Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Alumni Council (GLBTAC)

On Monday, June 2, 2008, a group of University of Wisconsin Students and Faculty stopped in New York City as part of the UW's LGBT Civil Rights Movement 2008 experiential learning program. All UW Alumni and Friends were invited to join this group at the LGBT Community Center for a panel discussion with local LGBT activists and historians Karla Jay and Arnie Kantrowitz.

Questions? Please contact Joe at (608) 263-4508 or joehammes@uwalumni.com.

About the Panelists
When gay activists founded the Gay Liberation Front in the wake of the Stonewall riots of June 1969, Karla Jay was an early member, and became an active participant, balancing attendance at meetings with working and attending graduate school. Jay helped form the Women's Caucus of GLF (also known as The Lavendar Menace), which sought inclusion for lesbians in the feminist movement. Jay has gone on to become a pioneer the field of GLBTQ Studies. Her first book, "Out of the Closet: Voices of Gay Liberation" (1972), an anthology that she co-edited with Allen Young, remains in print. Her most recent book is ''Tales of the Lavender Menace: A Memoir of Liberation.'' Karla Jay is distinguished professor of women's and gender studies at Pace University.

Arnie Kantrowitz joined the recently established Gay Activists Alliance (GAA) in 1970, was elected secretary and, the following year, vice-president. In addition to participating in GAA's non-violent protest "zaps," and speaking out for gay rights on national television, Kantrowitz also put his writing talent at the service of the movement. He is the author of "Under the Rainbow: Growing up Gay", "Walt Whitman, a Gay biography," and many anthologized essays. In 1985 Kantrowitz became a founding member and officer of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), an organization devoted to advancing fair and accurate portrayals of gay men and lesbians in the media. Kantrowitz is professor emeritus of English at the College of Staten Island, CUNY. He lives in New York with his partner Lawrence Mass.

Since 1998, the GLBT Alumni Council has awarded scholarships to current UW-Madison students. Congratulations to the seven students who won awards for the 2007-2008 academic year.

Every year, the GLBT Alumni Council recognizes distinguished GLBT alumni and allies who have made outstanding contributions to their communities and/or professions. This year, for the first time, those accomplishments need not specifically benefit the GLBT community. We believe that distinguished alumni who are OUT, in any field, inherently benefit the GLBT community.

Nominations are accepted throughout the year and recipients will be recognized this year in a special fall event on campus. Look for more on that in the coming months.

We, the members of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Alumni Council, strive to:

• cooperate with WAA in promoting the best interests of UW-Madison
  
• provide a recognized forum that facilitates dialogue and relationships between the university and its gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender alumni
  
• encourage and support a positive social and academic environment throughout the university community for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender faculty, staff, and students.

Established in the spring of 1992 as the GLBAC, the group hosted its first reunion brunch that summer. In early 1994, the council formally affiliated with WAA. Although many gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered alumni groups exist, this council was the first in the Big Ten - and one of only a handful in the nation - to receive the official sanction of its university and its alumni organization. This group added the 'T' to its name in 1999.

Anyone who is a student, member of the faculty or staff, or has an interest in UW-Madison may become a member of the GLBTAC. You do not need to be gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender to join; we welcome anyone who wishes to further the council's purposes. Becoming an active GLBTAC member will provide you with a connection to the university and information about its programs. It will also give you opportunities to communicate and socialize with fellow GLBT alumni. To join, e-mail us your contact information, including name, mailing address, e-mail, phone and graduation year. There is no cost to join.

While the GLBTAC is supported by and closely affiliated with WAA, it is an independent organization which is governed by its own board of directors. Elected members serve for three-year terms, which are set up so that vacancies will occur each year.

The real work of the GLBTAC is carried out by committees, which are made up of enthusiastic council board members and volunteers. Currently, the committees include membership/leadership, communications, programming, and new initiatives. WAA provides assistance through the efforts of WAA staff members and financial resources.

We currently do not require the payment of membership dues, although this may change as we expand our activities and services. Many of our activities are self-supporting, and we receive financial assistance from WAA.

WAA membership, while also not required, is strongly encouraged. Your membership in WAA allows the council to participate in the decisions and activities of WAA and the university, and thus helps to advance the purposes of the GLBTAC. In addition, membership in WAA brings with it many benefits, such as a subscription to both On Wisconsin Magazine, and the Insider, travel programs, credit card and life insurance programs, career resources, and many more.