Part I of the archive illuminates the experiences not just of the LGBTQ community as a whole, but of individuals of different races, ethnicities, ages, religions, political orientations, and geographical locations that constitute this community. Historical records of political and social organizations founded by LGBTQ individuals are featured, as well as publications by and for lesbians and gays, and extensive coverage of governmental responses to the AIDS crisis. The archive also contains personal correspondence and interviews with numerous LGBTQ individuals, among others.
Even within the LGBTQ community though, some groups have not been as well represented, or received as much of the limelight, as the more "mainstream" lesbians and gays. Part II provides coverage of these groups, including LG student groups, Two-Spirit people, the Jewish LGBTQ community, LG Christian groups, and bisexual, transvestite, and transgender communities.
One of the fascinating aspects of the archive is the availability of materials such as oral history transcripts, diaries, and letters that provide a deeply personal and human interpretation of the LGBTQ experience. Some describe life in a community that was less than tolerant of homosexual lifestyles. Others describe the hardships of growing up gay and in the closet, or the difficulties involved in coming out to one's family and friends. Other accounts detail lives well-lived, unhindered by archaic social mores, offering inspiration and a source of pride for future generations. It is these histories that truly help to put a human face on LGBTQ history.
