Overview

Gittings considered herself a gay woman, not a lesbian. She founded the New York chapter of the Daughters of Bilitis (DOB) and was president from 1958 to 1961. It was at a 1961 DOB picnic that she met her life partner, Kay Tobin, whom she remained with for 46 years. Gittings edited the Ladder from 1963 to 1966. She joined the Mattachine Society's protest of the federal government's discriminatory hiring practices in Washington, D.C., working closely with Frank Kameny. She also worked to get homosexuality as a mental disability out of the American Psychiatric Association's lexicon. Gittings's work with the American Library Association was crucial to having lesbian and gay books and issues become part of the resources of all public libraries.

Source: GITTINGS, BARBARA (1932–2007)

https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/rowmanlaglm/gittings_barbara_1932_2007/0

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Barbara Gittings, 74, Prominent Gay Rights Activist Since ’50s, Dies
Barbara Gittings and Kay Tobin Lahusen gay history papers and photographs 1855-2009 [bulk 1963-2007] Barbara Gittings (1932-2007) and Kay Tobin Lahusen (1930-) were gay civil rights pioneers and partners for nearly forty-six years. The collection contains their personal and professional papers, photographs by Lahusen created in the course of forty-five years of gay rights activism, and the extensive collection of materials they gathered and preserved to document the movement. The collection also includes Gittings' extensive correspondence with fellow activists, most notably Frank Kameny, records of her editorial work on The Ladder, interviews conducted for Lahusen's book, The Gay Crusaders, and organizational files from their work in such organizations as the Daughters of Bilitis and several other early homophile groups; the Gay Task Force of the American Library Association; the Gay Activists Alliance; and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.
Gittings, Barbara, 1932-2007 Barbara Gittings (1932–2007), prominent American GLBT activist, founded the New York chapter of Daughters of Bilitis, and was the first editor of DOB's The Ladder . Gittings was instrumental in forming the first gay caucus in the American Library Association (ALA). To honor her contributions, both the ALA and the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) created annual awards bearing her name.
HOMEARTICLES To Barbara Gittings, 1932-2007: Thank You

Video/Audio

Married in Our Hearts - Barbara Gittings & Kay Tobin Lahusen

This salute to the pioneering lesbian couple is composed of historic photos, video clips, and text commentary. Sources are supplied at the end of the video, and all original copyrights are reserved. (27;19 min.)

LGBTQIA+ Pride Month: Barbara Gittings

Overview

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Video/Audio

Married in Our Hearts - Barbara Gittings & Kay Tobin Lahusen

Books/eBooks