>> BEING OUT IN ALBANY MEANS TO ME THAT YOU CAN JUST BE YOURSELF.

>> WHAT I'VE DONE, WHERE I'VE BEEN, WHO I'VE SEEN AND WORKED WITH FROM THE PRESIDENT ON DOWN, I'VE BEEN SO FORTUNATE AND I HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT NOTWITHSTANDING MY BEING BLACK AND THE FACT THAT I'M GAY, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO ENJOY THOSE ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

>> FROM BACK HOME.

>> EVERY FAMILY, IF THEY'D BE HONEST, SOME PLACE IN THE LINE, THERE'S BEEN A GAY PERSON.

THEY EITHER CAME BEFORE AND IF THEY DIDN'T, THEY'RE COMING.

>> BEING OUT IN THE CAPITAL REGION, HONESTLY, I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T REALLY GO OUT MUCH.

I FEEL AS A TEENAGER, THAT'S WEIRD TO SAY.

THE MOST EXPOSURE I'VE GOT HAS BEEN EVENTS WITH THE PRIDE CENTER AND BECAUSE THOSE EVENTS ARE ALL ABOUT COMMUNITY AND ALL ABOUT FOSTERING THIS SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR PEOPLE, I'VE EXPERIENCED NOTHING, BUT POSITIVITY.

>> A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE REALLY SURPRISED THAT ALBANY HAS THE OLDEST CONTINUOUSLY OPERATING LGBTQ COMMUNITY CENTER AND I THINK IT WAS THE INCREDIBLE INSIGHT OUR FOUNDERS HAD TO MAINTAIN, TO CREATE AND MAINTAIN A POLITICAL PRESENCE FOR THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY OR THEN THE GAY COMMUNITY IN OUR STATE'S CAPITOL.

>> WE'RE JUST LIKE YOU ARE, WE HAVE 10 FINGERS AND 10 TOES.

WE PUT OUR PANTS ON ONE LEG AT A TIME, WE PAY OUR MORTGAGE, WE PAY OUR TAXES.

WE ARE NO DIFFERENT, EXCEPT WHO WE LOVE.

>> FUNDING FOR "OUT IN ALBANY" IS PROVIDED BY THE FOLLOWING: >> JOYELLES JEWELERS FEATURES DIAMONDS, GEM STONES, GOLD AND SILVER, RING, NECKLACE, WATCHES AND MORE, HOLIDAY GIFTS AND JEWELRY CHOSEN BY JEWELERS JUST FOR YOU.

JOYELLES JEWELERS, YOUR PERSONAL JEWELER, LOCATED IN MAIN SQUARE DEL MAR.

>> WHETHER A FORMAL AFFAIR OR AFTERNOON PICK ME UP, TRANSFORM ANY OCCASION WITH ENCHANTED FLORIST OF ALBANY, 54 COLUMBIA STREET OR ENCHANTED FLORIST DOT COM.

FLOWERS FOR YOUR LIFE.

ENCHANTED.

>> FUNDING FOR THE WEB IS PROVIDED BY THE ERNEST O. REAUGH TRUST FUND AND NORTHEAST ACURA.

FUNDING FOR CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBANY.

>> I CALL MYSELF A CHANGE AGENT, I REALLY BELIEVE IN CHANGE.

NECESSARY CHANGE.

I CAME ACROSS THIS QUOTE RECENTLY I LIKE, IT SAID "YOU DON'T HAVE TO CHANGE, SURVIVAL IS NOT MANDATORY."

>> THE CHANGE THAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED OVER THE YEARS HAS JUST BEEN SOMETHING THAT I NEVER EVEN DREAMED ABOUT.

I THOUGHT REALLY FOR A TIME I WOULD SPEND MY WHOLE LIFE HIDING AND NOT WANTING TO EMBARRASS ANYBODY.

>> I HAD LIVED FOUR YEARS OF MY LIFE IN THE CLOSET BECAUSE I WAS A TEACHER.

AND I LOVED BEING IN A CLASSROOM, I LOVED TEACHING.

AND, OF COURSE, IF YOU WERE A TEACHER, YOU HAD TO BE IN THOSE DAYS "IN THE CLOSET," BECAUSE YOU TOOK YOUR CAREER AND YOUR LIFE IN YOUR HANDS.

YOU COULD LOSE YOUR CAREER, YOU COULD LOSE YOUR HOUSE, YOU COULD LOSE YOUR FAMILY.

>> LIFE IN ALBANY, PRE1969 WAS A VERY CLOSETED LIFE FOR GAY AND LESBIAN, BI, AND TRANS PEOPLE.

>> I GREW UP IN THE '50S, IT WAS A VERY SOCIALLY REPRESSIVE TIME, I WOULD SAY.

>> I'M FROM A VERY SMALL TOWN ABOUT 50 MILES NORTH OF ALBANY.

ALL THROUGH GRADE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL, I LED A STRAIGHT LIFE.

AND AFTER 19  JUNE 1957, WHEN I LEFT THAT SMALL TOWN WHERE IT REALLY WAS NOT WISE TO BE KNOWN AS A GAY PERSON, I CAME TO ALBANY TO ATTEND STATE TEACHER'S COLLEGE.

IT WAS THERE THAT I BEGAN TO UNDERSTAND THAT I WAS GAY.

>> I KNEW THAT I WAS GAY, I NEVER COULD SAY TO MYSELF AT THE TIME, I NEVER DEALT WITH IT THERE.

>> SO LIFE WAS VERY DIFFICULT, I THINK, IT WAS VERY HARD FOR PEOPLE TO BE OUT.

IT WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE IN MANY WAYS.

>> THERE IS NO COMING OUT IN THE '50S, I DON'T THINK IT WAS SOCIALLY REPRESSIVE TIME.

I NOTICE WITH WOMEN, PEOPLE HAD THEIR ROLES TO PLAY, IF YOU DIDN'T PLAY YOUR ROLE, THE CULTURE REALLY CAME DOWN ON YOU.

>> I GREW UP IN AN AGE WHERE BEING QUEER, BEING HOMOSEXUAL, BEING LESBIAN, GAY, WAS EQUIVALENT TO A DEATH SENTENCE, REALLY.

I GREW UP IN TORONTO, CANADA, BUT MOVED TO FRANKLIN, INDIANA, SMALL TOWN IN INDIANA, WHEN I WAS 10.

AND THAT'S WHEN I, AS I CAME INTO MY TEEN YEARS, I BECAME AWARE I WAS ATTRACTED TO WOMEN AND NOT MEN AND I COULD NOT SEE MUCH FUTURE IN THIS, EXCEPT THAT I WOULD EITHER HAVE TO CHANGE OR KILL MYSELF.

>> THERE WERE BUMPS ALONG THE WAY, IT WAS NOT EASY, NOT AN EASY COMING OUT.

THERE WERE TIMES OF GREAT DANGER AND GREAT PRESSURE.

I WAS SMACKED AROUND SEVERAL TIMES.

I WAS CHASED THROUGH A WASHINGTON PARK AND I SWAM THE LAKE WITH TWO PEOPLE IN PURSUIT, WHO COULDN'T SWIM AS FAST AS I COULD AND I COULD RUN REALLY RUN AND I ESCAPED BOTH TIMES.

>> THERE WAS ONE WOMAN IN OUR TOWN, SHE DROVE A MOTORCYCLE AND SHE WAS REALLY HEAVY BUTCH, YOU KNOW, DRESSED IN LEATHER AND PANTS AND SHE WAS A REAL FREAK AND I THOUGHT, OH, I JUST CAN'T BE A FREAK, I JUST WANT TO HAVE A NORMAL LIFE.

SO I TRIED VERY HARD TO BE HETEROSEXUAL.

>> AT THE TIME, IN THE '50S AND EARLY '60S, BARS, A LOT CONTROLLED BY MAFIA AND ALL KINDS OF THINGS RAISED IN THE BARS ALL THE TIME.

