The D.C. Homosexual Citizen newsletter: 1966-67

The Homosexual Citizen; News of Civil Liberties and Social Rights for Homosexuals was the newsletter of the Mattachine Society of Washington (DC) from January 1966 – May 1967.

The 5 ½ x 8 newsletter covered local news on discrimination, civil rights victories and lawsuits; analysis of problems within the LGBTQ+ community; and national news of civil rights and other gay rights organizations.

The Mattachine Society of Washington (MSW) was a gay rights organization founded in August 1961 by Franklin Kameny and Jack Nichols.

While the organization took the name of the original, California-based Mattachine Society established in 1950, it operated separately and was distinguished from other Mattachine Societies by its militancy.

MSW made clear its political focus within its Statement of Purpose when it declared, “It is not the purpose of this organization to act as a social group or as an agency for personal introductions.”

Kameny had previously worked as an astronomer for the federal civil service before he was fired for his homosexuality. This experience inspired the militant values which he brought to the MSW.

Kameny's experience with being fired over concealing his homosexuality and a previous run-in with the San Francisco police when he applied for his position combined with the lengths he went to in an unsuccessful quest to regain his job led him to try and confront the deeply homophobic prejudices that had entered American society.

Kameny’s dismissal occurred during “The Lavendar Scare.” The Lavendar Scare was parallel to and interconnected with the Red Scare of the 1950s and involved a sustained effort to root out and dismiss LGBTQ+ people working for the federal government. At that time they were considered communists sympathizers and threats to national security.

Kameny believed that the only way to tackle these prejudices was by confronting them head-on, a philosophy which underpinned the MSW under his presidency. The MSW would become nationally famous for its members picketing for gay rights at various federal sites, including the White House and the Pentagon and the Civil Service Commission.

Kameny promoted the 'Gay Is Good' slogan while challenging the U.S. governments systematic exclusion of gays and lesbians.

Kameny continued to support and work with gay rights movements throughout the twentieth century. He was asked to sit on the board of directors for the National Gay Task Force in 1973 and worked with groups such as ACT UP and Queer Nation, participating in civil disobedience with them.

Jack Nichols was an American gay rights activist. Nichols co-founded the MSW with Kameny, eventually becoming its vice president. Nichols was key to the MSW as he forcefully argued for Kameny to work with other civil rights groups with 'parallel interests' - for example, other Mattachine Societies.

While Kameny was somewhat dismissive of other more passive gay rights groups, the ties established did not prevent the group from maintaining its distinct, militant values, it was a significant contribution from Nichols and reflected his values.

Nichols was not as active in the cause in its initial stages but committed to the MSW in January 1963. From this point, he continued to collaborate with Kameny and challenged the idea that homosexuality was an illness.

Previous Mattachine Societies had focused on more reserved activism within the deeply heterosexual American culture that they inhabited. This involved a focus on 'education, research and assimilation', rather than more radical activism.

Kameny rejected this and attempted to fight what he saw as the cultural foundations of homophobia within America and American politics. Through this, the MSW's philosophy became that of achieving meaningful change, rather than placating what they considered to be a prejudiced culture

Kameny did not believe that antigay prejudice had any basis in reason and instead blamed emotion. As a result, he did not put much effort into educating or persuading those who opposed him and rather relied upon civil disobedience.

One of the prominent lesbian members of the group was Lilli Vincenz who came to Washington, D.C. in 1963 as a member of the Women’s Army Corps (WAC). During her time in WAC, Dr. Vincenz was outed as a lesbian and received a general discharge.

Following her discharge, Vincenz became active in the MSW and editing its newsletter. She later helped found the Washington, D.C. publication The Gay Blade which in turn became The Washington Blade that continues online in contemporary times.

Others who advocating direct action included Barbara Gittings of of the New York chapter of the Daughters of Bilitis (DOB) and Ernestine Eckstein, a Black lesbian also of the New York Chapter of DOB. The two women worked with Kameny and the D.C. Mattachine Society to organize pickets in of federal buildings in Washington, D.C. and at the July 4th celebrations in Philadelphia, PA.

The MSW argued that homosexuality was not an illness but rather an orientation or preference; this was radical at the time given that even some gay rights groups suggested that homosexuality was an illness.

In order to achieve these values, the MSW participated in various methods of activism.

In the spring and summer of 1965, Kameny and Nichols organized a series of gay pickets outside government buildings in Washington D.C., including outside the White House. Kameny also organized a series of test discrimination cases in the courts.

MSW also protested against the U.S. military ban of gay people in 1965; they picketed outside the Pentagon and covered the building with flyers on "How to Handle a Federal Interrogation"

The group also worked to establish connections with religious groups and to advocate for inclusion of LGBTQ+ people in religious life and fought against the medical profession designating non-straight sexuality as a disease.

This description has been partially adapted from Wikipedia.

The Homosexual Citizen

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For more information and related images, see flic.kr/s/aHsjCQ69wA

For other alternative periodicals, see washingtonareaspark.com/periodicals/

June, July & October 1966 donated by Craig Simpson. Jan-May 1966, Sept. 1966, November 1966-May 1967 courtesy of the Rainbow History Project.

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Taken on: July 1, 1966

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Sets appears in: • DC Alternative Periodicals • DC LGBTQ+ Rights 1965-74

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