The first gay organization at the University of Oregon was the Gay People’s Alliance (GPA), founded in 1969, the year of the New York City Stonewall Riots that marked the beginning of the gay rights movement in America. The UO Gay People’s Alliance was the oldest organization for homosexuals at a West Coast university and one of the few such organizations to be recognized as an “official” student group and receive funding. Indeed, the GPA was a fledgling organization focused on improving the quality of life for gays and lesbians. It sponsored the yearly Gay Pride Week, provided an opportunities for gay people to organize and work on specific goals as well as to participate in social activities. In 1973, it was first funded officially by the ASUO and became a formal student union, with Randy Shilts as its director.
Today, this same organization is called the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Ally Alliance (LGBTQA), and is among one of the most well-respected, well-funded, and well-organized ASUO student unions. The goal of the LGBTQA is to foster the growth and maintenance of a safe, supportive, and nurturing environment for LGBTQA people and their allies both on campus and off. They plan social and educational programs in order to create a sense of community and fun, they offer resources and referrals, and they build coalitions with other student groups in order to fight discrimination on all levels.