I REMEMBER THE OWNER TELLING US THAT HE WOULD FLICK THE SWITCH IF THE POLICE WERE COMING TO RAID AND WE SHOULD ALL GO AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

>> IN ONE OF THE GAY BARS THAT I FINALLY DISCOVERED, I WAS ON THE DANCE FLOOR ONE NIGHT AND A BRICK CAME THROUGH THE WINDOW AND SPLIT MY FOREHEAD OPEN.

>> YOU MIGHT GO TO ONE OF THE LOCAL BARS, BUT IN THAT ENVIRONMENT, WE COULD BE OUT, BUT YOU COULDN'T REALLY BE OUT IN ANY OTHER CIRCUMSTANCE.

>> I WAS BORN IN GERMANY, I WAS NINE YEARS OLD, WE CAME TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

MY DAD WAS A PEDIATRICIAN AND WE WERE JEWISH AND HITLER CAME AND WE HAD TO GET OUT.

>> HE WAS OLDER THAN I. HE WAS IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR, HE WAS IN THE TRENCHES, HE SAW ONE BATTALION AFTER ANOTHER SLAUGHTERED ONE AFTER ANOTHER IN HIS EYES.

HE WAS GLAMOROUS.

I WAS AN 18 YEAR OLD.

I HAD TROUBLE FIGURING OUT HOW TO BE GAY.

HE NOT AT ALL.

HE HAD BEEN OUT WHEN HE WAS A TEENAGER.

>> YOU KNOW, ALL THE MAJOR BUILDINGS AND JAIL, WE FELT VERY MUCH APART OF THE COMMUNITY WHEN WE LIVED TOGETHER IN THE SOUTH AND WE NEVER HAD THE FEELING OF DISCRIMINATION ABOUT BEING GAY.

PEOPLE USED TO SAY, YOU GUYS LIVE TOGETHER AND WORK TOGETHER FOR 60 YEARS, THAT MAKE ITS AT LEAST 120.

YOU KNOW, I GUESS IT'S SORT OF A PERMANENT MEANING, IT'S NOT FIXABLE, YOU KNOW, THERE IT IS.

NO MATTER HOW MANY FRIENDS YOU HAVE AND YOUR LIFE WAS DIFFERENT.

IT WAS A DIFFERENT THING.

WE WERE NEVER SICK, WE HAD INCREDIBLE HEALTH AND THEN SUDDENLY HE HAD HEART PROBLEMS AND HAD A SEIZURE AND ALL HE SAID IN THOSE LAST THREE YEARS OVER AND OVER AGAIN WAS, WE HAVE AN ENCHANTED LIFE.

>> STONEWALL WAS EXCEEDINGLY IMPORTANT TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE GAY, LESBIAN COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE HERE IN ALBANY.

STONEWALL HAPPENED JUNE 27,1969.

HAPPENS IN NEW YORK CITY, BUT THE CONNECTION BETWEEN NEW YORK CITY AND ALBANY THEN AS NOW ARE PRETTY STRONG.

>> I THINK IT WAS 26 YEARS OLD, I COULD FINALLY SAY TO MYSELF THAT I WAS GAY.

IT WAS DURING THE TIME THAT STONEWALL HAPPENED.

WE HAD ONE OF THE DRAG QUEENS THAT WAS INVOLVED WITH STONEWALL COME UP AND SPEAK TO US.

>> SOURCES SUGGEST IT WAS PROBABLY MARSHALL JOHNSON WHO CAME UP AND WHO SPOKE AT THE UNITARIAN CHURCH AND SPOKE TO A GROUP OF GAY AND LESBIANS, PRIMARILY GAY MEN, BUT SOME LESBIANS, AS WELL, AND TOLD THEM WHAT HAPPENED.

IT LED TO A SEE CHANGE OF THE DESIRE TO BE MORE OUT AND THE DESIRE TO BE MORE MILITANT.

SO IT LED TO THE FORMATION IN NEW YORK CITY, AS WELL AS HERE OF A GROUP CALLED THE GAY LIBERATION FRONT.

SO THE GAY LIBERATION FRONT IS REALLY THE FORERUNNER OF WHAT WE NOW CALL THE PRIDE CENTER.

>> IT WAS AN INCREDIBLY PASSIONATE AND ROBUST GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT JOINED FORCES TO GET THE PRIDE CENTER GOING, NOT JUST TO HAVE A POLITICAL PRESENCE, BUT ALSO TO HAVE A SAFE SPACE WHERE PEOPLE COULD GO.

>> WE NEEDED TO START A PLACE, UMBRELLA ORGANIZATION TO HELP OTHER GRAY GROUPS, WHATEVER GROUP NEEDED TO MEET, THERE WOULD BE A PLACE TO GO AND START UP, HAVE MEETINGS AND FIND ANOTHER PLACE TO MEET OR CONTINUE TO MEET THERE, WHATEVER MET THEIR NEEDS.

I REMEMBER 12, 14, 15 OF US, WE ALL AGREED THAT WAS A REALLY GOOD THING TO DO, SO WE DECIDED, WE FOUND A PLACE ON MARCH STREET FOR RENT, WE STARTED A COFFEE HOUSE, AND STARTED PRODUCING LITERATURE.

>> THEY QUICKLY FOUND THE FREE CLINIC, THE FREE CLINIC, OWNED BY A DOCTOR, HE ALLOWED THEM TO RENT SPACE IN THE BASEMENT AND THEN IN FEBRUARY OF 1974, HE WANTED TO GET OUT OF THE FREE CLINIC BUSINESS AND SO THE WHOLE BUILDING WAS PURCHASED.

>> I REMEMBER HEARING, WHEN I FIRST STARTED HEARING ONE OF THE FIRST ACHIEVEMENTS THAT THE CENTER HAD WAS GETTING GAY IN THE PHONE BOOK BECAUSE BACK IN 1970, THAT WAS THE ONLY WAY YOU COULD FIND YOUR COMMUNITY AND COULD FIND RESOURCES AND SO IT WAS A STRUGGLE AND THEY FINALLY GOT "GAY," TO BE WRITTEN IN THE PHONE BOOK AND THAT WAS A MAJOR DELIVERABLE, WAS TO HAVE SOMEBODY ABLE TO ANSWER THE PHONE AND TO ANSWER THE CALL WHEN PEOPLE WERE OFTEN IN CRISIS OR WERE REALLY CONFUSED ABOUT WHAT THEY WERE FEELING AND WHAT IT MIGHT MEAN.

>> IT WAS A TIME OF GREAT SOCIAL CHANGE, THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT HAD BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS WITH MARTIN LUTHER KING.

OUR MOVEMENT MODELED OURSELVES AFTER THAT.

WOMEN'S MOVEMENT CAME ALONG, THE MOVEMENT SAID ALL THROUGH THAT TIME, I THINK PEOPLE REALIZED WE JUST HAD A PLACE IN THE WORLD AND WANTED TO BE TREATED EQUALLY.

>> IT WASN'T UNTIL THE WOMEN'S MOVEMENT CAME ALONG IN 1970, THAT I ACTUALLY WAS ABLE TO THINK DIFFERENTLY ABOUT BEING A LESBIAN.

>> I WAS LIVING IN ALBANY, NEW YORK, IN THE '60S, AS A MARRIED WOMAN WITH TWO CHILDREN, FINISHING A PHD, AND THE VERY END OF THE '60S, STARTING AS ASSISTANT PROFESSOR IN THE ENGLISH DEPARTMENT AT SKIDMORE COLLEGE.

THAT'S WHEN FEMINISM BROKE IN THE CAPITAL REGION AND I BEGAN READING AND THINKING AND TALKING WITH OTHER WOMEN.

AND THE WORLD SPLIT OPEN.

I CAME UP WITH MY THEN PARTNER TO ALBANY IN THE SPRING OF 1973, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A WONDERFUL WOMEN'S GROUP IN ALBANY AT THE TIME CALLED CAPITAL REGION DISTRICT WOMEN.

>> MY FRIENDS WHO TAUGHT AT THE DEPARTMENTS IN ALBANY AND I CREATED SOME ORGANIZATIONS TO TALK TOGETHER WITH WOMEN FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE IN THE CITY, ONE OF THEM CAPITOL DISTRICT WOMEN HAD HUNDREDS OF WOMEN IN THE EARLY AND MID'70S.

