Longwood University
Longwood University
Author's note: For the majority of this exhibit and those connecting I used articles from Longwood's long-running newspaper the Rotunda, eventually I will talk with the Anthropology Professors whom are experts on Longwood's history
Located in Farmville, VA inside of Prince Edward County, VA
During the 80s there was great fear and uncertainty about how the Aids virus was transmitted kissing even holding hands were considered possible causes.
After much speculation, the male-homosexual community was blamed for the outbreak do to the overwhelming number of gays succumbing to the disease.
There was great outrage towards the gay community and organizations like AIDS Busters started popping up everywhere, even schools in the middle of the country were being targeted by Evangelist groups seeking to stop the homosexual community from existing.
Longwood was even more susceptible to these Evangelist groups because Liberty University is only one town over. Liberty is famous for having as its founder Jerry Falwell, a large figure head in the anti-homosexual movements of the day.
Unity Alliance
On November 16, 1982, there was a story that broke on Longwood University's campus about a young man by the pseudonym of Walt to protect his identity. The story was on the front cover of the Rotunda newspaper. The story was of Walt trying to put together what he called the Longwood Discreet Gay Society. Walt was a practicing bisexual. The general lack of acceptance at Longwood made him realize that there needed to be a support system for the LGBTQ students. Here are some quotes from the newspaper article:
- “At first it was just verbal abuse, people yelling faggot from their window or in the hall. My suitemate wouldn't let me use the phone, which was in my name but in his room. He didn't even pay the bill...I had to pay it. Later they wrote faggot on the door in red magic marker. The thought my roommate (who is straight) was homosexual and started hassling him with cat calls—faggot, faggot.”
- "I went to Dr. Cox (head of Longwood's Counseling Service) because I was worried about a nervous breakdown. He and myself were hoping that incidents would die down after fall break...and they did for half a week. The Wednesday after fall break some people started screaming, 'faggot', I've heard, 'you're a goddamned faggot.' They started kicking on the door to my room. They threatened violence. Later that night, I was in my room alone when I heard my suitemate and apparently some of his friends yelling taunts in the bathroom such as, 'gay rights' or 'sexual preference, sexual preference...oh let me suck that juicy cock' or 'oh bend over and let me drive' and all the while someone was in the background singing America the Beautiful. I felt like going to Captain Stanford and saying 'Sir, I think you should know that one of your ROTC cadets was participating in a homosexual orgy in my bathroom.' I put up with a lot of crap. Anyway, I left my room because I was worried about them getting violent."
