Primary Source Set: People with disabilities
Many LGBTQ+ people live with various disabilities. These conditions interact in complex ways with queer identity; for instance, HIV/AIDS can lead to a variety of disabilities, and the marginalization of queer life can increase the challenges of life in an unaccommodating world.
This primary source set focuses primarily on physical and visible disability. Due to the invisibility or stigma of some people’s experiences, especially during the time period our archives cover, primary sources are often silent about (for example) intellectual disability, chronic pain, and mental health. Despite these striking absences, the record still has much to say about people living with disability and their long history as a vital part of the queer community.
The set also includes primary sources about Deaf LGBTQ+ people, although we recognize that many Deaf people do not identify as disabled.
Three attendees at 1978 Pride. Photo by Crawford Wayne Barton.
Selected Source Set
Additional Resources
LGBTQ People With Disabilities Research Guide
Bay Area Reporter search for generic topics related to disability (try related search terms as well).
Contact reference@glbthistory.org for research questions or information about reproductions and permissions.
These primary source sets are just a small sampling of our digitized materials. Additional resources are available in our digital collections. Our extensive archival holdings are searchable through our catalog.