Indiana LGBTQ+ History

Indy Bag Ladies Float at Indy Pride Parade, 2022

Indy Bag Ladies float at Indy Pride Parade, 2022. Wikimedia Commons.

Local History Digital Collections

Indiana LGBTQ Collection
From Website: "The Indiana LGBTQ Collection provides a glimpse into the public and private lives of gay men and women in Indiana in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. It also reflects the state of LGBTQ activism in Indiana from the time of the AIDS crisis in the 1980s through the achievement of marriage rights in 2014. The collection contains photographs and documents from the Mark A. Lee LGBTQ Collection, Steven L. Tuchman Papers, and other items in the Indiana Historical Society Collections."
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Indiana Historical Society.
LGBTQ+ History of the Civil Rights Heritage Center at the Indiana University South Bend Archives
From Website: "The LGBTQ+ History Collection of the Civil Rights Heritage Center at the Indiana University South Bend Archives contains materials relating to the experience of people in and around South Bend, Indiana, who describe their sexual and/or gender identity as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, or queer, as well as people who consider themselves allies to the LGBTQ+ rights cause.
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The Collection – the first of its kind in the city – helps all people understand and reflect upon the major advancements in LGBTQ+ acceptance over the last fifty years, and how this one Midwest city moved from a place where many people felt they needed to hide their identities into a more welcoming and more open community."
Civil Rights Heritage Center, Indiana University South Bend Archives.
Chris Gonzalez GLBT Archive Collection
From Website: "In partnership with the Chris Gonzalez Library & Archives, Indy Pride, and with support from the IU Indianapolis University Library Faculty Digitization Grant, this digital collection provides a unique glimpse into the early, organized GLBT community in a mid-sized, Midwestern city. Presently the collection includes digital versions of, The Screamer from 1966-67 and The Works, later renamed, The New Works News, “Indiana’s gay news magazine for gay men and women,” from 1982-1989."
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University Library, Indiana University Indianapolis. (2024).

Local History Library and Archives Collections

Indiana LGBTQ Collecting Initiatives (Indiana Historical Society)
From Website: "In 2014, IHS began collecting and preserving the rich history, tradition and culture of the LGBTQ community through the Indiana LGBTQ Collecting Initiative. Since then, it has become one of the largest collections documenting Indiana LGBTQ-related materials..."
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Indiana Historical Society. (2018). Indiana Historical Society.
Chris Gonzalez Library & Archives (Indy Pride)
From Website: "The Chris Gonzalez Library & Archives was located in the Health Foundation of Greater Indianapolis. In existence for over 25 years, the Chris Gonzalez Library and Archives served as a place where LGBTQ+ people could access materials specific to our community. The Library & Archives contained items of interest to the community (i.e., fiction, nonfiction, biography, and reference material specific or of interest to the LGBTQ+ Community).
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Curated by Michael Bohr, the library was comprised of over 7,000 titles, mostly from donations from community members. In 2017, Indy Pride entered into a partnership with The Indianapolis Public Library to receive most of the book and video materials, curate, and house them at Central Library. Opening in September 2019, there will be a permanent display in the Simon Reading Room at Central Library, highlighting the collection. Additionally, patrons can search for these materials using key words, and identify them with a special plaque inserted into each piece."
Indy Pride. (2025). Indy Pride.
Chris Gonzalez Collection (Indianapolis Public Library)
From Website: "In existence for over 25 years, the Chris Gonzalez Library and Archives served as a place where LGBTQ+ people could access materials specific to their community. Curated by Michael Bohr, the library was comprised of over 7,000 titles, mostly from donations from community members. In 2017, Indy Pride entered into a partnership with The Indianapolis Public Library to receive most of the book and video materials, curate. The now-named Chris Gonzalez Collection is housed at Central Library, with extra copies of items floating throughout the system."

Articles and Histories

Many Indianapolis and Indiana organizations have written articles highlighting LGBTQ+ history in the city and state. The following articles are a selection that highlight Pride, recent initiatives to document LGBTQ+ history, and some birds-eye-view information. The Indiana Historical Bureau's blog Untold Indiana includes additional articles on LGBTQ+ Hoosiers and experiences during the AIDS epidemic; see the last link to view the blog.