THEY WERE TERRIFIC.

THEY WERE VERY ACTIVE, THEY WERE DOING ALL KINDS OF SPEAKOUTS AND GOING TO GROUPS AND DOING DEMONSTRATIONS AND RUNNING THINGS AND SO FORTH.

THE FEW OF US WHO WERE COMING OUT AS LESBIANS AT THAT TIME, STARTED TO MEET IN THE BASEMENT OF THE PRIDE CENTER IN A GROUP WE CALL LESBIANS DELIBERATION, VERY FEMINIST BASED, VERY EXCITING, VERY SCARY.

IN FACT, I REMEMBER WALKING TO ONE OF MY FIRST MEETINGS ON A DECEMBER EVENING AND THERE ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE CENTER, THE GROUP OF PEOPLE, THEY WERE SITTING IN LAWN CHAIRS HOOTING, JUST BEING ABLE TO BE OUT, BEING WILLING TO BE OUT, CREATED SUCH A SPACE FOR OTHER PEOPLE.

>> WOMEN WERE THEIR OWN ORGANIZATIONS, SEVERAL OF THESE WOMEN FORMED THE HOLDING OUR OWN ORGANIZATION, WHICH IS AN ORGANIZATION FORMED TO REALLY PROMOTE SOLUTIONS TO WOMEN'S ISSUES.

>> SO HOLDING OUR OWN IS A WOMEN'S FOUNDATION THAT SUPPORTS ACTIVITIES OF WOMEN.

LESBIAN AND GAY PRIMARILY, BUT ALSO GAY, LESBIAN AND STRAIGHT TOGETHER AND ALSO OVER THE TIME, ALSO INCREASE THAT TO REACH OUT TO OTHER COMMUNITIES, AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN, SO REALLY IT'S SORT OF SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, POLITICAL WAY TO BUILD COMMUNITY.

>> IN THE TIME OF HIGH FEMINISM, I WAS NEVER A MAN HATER, BUT I DIDN'T HANG OUT WITH MEN MUCH AND I NEVER THOUGHT THAT THEY WERE FOR THE MOST PART, FRIENDS OF WOMEN.

>> WOMEN WERE STARTING TO BE ACTIVE AND STARTING TO STAND UP FOR THEIR RIGHTS AND FOR THEMSELVES AND SO I REALIZED AFTER A WHILE THAT OUR COMMUNITY WAS JUST A REFLECTION OF THE GENERAL COMMUNITY, THE GENERAL CULTURE.

I WAS REALLY SURPRISED TO SEE, NEVER HEAR GAY MEN SAY, I WANT TO GO TO THE BAR, THE WOMEN GO THERE.

I DON'T WANT TO GO THERE.

THAT IS ODD, WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?

WE DON'T WANT TO GO THERE, PEOPLE OF COLOR GO THERE.

I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND IT BECAUSE I FELT THE REPRESSION OF MYSELF AND SO WHY WOULD YOU FEEL IT FOR OTHER PEOPLE, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.

>> THERE WERE DEFINITELY A STRING OF MESAGONY THAT MADE WOMEN UNCOMFORTABLE, THERE WAS ALSO A LARGE GROUP OF MEN THAT WANTED THE WOMEN THERE, IT WAS A VERY DIFFICULT TIME, WHERE YOU HAVE BOTH OF THE STRINGS GOING ON IN THE 70S AND '80S.

>> WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT HOW DO PEOPLE WORK ACROSS DIFFERENCES TOWARDS A COMMON GOAL, THERE IS NO BETTER EXAMPLE IN MY MIND THAN DAY MEN AND LESBIANS BECAUSE THESE ARE SUCH RADICCALLY DIFFERENT CULTURES.

GUYS WOULD BE TALKING ABOUT, LET'S HAVE A PARTY, LET'S HAVE IT IN THE CEMETERY AND THIS IS FOR HALLOWEEN, AND LET'S HAVE PEOPLE TAKE THEIR CLOTHES OFF AND RUN AROUND THROUGH THE TOMBSTONES AND THE WOMEN ARE SAYING, GOD, WHAT ARE THEY DOING NEXT?

AND THEN THE WOMEN WOULD START TALKING ABOUT, WELL, IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THIS EVENT, WE WILL HAVE TO HAVE CHILD CARE AND OF COURSE WE'VE GOT TO MAKE IT, YOU KNOW, ACCESSIBLE AND THEN THERE'S THE PROBLEM OF WHAT ARE WE GOING TO HAVE TO EAT?

WE'VE GOT TO HAVE HEALTHY FOOD.

THE GUYS ARE TEARING THEIR HAIR AND THINKING, GOD, THIS SOUNDS BORING.

>> WHEN I CAME OUT, I CAME OUT IN  FROM SCHOOL, WOMEN'S STUDY, I WAS A POLITICAL DIKE.

DIKE WAS A VERY POWERFUL AND STILL IS WORK FOR ME.

THE CENTER AT THAT TIME WAS PRETTY MUCH MALE DOMINATED AND THERE WERE A LOT OF CLASHES.

>> I THINK THAT BECAUSE WE'RE MEN AND WE GREW UP AS MEN, WE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND IT, SO WE HAD TO HAVE THAT, WE NEEDED THE EDUCATION FROM WOMEN TO TEACH US AND TO TREAT EVERYBODY EQUALLY WITH RESPECT.

>> I CAME OUT WITH A VENGEANCE.

I MEAN, I CAME OUT, THAT WAS IT, I WAS TOTALLY OUT.

WHEREVER I WORKED, I WAS COMPLETELY OUT.

>> FROM AGE SIX, I ALWAYS KNEW I WAS DIFFERENT THAN THE OTHER LITTLE GIRLS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.

I ACTUALLY EMBRACED MY SEXUAL IDENTITY AROUND AGE 30.

>> I THINK I FINALLY GOT FED UP AND SAID, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO LIVE AS THE PERSON I AM AND I CAME OUT.

IT WAS ABSOLUTELY, I MEAN, THE SCARIEST THING I'VE EVER DONE, BUT IN LIKE SIX MONTHS AFTER I DID IT, I SAID, THIS ISN'T SO BAD.

IT WAS JUST A MATTER OF DOING IT AND MAKING FRIENDS, LIFE BECAME VERY WONDERFUL.

>> I THINK THIS IS THE ONE YOU SAID, MY GOD, YOU WERE A PRINCESS EVEN THEN.

>> YES, I WAS BORN IN ALBANY, ACTUALLY, BORN IN THE OLD BRADY MATERNITY HOSPITAL, AS WERE ALL 10 OF MY SIBLINGS.

MY MOM WAS AND REMAINS QUITE RELIGIOUS AND WE ALL WENT THROUGH THE LOCAL CATHOLIC SCHOOLS.

I WENT TO ST.

MARY'S GRADE SCHOOL AND ST.

JOHN'S HIGH SCHOOL AND THEN SIENNA COLLEGE AND COLLEGE OF ST.

ROSE UNTIL I BROKE AWAY TO GET MY DOCTORATE AT U ALBANY.

I WAS ACTUALLY A BOY WHEN I REALIZED I WAS ATTRACTED TO OTHER BOYS AND MEN.

PETER ALWAYS AMAZES ME, THE STORIES OF DISCRIMINATION.

OF COURSE IN CATHOLIC SCHOOL YOU WERE TAUGHT THIS WAS WRONG, I HAD MUCH, MUCH LESS DISCRIMINATION.

SIENNA COLLEGE WAS GREAT.

GRADE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL WEREN'T SO GREAT, SIENNA COLLEGE WAS FINE, COLLEGE OF ST.

ROSE WAS FINE, THE UNIVERSITY WAS FINE AND WHERE I TAUGHT, THEY WERE VERY ACCEPTING, EVEN WHEN I FIRST BEGAN TEACHING IN THE EARLY '80S.

