By Andrew Shaffer–
On January 1, 1965, the Council on Religion and the Homosexual hosted a Mardi Gras-themed drag ball. The group included Christian ministers and LGBTQ activists who worked together to fight anti-gay discrimination, and the event was their first major activity, intended to raise funds to support their mission.
Despite speaking to the police in advance to iron out any possible problems, the ball was raided and multiple people were arrested, including straight allies who attempted to block the police from entering the hall. Years before the Stonewall Riots or the first time LGBTQ people won rights at the ballot box, straight allies and Christian ministers put their bodies on the line to fight for LGBTQ communities.
The 1960s were a time when religious groups were often at the forefront of social justice work, from the civil rights movement to campaigns to end discrimination and oppression across the globe. From the perspective of 1965, a future where religious groups and LGBTQ communities would band together to end oppression seemed just as likely as a future in which conservative activists would weaponize religious congregations against us.
This story reflects what historians refer to as contingency—the idea that history could have played out in many different ways, and that the present we inherited was never destined to happen. There were many paths available that could have led to all sorts of different futures. Many other worlds were, and are, possible.
From the perspective of January 2024, many things seem impossible. Sharpening political divisions and an increasingly vocal and violent movement determined to peel back hard-won rights can make it hard to find hope. But history teaches us that the future is inherently unpredictable and there is always room for hope—and action.
Like the ministers who put their bodies on the line to protect drag queens in 1965, or the trans women and drag performers who put their own bodies on the line just a few years later at the Compton’s Cafeteria riot, there are innumerable stories in our museum and archives of people who fought for a better future. We keep their memories alive because we know that holding onto our history is vital as we continue to fight for a better future.
To explore more of our vast queer past, or make a contribution to support the GLBT Historical Society’s work, visit www.glbthistory.org
Andrew Shaffer is the Director of Development and Communications for the GLBT Historical Society.
Community Treasures from the GLBT Historical Society Archives
Published on January 11, 2023
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