History of Pride
(2025). Indy Pride.
Mapping LGBTQ Sites of Historical Importance in Central Indiana
Walters, D. (2024, June 24). American Planning Association.
5 essential places to understand LGBTQIA+ history in Indy
Vale, H. (2024, June 5). Mirror Indy.
“I’m Lonely! Please Write:” The Search for Solidarity and the Indiana Crossdresser Society (IXE)
Poletika, N. (2023, May 8). Indiana Historical Bureau.
From “Gay Knights” to Celebration on the Circle: A History of Pride in Indianapolis
Poletika, N. (2021, October 5). Indiana Historical Bureau.
Indiana Historical Bureau blog Untold Indiana articles related to AIDS

Encyclopedic Entries

Encyclopedia of Indianapolis

A product of the Indianapolis Bicentennial effort in 2020, the digital Encyclopedia of Indianapolis updated the 1990s print publication and expanded content and collaborations. A joint venture between the Polis Center at IU Indianapolis and the Indianapolis Public Library, the digital encyclopedic database is still being added to, increasing awareness and access to local history information and emphasizing the stories of underrepresented communities and their contributions to the city and state. The following articles highlight organizations and individuals significant to advocating for LGBTQ+ causes as well as general searches for relevant articles.

Chris Gonzalez Library and Archives Williamson, C. (2023). In Encyclopdeia of Indianapolis.
Damien Center Chinn, Kara. (2021). In Encyclopdeia of Indianapolis.
Indiana AIDS Memorial Williamson, C. (2023). In Encyclopdeia of Indianapolis.
Indianapolis Men’s Chorus Hanlin, G. (2021). In Encyclopdeia of Indianapolis.
Indianapolis Women’s Chorus Johnson, M. (2021). In Encyclopdeia of Indianapolis.
Indiana AIDS Memorial Williamson, C. (2023). In Encyclopdeia of Indianapolis.
Indiana Youth Group Destefano, R. and Hillier-Geisler, M. (2021). In Encyclopdeia of Indianapolis.
Indy Bag Ladies Chinn, K. (2021). In Encyclopdeia of Indianapolis.
Indy Pride Opsahl, S. (2024). In Encyclopdeia of Indianapolis.
Encyclopedia of Indianapolis articles on LGBTQ+ People Indianapolis Public Library.
Encyclopedia of Indianapolis articles related to LGBTQ+ Community Indianapolis Public Library.

Wikipedia

Over the last decade, there has been a large increase in local organizations and individuals contributing local history information to Wikipedia articles. The purpose of this work is to increase awareness of local history stories and individuals and to elevate stories of underrepresented communities and their often untold stories. The following Wikipedia articles highlight major LGBTQ+ organizations in Indianapolis.

Damien Center (2024, September 23). In Wikipedia.
Indiana Youth Group (2024, September 23). In Wikipedia.
Indy Bag Ladies (2024, September 23). In Wikipedia.
LGBTQ rights in Indiana (2024, December 13). In Wikipedia.

Historical Markers

The Indiana Historical Bureau is a government agency that manages the state's historical marker program. Every year, IHB receives applications from individuals and organizations highlighting Hoosier history, and the Bureau makes decisions based on budgets and staffing which markers get reviewed, further researched, and installed across the state. In 2021, a marker was installed on Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis commemorating the history of Pride and the first large-scale Pride event on the Circle in 1990.

Origins of Indiana Pride - Indiana LGBTQ Pride
Indiana Historical Bureau and Indy Pride. (2021). Indiana Historical Bureau.
Indiana Historical Bureau

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Digital Exhibits

Recovering Queer History in Indianapolis
Brooks, L. (2019, July 22). National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Indianapolis: LGBT+ History
Boge, A., Catt, B., Regan-Dinius, J., Harris, C., Hillman, M., McCune, C., Nirde, A., Opsahl, S., Schulze, S., Weiss, L., Ryan, J., and Shrum, R. (2025). Discover Indiana.
The Midwest's "Queer Mecca": 40 Years of GLBTQ History in Bloomington, Indiana, 1969-2009
Stryker, S. et al. (2024). Out History.

Discover Indiana Indianapolis: LGBT+ History Digital Exhibit

Indianapolis: LGBT+ History (Digital Exhibit and Map) Boge, A., Catt, B., Regan-Dinius, J., Harris, C., Hillman, M., McCune, C., Nirde, A., Opsahl, S., Schulze, S., Weiss, L., Ryan, J., and Shrum, R. (2025). Discover Indiana.

The Birds of Sorrow: Giving Voice to Loss in an Age of Pandemic - Irwin Library, April 2025