>> IN JANUARY OF '83, I CAME OUT TO MY MOTHER ON THE TELEPHONE IN A VERY AWKWARD WAY.

WITHOUT TAKING UP TOO MUCH TIME, I TRIED TO LEAVE MY MOTHER ENOUGH HINTS.

I HAD BEEN SEEING SOMEONE IN LAW SCHOOL AT CORNELL.

ONE AFTERNOON SHE CALLED ME AND FOUND ME AT JOSHUA'S AND ASKED ME JUST WHAT WAS I DOING THERE AND WHY WAS I THERE ALL THE TIME, WASN'T I THINKING ABOUT WHAT OTHER PEOPLE WOULD THINK IF I WAS SPENDING SO MUCH TIME WITH THIS OTHER MAN.

LOW AND BEHOLD, SHE CAME OUT AND ASKED ME, KEITH, ARE YOU A HOMOSEXUAL.

THERE WAS A PAUSE, A BREATH I TOOK, REALIZING THIS WAS THE MOMENT.

I SAID, YES.

>> SHE WAS STARTLED, TO SAY THE LEAST.

THAT WAS IT.

FROM THERE, SORT OF RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MY MOTHER AND ME SUFFERED.

IN FACT, AFTER THE INITIAL COMING OUT, SHE ACTUALLY STOPPED SUPPORTING ME FINANCIALLY, I WAS ON MY OWN IN LAW SCHOOL, A FIRST YEAR STUDENT AND ONE CAN IMAGINE JUST WHAT ADDITIONAL STRESS THAT PLACED UPON ME.

UP UNTIL HER DYING DAY, IT WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT SHE WELCOMED.

>> AIDS.

VERY, VERY DARK TIME.

>> I THINK THERE WAS GREAT FEAR BECAUSE LIKE EBOLA TODAY, PEOPLE ARE NOT REALLY QUITE KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT IT, NO ONE WAS, NOT THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY, NO ONE.

WE LOST PROBABLY 17 FRIENDS IN THE FIRST TWO YEARS OF THE AIDS CRISIS.

>> WHEN MY YOUNGEST BROTHER DIED OF AIDS, IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT FOR MY MOM, WHO REALLY WAS QUITE WONDERFUL WITH HIM.

SHE TOOK CARE OF HIM, BUT WHEN SHE SPOKE WITH US LATER, SHE SAID, YOU KNOW, STEVEN WASN'T REALLY GAY.

I THINK TO THIS DAY, SHE DOES NOT ACCEPT THE FACT HE WAS GAY AND LIVING WITH A GAY MAN.

THOSE THINGS ARE VERY PERSONALLY AFFECTING TO US.

>> I REMEMBER THE FIRST ARTICLE  THE HECK OUT OF ME.

I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON AND THEN I KNEW WE HAD TO BE VERY CAREFUL.

>> IT WAS FIRST NOTICED IN 1981, IN LOS ANGELES, QUICKLY CASES WERE SEEN IN SAN FRANCISCO AND IN NEW YORK CITY.

>> I TRIED TO TELL MY FRIENDS AND OTHER PEOPLE, BE VERY CAREFUL, PLAY SAFE.

>> MY FRIENDS IN CALIFORNIA WOULDN'T LISTEN, IT WAS POLITICAL THERE, THEY THOUGHT BARS AND BATH HOUSES WERE BEING SHUT DOWN BY THE SGFT THEY THOUGHT IT WAS REPRESSIVE FOR THEM AND MY FRIENDS SINCE DIED, THEY DIED SHORTLY AFTER THAT FROM AIDS.

I LOST A WHOLE GENERATION OF FRIENDS.

>> IT REALLY DEVASTATED ALL GAY COMMUNITIES IN THE UNITED STATES AND IT CERTAINLY DEVASTATED ALBANY.

EVERYONE LOST FRIENDS.

>> AT THE TIME THE AIDS COUNCIL WAS STARTING UP, THEY NEEDED VOLUNTEERS TO WORK THE HOTLINE.

I VOLUNTEERED.

WE GOT REALLY AMAZING CALLS.

>> SITTING THE SWITCHBOARD AT NIGHT WAS REALLY VERY MEANINGFUL ACTIVITY AND BEING ABLE TO JUST GIVE MY EAR TO SOMEONE WHO WAS IN FEAR OF DEATH.

>> I WAS AT THE UNIVERSITY, WE WENT OUT AND SPOKE TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE TIMES A WEEK FOR TWO OR THREE YEARS TO COLLEGES, CLASSES, EVEN SOME HIGH SCHOOLS.

>> EVERYBODY FROM THOSE DAYS, EVERYBODY CAN TELL YOU EXACTLY WHO THEIR FRIENDS WERE THAT DIED.

IT WAS JUST DEVASTATING.

>> I ACTUALLY CAME OUT WHEN I WAS 30, WHICH IS KIND OF OLD FOR KIDS TODAY COMING OUT.

AFTER MOVING TO ALBANY AND FINDING A COMMUNITY OF GAY POLITICAL ACTIVISTS, THAT WAS THE GROUP THAT REALLY SPURRED ME TO COME OUT.

>> I CAME TO ALBANY IN 1978 FOR AN INTERNSHIP AND I WAS SUPPOSED TO GO BACK TO BUFFALO AFTER SIX MONTHS AND I NEVER LEFT.

I CAME TO ALBANY, GOT INVOLVED WITH THE WOMEN CAUCUS AND GOT INVOLVED WITH THE WOMEN'S CENTER HERE.

I WAS A RADICAL LESBIAN SEPARATIST, WE ALL LIVED TOGETHER IN A COLLECTIVE AREA IN THE AREA.

I STARTED GETTING INVOLVED WITH LOCAL POLITICS.

>> I MET CAROL IN 1978 AND '79, MARCH 10, AT THE THEATER IN POUGHKEEPSIE.

>> I WAS TABLING AND A FRIEND INTRODUCED US AND AS SUSAN SAID, I'M SURE THERE ARE FOOT MARKS IN THE RUG OF THE BARDEVON, BECAUSE IT WAS INSTANTANEOUS AND ELECTRIC.

>> THE HUMAN RIGHTS ORDINANCE WAS INTRODUCED BY NANCY BURTON.

SHE AND NEBRASKA BRACE WERE THE ONLY TWO TO VOTE YES ON IT IN 1987 WHEN IT CAME UP TO THE FLOOR.

>> NANCY BURTON WAS AN OLDER WOMAN IN THE SIXTH WARD, WHICH WE REFERRED TO AS THE GAY GHETTO.

MANY OF US GOT INVOLVED IN HER CAMPAIGN BECAUSE SHE MADE PASSING A GAY RIGHTS ORDINANCE PART OF HER PROGRAM.

>> I WAS ASKED TO GET INVOLVED IN WHAT WAS CALLED THE NEW YORK STATE LESBIAN AND GAY LOBBY.

I BECAME THE PROCHAIR, JIM PERRY CAME TO ME AND SAID HE WANTED TO BE THE LOBBYIST.

HE AND I EMBARKED ON THIS ADVENTURE TOGETHER AND WE WERE POLITICAL SOUL MATES.

>> WHAT WE KNEW WE NEEDED TO DO WAS BEGIN TO BUILD NOT ONLY WHAT THE GAY COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO PROGRESSIVE COALITIONS IF WE WERE GOING TO HAVE SUCCESS.

1988 WAS THE FIRST VOTE IN THE COMMON COUNCIL ON THE GAY RIGHTS ORDINANCE.

AND WE WENT DOWN TO CITY HALL AND WE HAD OUR SIGNS AND OF COURSE THE OPPOSITION WERE DOWN THERE WITH THEIR SIGNS, TOO.

BUT IT WAS DEFEATED.

WE WERE JUST  JIM PERRY WAS AN ICONIC FIGURE.

HE DIED SADLY OF AIDS IN JUNE OF 1991.

HE NEVER LIVED TO SEE THE ORDINANCE PASSED.

ERNIE RAY NEVER LIVED TO SEE THE ORDINANCE PASS.

