Rainbow Richmond: LGBTQ History of Richmond, VA

Following is a timeline of LGBTQ history of Richmond, VA primarily focused on the time period from 1969, the Stonewall era, to present, but also including some PreStoneWall History. It is by no means a complete timeline, but many important events from LGBTQ history in Richmond are included, and, hopefully, more will be added in the future. Richmond has a rich, varied LGBTQ history prior to the Stonewall era as well as a history of activism in the post Stonewall era up to and including today. There has been a continual call for equality, sometimes a whisper and sometimes a roar, but we today owe a great deal to the ones in the past who had the courage to stand up.

Much of the information contained in this time line came from reading years of several newspapers and newsletters including Our Own Community Press and The Richmond Pride and from the book Lesbian and Gay Richmond by Beth Marschak and Alex Lorch as well as numerous informal conversations with people who lived the history of Richmond since Stonewall, especially Beth Marschak. I owe Beth Marschak and Alex Lorch greatly for allowing me to use the information contained in their book liberally. In addition to Beth, I have had the pleasure of speaking with several people who have been vital in the history of the community through the years including Barbara “Bobbi” Weinstock, Stanley Kelsey, Stephanie Myers and Neil Parsons and I look forward to more in depth conversations with them in the future for my own edification.

The terms “lesbians and gay men” are used frequently throughout the time line instead of LGBTQ or sexual and gender minorities in deference to the wording used in the reference materials and the community understanding at the times that much of the source material was written. Efforts were made to represent the full spectrum of experiences in the LGBTQ community in this history, but the sources were scarce in regards to the People of Color within the LGBTQ community as well as in regards to both the transgender community and the cross-dressing/drag community.

I am compiling this information because I recognize the need for the LGBTQ community to be able to see and recognize themselves in the history of their community at large. I personally feel a great depth of gratitude to the men and women who came before me and stood up and fought for their rights as women and as gays and lesbians. I live with a partner in a rural area have little fear of intimidation or harassment as a lesbian; I work at the Gay Community Center of Richmond, an organization dedicated to seeking an society free from bias, and have little fear of reprisals, intimidation or harassment. I know I owe the degree of freedom that I enjoy to those who have come before me.

The information contained in this timeline was compiled by Cindy Bray, Outreach Coordinator for the Gay Community Center of Richmondand she can be contacted here.