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The Gay Women's Alternative, DC (GWA) (1981–1993) was an incorporated social-educational non-profit organization dedicated to enriching the cultural, intellectual, and social lives of lesbians of the Washington, DC area. The GWA was formed in 1980 to provide the DC lesbian community with an alternative and safe space to socialize and discuss feminist and educational topics concerning the lesbian and gay women population.〔"GWA's 10th Birthday," (11 Jan. 1991) The Washington Blade, p. 32〕〔Bonita Becker. (23 March 1984). "The Growing Lesbian Alternative," The Washington Blade, Vol 15 p. 12〕 The group met every Wednesday evening from 8 pm to 11 pm at the Washington Ethical Society near Silver Spring, MD.〔Ina B. Alterman, "Letter to Donna, Sapphire Sapphos (Black Lesbian Group), asking them to speak at GWA" Dec. 10, 1980, Rainbow History Project Archives, Box 5, MA 764, Folder 66,Kiplinger Library: Historical Society of Washington, DC.〕 Weekly programs covered topics such as, "Organizing Your Finances for Success," "Lesbian Couples: How Different are we?" and "Women and Wellness: A Feminist Approach to Health Care".〔"Gay Women's Alternative Schedule of Events Jan-March 1986," (Rainbow History Project )〕 Speakers included black poet Audre Lorde, artist Joan E. Biren, television journalist Maureen Bunyan, and comedian Kate Karsten.〔Lisa M. Keen (12 Jan. 1984) "Audre Lorde Speaks at GWA," ''Washington Blade''〕 The GWA held several dances, including the annual lesbian spring dance and the Spring Cotillion. ==History== The GWA came about as a result of a series of gay political activist efforts set by the Mattachine Society of Washington (MSW), 1961.〔Mark Meinke (13 Oct 2011), "50th Anniversary of the Mattachine Society of Washington Panel Discussion with Paul Kuntzler and Lilli Vincez,Transcript" ''(The Rainbow History Project: Preserving Our Community's History )''〕 On April 17, 1965, ten members of the MSW, three women and seven men, picketed the White House to change the government's discriminatory politices against LGBT people and the police department's treatment of LGBT individuals. This public event visibly broke the barriers of "closeted existence for gay people" in DC and create hope for a non-discriminatory future.〔 As a result of the MSW efforts for change, gay women in D.C. wanted a place to get together and discuss gay rights. Lilli Vincenz, a member of MSW and an activist for gay and lesbian rights in Washington, D.C., invited women to meet every week at her home to create a safe venue for gay women to discuss gay activism and other lesbian related issues. Lilli Vincenz notes: Vincenz's home became known as the Gay Women's Open House (GWOH), 1971–1979. However, due to the lack of space, it was decided that a bigger venue was needed. This is when Leigh Geiger,〔"Timeline: Civil rights/political activism, social events, and community institutions," ''(The Rainbow History Project: Preserving Our Community's History )'' Revised 8 Aug. 2006, p. 17.〕 and Ina Alterman, from New York, formed the Gay Women's Alternative in 1980, providing the DC lesbian community with educational and social events that served as alternative social venues to the bar. The GWA's annual Spring Cotillion dance became the highlight of the year for lesbians in DC.〔 Gay social life DC up until the 1980s had been historically limited to bars, but the GWA, which advertised its organization as an "alternative to the closet and alternative to the bar,"〔"GWA DC Event List," January 1981, (Rainbow History Project Archives ), accessed June 20, 2012.〕 became known as an alternative space for gay women to gather and meet without the aid of alcohol or smoking.〔Brett Beemym, "A Queer Capital," in ''Creating a place for ourselves: Lesbian, gay, bisexual community histories'' Ed. Breet Beemym. New York, N.Y. :Routledge., p. 204.〕〔Susan Ganley (5 Oct. 1990). "Out in Numbers" The Washington Blade p.53〕 On July 28, 1982, the GWA board members decided that they needed to make the public more aware that their organization was for professional women. At the end of 1982, GWA began adding the slogan, GWA ''"For the Thinking Women"'' to the event flyers that were mailed out to the community every month.〔Rachael Kupferberg, "Meeting Minutes-GWA- July 28th 1982," Rainbow HIstory Project Archives, Box 5, MS 764, Folder 68, Historical Society of Washington, D.C., Kiplinger Library.〕 The meeting minutes read: The GWA tried to appeal to broad spectrum of women coming from various ethnic and religious backgrounds, however, the GWA consistently attracted white, suburban, professional women in their 30s and 40s. Esther Katzman, the President of the GWA in 1984, notes: In 1993, the GWA was forced to shut down due to the lack of funding and the emergence of several other LGBT non-profits that provided more resources for the Lesbian community.〔"GWA Announcement" Rainbow History Project Archives, Kiplinger Library,BOX 5, MS 764, Folder 65 Historic Society of Washington, DC〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Gay Women's Alternative」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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