HE DIED IN AUGUST OF '91, AND THE ORDINANCE PASSED IN '92.

>> JIM, ON GAY PRIDE DAY, '91, HE WAS HOME, OUT OF THE HOSPITAL, HIS PARTNER, JOE, SAID WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO?

HE WAS CLEARLY DYING.

HE SAID, HE WANTED TO HAVE PEOPLE OVER FOR GAY PRIDE.

SO WE PUT IT ALL TOGETHER AND TOLD EVERYBODY TO COME OVER.

PEOPLE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY GOODBYE.

AND JIM DIED THAT NIGHT.

>> I THINK IT WAS KIND OF INTERESTING ABOUT ALBANY, IT WAS GAY ACTIVISTS THAT LED THE PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT.

THERE WERE MANY PEOPLE THAT AREN'T AROUND ANY MORE, THERE WAS ERNIE RAY, JIM PERRY AND FOR MANY OF THEM, THEY WERE THE  I THINK THE TACTICIANS, HAD THE STRATEGY, ARE WE GOING FOR GAY CIVIL RIGHTS BILL, WHAT CANDIDATES WILL WE RUN FOR COMMITTEE SEATS.

>> EVEN IN THE FACE OF DEFEAT AT THE BEGINNING ON THE CITY ORDINANCE, THERE WAS THIS SENSE OF PULLING TOGETHER ALREADY.

AND I REMEMBER SAYING AT THAT MOMENT, THIS IS GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TIME, WE KNOW THAT, WE WILL WIN ON THIS.

AND WE DID.

AND OF COURSE IT DIDN'T STOP.

>> I CAME OUT IN 1983.

I GRADUATED CORNELL IN 1985.

I MOVED TO ALBANY, AT THE LEGAL AIDS SOCIETY FOR ABOUT FOUR YEARS, I THINK, AND THEN SAW AN AD IN A NEWSPAPER ANNOUNCING A MEETING THAT WAS GOING TO BE HELD AND INVITING PEOPLE WHO MIGHT HAVE AN INTEREST IN WORKING ON POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS.

SO I WENT TO THE MEETING AND FOLKS APPARENTLY HAD DESIGNS ON ME THAT I HADN'T ANTICIPATED.

FOLKS WANTED ME TO ACTUALLY BE A CANDIDATE.

THAT WAS NEWS TO ME AND RATHER FLATTERING.

>> WE HAD WON A MAJORITY IN THE COMMON COUNCIL AND ELECTED KEITH ST.

JOHN, WHO WAS THE FIRST OPENLY GAY ALDERMAN, AS FAR AS WE KNOW, NOT ONLY THE STATE, BUT THE COUNTRY.

>> IN NOVEMBER OF 1989, I WAS ELECTED TO THE COUNCIL TO BEGIN SERVING, JANUARY 1, OF 1990.

AS IT TURNED OUT, THE FIRST OPENLY GAY, BLACK PERSON, MALE OR FEMALE, ELECTED TO PUBLIC OFFICE, NOT JUST IN ALBANY, NOT JUST IN ALBANY COUNTY OR EVEN THE STATE OF NEW YORK, BUT IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.

>> WHEN WE FIRST GOT MARRIED, WE HEAR THROUGH MY FAMILY THAT ONE OF OUR CLOSE RELATIVES IN OUR IMMEDIATE FAMILY SAID, IT'S NOT A REAL MARRIAGE.

ALL OF MY SIBLINGS ARE REALLY WONDERFUL, MY MOM IS REALLY WONDERFUL, BUT OUR RELATIONSHIP REALLY HAS LASTED MUCH, MUCH LONGER THAN ANY OF THEIRS AND NOT TO SAY THAT ANYTHING WAS WRONG, PEOPLE'S RELATIONSHIPS OF COURSE GO THROUGH TRANSITIONS, BUT IT'S REALLY AN INTERESTING COMMENTARY THAT OUR MARRIAGE IS NOT A REAL MARRIAGE AND IN FACT IT'S OF COURSE LEGALLY REAL NOW AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN REAL TO US, OUR RELATIONSHIP.

>> A HIGH POINT, A VERY HIGH POINT, THIS WAS THE CERTIFICATE THAT WE RECEIVED AFTER WE HAD REGISTERED AS THE FIRST DOMESTIC PARTNERS FOR THE CITY OF ALBANY.

AND THEN...THEN NEW YORK STATE LEGISLATURE, THE NEW YORK STATE LEGISLATURE IN ITS WISDOM, FINALLY DID PASS THE LAW IN 2011.

>> IN TERMS OF LESBIAN, GAY MARRIAGE RECOGNIZING LESBIANGAY MARRIAGE.

>> OKAY.

SO TIME TO  THE FIRST DAY WE COULD GO DOWN AND APPLY FOR A LICENSE, WE WENT DOWN TO CITY HALL AND A YOUNG REPORTER FROM THE POUGHKEEPSIE JOURNAL STEPPED UP AND SAID, ARE YOU TWO HERE FOR A LICENSE, A MARRIAGE LICENSE?

WE SAID, YEAH.

YEAH, WE'RE GOING IN.

SHE SAID, WELL, COULD I GO IN WITH YOU AND THEN TOMORROW, COULD I COME FOR THE WEDDING, IS IT HERE AT CITY HALL?

WE SAID, YES, AT CITY HALL.

I SAID, WELL, I LOOKED AT SUSAN.

SUSAN HAS BEEN MORE RETICENT, I'VE BEEN OUT THERE.

I SAID, LET'S LEAVE IT UP TO SUSAN, WHAT DO YOU THINK, SUSAN?

SUSAN THOUGHT ABOUT IT FOR TWO SECONDS AND SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT, OKAY.

SOMEBODY'S PICTURE IS GOING TO BE ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE POUGHKEEPSIE JOURNAL TOMORROW MORNING AND WHAT COULD BE LESS THREATENING THAN A PICTURE OF TWO HAPPY OLD LADIES.

>> MY PARTNER ALSO BECAME MY SPOUSE.

WE WERE MARRIED THREE MONTHS BEFORE HE DIED.

AND WE USED  PEOPLE SAID, WHY DON'T YOU GUYS GET MARRIED.

WE WERE ALWAYS AMAZED THAT SCHENECTADY CONSIDERED US A CUP AND HE WILL THAT'S THE END OF IT.

WHEN STATE LEGISLATURE MADE THAT POSSIBLE, WHEN ARE YOU GETTING MARRIED?

AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE.

AND THEN SOMEBODY SAID TO US, IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

WE CALLED THE JUDGE OF THE CIRCUIT COURT, VERSACE, IN SCHENECTADY, AND WE DIDN'T KNOW HIM, WE KNEW HIM THROUGH POLITICAL WORLD, YOU KNOW, THE DEMOCRATIC WORLD.

HE WAS FATHER OF  QUITE A CHARACTER.

AND SO JIM SAID, SO WE CALLED HIM AND HE SAID, WHAT CAN I DO FOR YOU?

JIM SAID, WE WANT YOU TO MARRY US.

AND THERE WAS A LONG PAUSE AND HE SAID, I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW PROUD I AM THAT YOU WOULD CHOOSE ME TO DO IT.

YOU KNOW, JUST THE RESPONSE, YOU KNOW.

>> I THINK THE MAINSTREAM DEPICTION OF MARRIAGE EQUALITY IN NEW YORK STATE DEFINITELY WAS THAT OUR  WE'VE ARRIVED AND OUR GAYRIGHTS MOVEMENT NOW CAN KIND OF BE DONE AND THERE'S STILL A LOT OF WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE ON THE STATE LEVEL TO SUPPORT FAMILIES, TO SUPPORT PEOPLE WHO ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE MARGINALIZED BECAUSE THEY ARE LGBTQ.

>> OFTENTIMES WHEN PEOPLE THINK OF LGBTQ COMMUNITY, THEY THINK OF ONE BIG LGBTQ COMMUNITY THAT EVERYONE THAT'S A PART OF THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY IF YOU ARE LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER, THAT IS YOUR IDENTITY, YOU ARE LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER.

