexuals to VCU ,” stated .
District Court Judge D. Dortch Warriner upheld VCU’s decision and decided GAS was entitled to some student organization benefits, such as access to VCU facilities, advertising, and being listed in the student directory, but denied other benefits including staff advising and funding.
Walter Foery, GAS spokesperson and GAS student advisor Stephen Lenton issued a press release in September of 1975, stating that the GAS would appeal the court’s decision.
“When I joined the group, and learned that the University had denied recognition, I was incredulous,” Foery said. “I thought, ‘That’s crazy, how can they do that?’ It seemed so open and shut to me.”
On Oct. 28, 1976, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ruled in favor of GAS. The court determined that VCU’s refusal to register GAS as a student organization violated the students’ First and Fourteenth Amendments.
The decision made by the court became legal precedent that is used by many LGBTQ+ student organizations across the United States.
“The older I’ve gotten, the bigger deal I realized it was,” Foery said. “We changed the laws in five different states by winning that court case, and that’s a pretty big deal.”
Forey said he hopes the marker for GAS does not get defaced and lots of people get to see it.
Bill Sachau, a 1980 VCU alumnus, said prior to coming to VCU, he was happy to see there was a Gay Student Alliance (previously known as the Gay Alliance of Students.)
“It [GSA] helped me to make friends and get the support I needed being a new student on campus and in the city, so making those connections in the gay community was very helpful,” Sachau said.
Today, VCU has multiple queer student organizations and resources, including The Rainbow Group, Queer Action, Queer Arts Collective, and LGBTQ+ informed counseling services.
Adrien Young, an interdisciplinary studies major, currently runs the Queer Arts Collective at VCU.
“The community is important, especially for people who come from areas where being queer isn’t celebrated or known, they’re allowed to find their group and have people who become a found family,” Young said.
Young said what GAS did was a statement on their right to exist as a whole and be acknowledged as a part of the broader VCU community.