Out in the Archives
Gender and Sexuality Collections at Georgia State University

Finding Community

Atlanta has long been known as one of the most important gay hubs in the South. In the years when is was not safe to be out, Atlanta provided a safe haven with opportunities to find friends and support networks. Welcome spaces included bookstores, bars and community centers and like-minded groups included LGBTQ+-focused service and volunteer organizations and sports teams. Gay publications provided a way for individuals to find the groups and places that would best serve them and to learn about issues that might affect them.

Photograph — Moorylien Jenkins and David Kelly, National Coming Out Day, at the Atlanta Gay Center, Atlanta, Georgia [AJCP212-020k]
“A history of the Atlanta lesbian-feminist community” flyer
Photograph — Radical Faerie gathering
Participants in the 25th annual Gay Pride Parade marching north on Peachtree Street with a large rainbow flag, Atlanta, Georgia, June