THERE IS DIVERSITY LIKE DIVERSITY WITHIN THE WORLD.

>> OUR OWN VOICE, THAT IS GABBY.

>> FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR WHO IDENTIFY AS LGBTQ, WE ARE FACED WITH ADDITIONAL ADVERSITY, AND THAT CREATES ADDITIONAL BARRIERS.

AND WHEN IT COMES TIME TO DO RESEARCH, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR HIV, STI, HELP C, THAT RESEARCH IS NOT SPECIFIC TO WHAT IS VISIBLE AND PRESENT IN THE DAYTODAY LIVES OF LGBTQ.

>> OUR VOICES GREW OUT OF FOR SOCIAL GROUPS, WHICH WAS THE ACTION NETWORK FAN.

YOU HAD FABLE, LIFE THAT IS I'M KIND OF A PRODUCT OF SABLE, IT PROVIDED A HUGE SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR ME.

YOU HAD GIMOCA, GAY MEN OF COLOR ALLIANCE AND LASTLY, IT WAS JOINED BY SOCIAL JUSTICE CENTER AND ALL FOUR OF THOSE GRASSROOT ORGANIZATIONS, COME TO THE TABLE AND SAID, WE NEED SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY GOING TO SPEAK TO LGBTQ PEOPLE OF COLOR.

>> I HAVE TO GIVE A LOT OF CREDIT, NOT ONLY TO LESBIANS, BUT ALSO GAY MEN, TO WOMEN'S COLOR, LATINO WOMEN AND ALSO CAUCASIAN WOMEN FOR HELPING SHAPE THE ORGANIZATION.

>> THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING LGBTQ IN OUR VOICE, WE GET TO LOOK AT AND PROVIDE SERVICES SPECIFICALLY FOR LGBTQ PEOPLE OF COLOR AND TO ADDRESS THE HEALTH DISPARITY AND TO COME BACK OPPRESSION AND MARGINALIZATION IN OUR COMMUNITY AND MAKE SURE OUR VOICE IS BEING HEARD IN A LARGER LGBTQ COMMUNITY.

>> NOW PEOPLE WILL NEVER, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO NEVER SAY, WE GOT THAT, NO, WHAT PEOPLE SAW, MY GOSH, AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN AND LATINO WOMEN ARE TRYING TO BREAK AWAY FROM THIS COMMUNITY.

WE'RE NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR THEM, HOW DARE THEY.

WE ARE TRYING TO DO GOOD FOR EVERYBODY.

AND THE THING IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD FOR PEOPLE AND I WOULD HAVE TO SAY MORE MAINSTREAM, WHICH COULD BE AFRICAN AMERICAN, TO UNDERSTAND WHY SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO HAVE SEPARATENESS.

>> WE ALSO HAVE CHALLENGES AND RESISTANCE THAT COME FROM OVERALL COMMUNITY.

PRIMARILY MAINSTREAM LGBTQ PEOPLE ASKING WHY DO YOU NEED A SEPARATE PRIDE.

>> THE FIRST YEAR WE PUT OUR SIGN ON THE BUILDING, IT WAS SLASHED, AND SOMEONE CUT IT UP.

I JUST WAS LIKE, I CONTINUE TO BE SHOCKED AND AMAZED AT THE LEVEL OF SOMETIMES BLATANT RACISM, BUT I GET SHOCKED AND AMAZED AT THE LEVEL OF MISUNDERSTANDING THAT PEOPLE BRING TO THE TABLE.

WE'VE GOT TO GROW AND OFTEN THAT LEADS YOU RIGHT BACK TO WHERE YOU STARTED AND THAT'S BEING MORE INCLUSIVE OF EVERYBODY ELSE.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE SPACE TO SAY, THIS IS WHO I AM, THESE ARE MY CONCERNS, THIS IS WHAT I'M AFRAID OF, THIS IS THE SUPPORT I NEED.

YOU CAN'T ALWAYS DO THAT IN A MIXED GROUP.

>> I LOOK AT AN EQUITY AS BEING INEQUITY AND THOSE INEQUITY ARE NOT ATTACHED TO RACE, GENDER, ACROSS THE BOARD.

OUR OWN VOICES, WE STRIFE TO TAKE A LOOK AT ALTERNATIVE WAYS OF HOW WE CAN PROVIDE SERVICES TO THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY.

WE DO PROVIDE SERVICES TO LGBTQ COMMUNITY, WE HAVE A FOCUS ON LGBTQ PEOPLE OF COLOR.

>> WE PREFER TO HANG OUT WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE DOWN TO EARTH, A LITTLE BIT QUIRKY.

I FEEL LIKE EVERYONE WANTS TO FIND A FEND GROUP WHO THEY CAN BE THEMSELVES AROUND.

I DON'T HAVE A SET FRIEND GROUP PER SE.

>> PEOPLE ARE COMING OUT EARLIER AND DATA IN OUR COMMUNITY IS TERRIBLE, NO NATIONAL DATA COLLECTION EFFORTS THAT REALLY GIVE US SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL, BUT ONE OF THE STATISTICS I'VE HEARD THAT IS UNSUBSTANTIATED, BUT I BELIEVE THE AVERAGE AGE PEOPLE COME OUT IS 13 YEARS OLD.

>> I FRESHMAN CHINA, I WAS ADOPTED.

GROWS UP, IT WAS WEIRD, I DIDN'T HAVE ANYONE THAT LOOKED LIKE ME.

YOU GO OUT TO TOWN OR TO A RESTAURANT AND THEN YOU DON'T LOOK LIKE YOUR PARENTS, IT'S KIND OF WEIRD, YOU GET STRANGE LOOKS.

I GREW UP WITH THAT.

LOOKING BACK, IT WAS AROUND FIFTH GRADE, I STARTED TO GRAVITATE TOWARDS FANCYING WOMEN.

AT THE TIME I DIDN'T KNOW IT, I JUST THOUGHT, THAT GIRL IS REALLY PRETTY.

>> THERE WERE A COUPLE SLY SUGGESTIONS HERE AND THERE PRIOR TO HER REALLY BEING FORMAL ABOUT ANNOUNCING TO US ABOUT HER SEXUAL ORIENTATION.

>> IT WASN'T UNTIL NINTH GRADE I REALLY STARTED TO BE LIKE, OKAY, THIS ISN'T A BAD THING, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY I'M SO APPREHENSIVE.

>> IT WAS JUST AT SUPPER ONE NIGHT, SHE CAME IN AND WE HAD SUPPER AND SHE FIRMLY PUT HER FOOT DOWN AND SAID, ALL RIGHT, WE'VE GOT TO GET THIS SQUARED AWAY.

I'M GAY.

HER MOTHER AND I SAID, OKAY, FINE, WE'LL DEAL WITH THAT.

WE STILL LOVE YOU.

WE'RE HERE FOR YOU AND IT'S FINE.

DID YOU GET YOUR HOMEWORK DONE?

>> OUR YOUTH GROUP HAS TRADITIONALLY BEEN 13 TO 18.

A COUPLE YEARS AGO WE STARTED TO SEE 11 AND 12 YEARS OLD WERE KNOCKING ON OUR DOOR.

THE NEEDS REALLY ARE VERY DIVERSE WHEN PEOPLE COME OUT, IT RANGES FROM THAT IS GREAT, I'M DONE, TO A VERY, VERY LONG AND INVOLVED KIND OF LAYERED PROCESS.

>> FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR, WHO IDENTIFY AS LGBTQ, WE ARE FACED WITH ADDITIONAL ADVERSITY, COMING OUT PROCESS IS DIFFERENT.

THE COMING OUT PROCESS IS  MAY NOT BE THIS ONE TIME THING, LIKE THE COMING OUT PROCESS WHETHER YOU HAVE SEEN IT IN THE MEDIA OR YOU HAVE LEARNED IT FROM MAINSTREAM COMMUNITIES, MIGHT JUST BE LIKE THIS ONE TIME THAT YOU OUT YOURSELF AND AS SOON AS YOU DO THAT, EVERYTHING GETS BETTER OR EASIER TO MANAGE.

WITH COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, WE ARE PART OF MANY COMMUNITIES.

>> I KNEW THERE WERE RESOURCES IN THE CAPITAL REGION, FRESHMAN YEAR, I JOINED MY GSA, THE HIGH SCHOOL GSA.

THE GSA IS A GAYSTRAIGHT ALLIANCE AND BASICALLY IT'S A CLUB, AN ALLINCLUSIVE CLUB THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE WHO IDENTIFY AS DIFFERENT SEXUAL IDENTITIES, GENDER IDENTITIES, ANYTHING, THEY CAN COME INTO THE CLUB, EXPRESS WHO THEY ARE AND FEEL LIKE THEY CAN BE WHO THEY ARE.

IT DAWNED ON ME THAT WOW, WE HAVE SO MUCH AROUND US THAT CAN HELP US.

THERE ARE KIDS WHO ARE STILL STRUGGLING WITH THEIR SEXUALITY, THERE ARE KIDS WHO ARE STRUGGLING WITH GENDER IDENTITY OR WHATEVER ELSE.

WE ALL HAVE CLOSETS TO COME OUT OF.

IT'S NOT NECESSARILY LGBTQ RELATED.

>> I CAME OUT IN 1999, WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL, I WAS LIKE 15 OR 16 YEARS OLD.

DURING THAT TIME, THE CONCEPT OF SOMETHING LIKE GENDER AND SEXUALITY RESOURCE CENTER OR GAYSTRAIGHT ALLIANCE, I DIDN'T REALIZE  YOU DON'T HEAR A LOT ON THE NEWS OR IN THE MEDIA ABOUT YOUR IDENTITY IN '99.

THERE WAS JUST ACCESS TO THE INTERNET AND AOL, OR OTHER RESOURCES, AND SO COMING INTO AN IDENTITY CULTURE OF SILENCE WAS TOUGH.

THE THING THAT WAS TOUGH FOR ME, AS A YOUNG WHITE MIDDLE CLASS PERSON IN THE MIDDLE OF THE VILLAGE, I CAN IMAGINE WHAT IT WAS LIKE FOR PEOPLE OF A DIFFERENT GENERATION.

>> HOW IS IT GOING?

>> WE ARE CURRENTLY AT UNIVERSITY OF ALBANY, I AM PROGRAM COORDINATOR FOR THE GENDER AND SEXUALITY RESOURCE CENTER.

>> ONE THING WE SAW ON THE CAMPUS OR DIDN'T SEE, WAS LGBTQ IDENTIFIED STUDENTS AND THEIR STRUGGLES AND THEIR CONNECTION ON CAMPUS THERE HAS BEEN A STUDENT CLUB SINCE 1971, SO 40 YEARS OF STUDENT ACTIVISM.

THERE WEREN'T ANY INSTITUTIONALIZED RESOURCES, NOTHING IN THE SUMMER.

YOU WOULDN'T KNOW THERE WAS LGBTQ INCLUSIVE LIFE OR EMPOWERMENT ON THIS CAMPUS IF THE STUDENT CLUB DIDN'T MANIFEST ITSELF EVERY YEAR.

>> IT IS AN INSTITUTIONALIZED SYMBOL ABOUT THE CONVERSATION THAT WE WANT TO HAVE AROUND GENDER AND SEXUALITY AND HOW IT IMPACTS STUDENTS, SPECIFICALLY HOW IT IMPACTS THE LGBTQ PROPORTION.

THERE ARE STUDENTS ON THE CAMPUS THAT LOSE FAMILY SUPPORT.

THEY COME OUT OR ARE OUTED AND THE FAMILY SAYS YOU WERE NOT LGBTQ WHEN YOU WERE HOME, I'M TAKING YOU OUT OF SCHOOL.

ONE STORY THAT COMES TO MIND, WHEN I THINK ABOUT THIS SPACE, STUDENTS THAT COME HERE AND HAVE LOST FAMILY SUPPORT.

THEY GOT A PHONE CALL AND HEARD THEIR PHONES BEING TURNED OFF OR CREDIT CARD BEING TURNED OFF.

THEY ARE WONDERING, OKAY, SO WHAT DO I DO?

WHEN YOU LOOK AT NATIONAL STATISTICS, YOU CAN SEE THAT STUDENTS ARE LGBTQ STUDENTS, ONCE THEY ARE OUT, FACE HIGHER RATES OF HARASSMENT, HIGHER RATES OF SUICIDALITY.

THEY SKIP SCHOOL AND SKIP CLASS, THEIR GPA GOES DOWN FROM THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.

THAT IS ESPECIALLY FOR LGBTQ IDENTIFIED PEOPLE OF COLOR.

AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THOSE STATISTICS, YOU WONDER WHO IS ACTUALLY MAKING IT TO FOURYEAR INSTITUTIONS LIKE U ALBANY.

TONS OF STUDENTS HAVE GREAT EXPERIENCES, TONS OF FAMILY SUPPORT, THOSE AREN'T STUDENTS WE'RE HERE FOR.

STUDENTS WE ARE HERE FOR ARE DEALING WITH MULTIPLE IDENTITIES, THEY DON'T HAVE FAMILY SUPPORT.

THEY ARE NONCONFORMING.

THEY HAVE MULTIPLE IDENTITIES AND INNER STRUGGLE LEAD THEM TO BE ON OUTSKIRT OF DIFFERENT GROUPS.

SO THAT IS WHO WE WANT TO BE HERE FOR.

>> [INDISCERNIBLE]  I AM TRANSGENDER WOMAN FROM PUERTO RICO.

I WAS NOT BORN IN NEW YORK.

I HAD TO KEEP HIDDEN MYSELF.

HISPANIC CULTURE IS NOT OPEN TO ACCEPTING GAY, LESBIAN, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER PEOPLE.

YOU HAVE TWO OPTIONS.

ONE, EITHER YOU CAN COME OUT AND FACE THE REALITY YOU MIGHT GET REJECTED BY YOUR FAMILY, OR KEEP IT HIDDEN AND THAT IS THE CHOICE I CHOSE.

I KEPT IT TO MYSELF.

>> IN THE EVOLUTION OF THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY, I THINK TRANS PEOPLE AND THE COMMUNITY AS A MOVEMENT AND THE RIGHTS ARE PROBABLY 15, 20 YEARS BEHIND THE GAY, LESBIAN, BISEXUAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

WE SEE THAT IN NEW YORK STATE, WITH BASIC RIGHTS THAT ARE NOT AFFORDED TO THE TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY AND SO THERE ARE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES THAT THE GAY AND LESBIAN COMMUNITY HAS AND ACHIEVEMENTS MADE THAT REALLY HAVEN'T BROUGHT THE TRANSCOMMUNITY ALONG AS MUCH AS THEY NEEDED TO.

>> BACK WHEN I CAME OUT, I WAS INVOLVED IN  CAME OUT TO MY FRIENDS, THEY WERE ACCEPTING AND I SURPRISED THE NICE THING THAT HAPPEN BECAUSE IT GIVE ME, HELP ME IN WHAT I LOVE DOING AND IT MEANT I DIDN'T HAVE TO COMPLETELY BACK DOWN FROM IT.

I STAYED A LITTLE BIT LONGER ESPECIALLY IN MY TRANSITION.

>> THE LEVEL OF VIOLENCE THAT TRANS PEOPLE EXPERIENCE IS INCREDIBLY DISPROPORTIONATE TO THE AVERAGE PERSON AND THE OTHER ISSUES THEY EXPERIENCE INCLUDE UNEMPLOYMENT, HOMELESSNESS, INCREASED RATES OF INCARCERATION.

>> I WAS NEAR DEATH.

I WAS RUINNING THE LIVES OF ANYONE WHO WOULD LET ME STAY ON THEIR COUCH, BECAUSE WHEREVER I WAS, PEOPLE WERE THERE TO GET ME.

I ENDED UP MAKING A LOT OF REALLY NEGATIVE CONNECTIONS AND PEOPLE DROP BY AND TRY TO EXPLOIT THAT.

>> I CALLED CATHOLIC CHARITIES AND ONE NUMEROUS ARREST LED ME TO COUNSELING AND THE WOMAN SAID, WHY DON'T YOU GO TO ALBANY.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY, YOU DON'T NEED INSURANCE, YOU WILL WORK.

I DON'T REALLY HAVE A CHOICE, I WILL DO WHAT YOU TELL ME TO DO.

I WENT TO SALVATION ARMY AND GOT CLEAN, I REMEMBER SAYING TO MYSELF, YOU NEED THIS, THIS IS GOING TO WORK, IF THIS NEEDS TO WORK FOR YOU, YOU NEED TO ADDRESS WHATEVER IT IS.

I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS.

I KNEW I HAD TO BE SOMETHING OTHER THAN THE HETEROSEXUAL MASCULINE PERSON I WAS TRYING TO BE, I KNEW THAT WAS THE KEY.

I HAD DONE EVERYTHING ELSE, I HAD EVERY ADVANTAGE MY LIFE COULD GIVE ME, HAD PEOPLE SUPPORTING ME, I HAD SKILLS AND WAS SMART.

MY SUCCESS SO FAR HAS BEEN DUE MAINLY TO MY FOCUS ON MAKING THE OTHER PERSON COMFORTABLE, LIKE SCHOOL, I WAS LIKE, HOW IS IT GOING TO WORK HERE TO NOT DISRUPT THE SCHOOL, HOW CAN WE DO THIS TO MAKE YOU GUYS COMFORTABLE?

BACK IN THE END OF 2012, I WENT TO THE DOCTOR AND I'VE BEEN ON INJECTIONS EVER SINCE AND IT'S BEEN WHERE I'VE GOTTEN TO A POINT WHERE I'VE DONE EVERYTHING, EXCEPT GO TO WORK.

>> I WENT TO HR AND I  SHE WAS TOTALLY BLASTED OUT OF THE WATER.

I'VE ONLY BEEN HERE A COUPLE YEARS, I'VE NEVER HELPED ANYONE THROUGH THIS.

SHE SAID, DON'T TELL ANYONE.

I SENT HER TUESDAY MORNING A COPY OF MY QUOTE ORDER.

SO, I'M NERVOUS, SHAKING, I'M RED.

I TOLD HER THAT I KNEW AT SOME POINT I WOULD NEED TO BE SITTING IN FRONT OF A SUPERVISOR AND THAT'S YOU, I HAVE TO GO THROUGH GENDER TRANSITION.

SHE WAS RELIEVED AND SHE WAS LIKE, OKAY, WHAT CAN I DO FOR YOU, WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO, WHAT CAN WE DO?

HR COULDN'T DO ANYTHING, IT'S UP TO US.

I THOUGHT THAT MY SITUATION WOULD BE THAT PEOPLE WOULD ACCEPT ME BECAUSE I WAS AN AUDITOR AND THEY LIKED ME AND THEY WOULD ACCEPT ME BECAUSE THEY HAD TO BECAUSE WE HAVE PROTECTIONS OR WHATEVER.

BUT ALL THE SOCIAL STUFF WOULD DROP, NOBODY WOULD TALK TO ME UNLESS THEY HAD TO.

THAT HAS TOTALLY NOT BEEN THE CASE.

NONE OF THE HORRIBLE THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN THE STORIES HAPPENED TO ME, NONE OF THEM.

EVERYTHING WAS AMAZING, BEYOND MY WILDEST BELIEF.

>> WHAT RATIONALE PEOPLE DO, THEY LOOK FOR GOOD IN PEOPLE, THEY LOOK FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE INTERESTING, WHO ARE GOOD INDIVIDUALS, WHO SHOW UP BY THEIR ACTIONS, WHO CHOOSE NOT TO HARM OTHERS, HARM THE ENVIRONMENT.

AND THAT'S WHAT I THINK THE SENSE OF JOY COMES FROM, THAT MORE RATIONALE PEOPLE NOW ARE WILLING TO LOOK AT INDIVIDUALS AND THEY'RE ABLE TO USE THEIR RATIONAL MIND AND SAY, ARE THESE PEOPLE I REALLY WANT TO KNOW?

ARE THEY GOOD PEOPLE?

ARE THEY INTERESTING PEOPLE?

THAT IS FAR, FAR MORE IMPORTANT THAN WHAT YOU DO UNDER THE COVERS.

>> WE NEED PEOPLE TO COME OUT ON THE ISSUES.

>> YOU DON'T NEED TO BE LGBTQ TO DO THAT, COMING OUT IS VULNERABLE, THAT IS WHY STRAIGHT PEOPLE DON'T DO IT, THEY DON'T HAVE TO, IT IS NOT LIFE IMPERATIVE FOR THEM.

WE NEED THEM TO COME OUT ON THE ISSUE, TO FEEL VULNERABLE WITH US.

IT IS A VULNERABLE ISSUE.

IF IT WASN'T, IT WOULD BE EASY FOR EVERYBODY TO DO IT.

>> WE ARE VIBRANT COMMUNITY, WE ARE A COMMUNITY THAT IS STRONG IN BELIEFS.

WE ARE SPIRITUAL, YOU KNOW, WE ARE CHRISTIANS, WE ARE ACROSS THE BOARD, WE ARE TAXPAYERS, NO DIFFERENT THAN THE HETEROSEXUAL COMMUNITY YOU'LL FIND THE SAME REFLECTION IN THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY.

>> AS IMPORTANT AS IT IS FOR THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY TO HAVE COHESSION AND TO HAVE OUR OWN SENSE OF COMMUNITY, I THINK IT IS EQUALLY IMPORTANT THOSE WHO SUPPORT US AND FEEL A STRONG CONNECTION TO OUR COMMUNITY ALSO SEE THEIR VALUE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

IT IS THEIR WORK AND THEIR SUPPORT THAT IS REALLY GOING TO HELP BRING EQUALITY TO THE COMMUNITY IN A TRUE SENSE.

>> THE VOICE OF THE LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY ON 91.5 FM, WRPI TROY, THE UPSTATE UNDERGROUND.

>>THE RADIO IS A NEW AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS RADIO IN 23RD SEASON.

WE BROADCAST LIVE FROM THE COMMUNITY CENTER ON WRPI CAMPUS AND WE LOVINGLY REFER TO OURSELVES AS THE VOICE OF THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY.

>> WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT TO ME DOING THE SHOW, REACHING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY, SOME OF WHOM DON'T COME OUT TO THE BARS OR GAY COMMUNITY CENTER OR ARE NOT ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY, SOME ARE JUST LIVING AT HOME.

I STARTED AS A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT WHO WAS NOT OUT TO MY FAMILY OR FRIENDS AND IT GAVE ME AN OUTLET, SOMEWHERE TO GO AND LISTEN ON A REGULAR BASIS TO HEAR WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY.

>> WE'LL BE BACK IN HALF AN HOUR.

>> FUNDING FOR "OUT IN ALBANY" IS PROVIDED BY THE FOLLOWING: JOYELLES JEWELERS FEATURES DIAMONDS, GEM STONES, PEARLS, GOLD AND SILVER, RINGS, NECKLACES, WATCHES AND MORE, CHOSEN BY JEWELERS JUST FOR YOU.

JOYELLES JEWELERS, YOUR PERSONAL JEWELER, LOCATED IN MAIN SQUARE DEL MAR.

>> WHETHER A FORMAL AFFAIR OR AFTERNOON PICK ME UP, TRANSFORM ANY OCCASION WITH ENCHANTED FLORIST OF ALBANY, OR ENCHANTED FLORIST ALBANY DOT COM.

FLOWERS FOR YOUR LIFE.

ENCHANTED.

>> FUNDING FOR THE WEB IS PROVIDED BY THE ERNEST O. REAUGH TRUST FUND AND NORTHEAST ACURA.

FUNDING FOR CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY UNIVERSITY AT ALBANY.