The 1980s
Gay and Lesbian Services of Kansas
After the radical late 1970s, the '80s were a peculiar combination of advancement and gay bashing for the group.
The University never actually recognized the group. Instead, the rules governing student organizations at KU changed. Any group of students that followed student senate rules and regulations became “official.” The change only came about after a number of court cases suggested that denying Gay and Lesbian Services of Kansas official recognition was unconstitutional.
David Ambler, then and now Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, proposed to end the recognition-funding policy. Student Organizations and Activities Director Anne Eversole developed the system, which was then approved by Chancellor Archie Dykes (who was less-than-tolerant on queer issues, despite his unfortunate last name).
1980 was the first year the University of Kansas—supposedly one of the most progressive universities in the state—recognized a group composed of LBGT students. Funding didn't come for another two years.
The push for actual funding coincided with a decline in the importance of the famous dances. Kansas liquor laws changed in the early '80, and the Kansas Union stopped allowing 3.2 beer at its student functions. Fewer people came (only 200 per dance), and less money was raised, according to Ruth Lichtwardt.
The dances were therefore moved off-campus to the Off-the-Wall Hall (now the Bottleneck). The Union Ballroom or Liberty Hall held less-frequent dances on Halloween and Valentine's time. But the time had come to get money for the group through other sources.
With the approval of GLSOK members, officers went before the Student Senate finance committee for funding. Senate agreed to fund the group—allocating $493 in the 1982-1983 school year. The budget request went through without a hitch, Lichtwardt wrote.
Two years later, however, an array of forces had allied against funding GLSOK. The Freedom Coalition (not to be confused with the current Lawrence LBGT-rights group), a right-wing religious organization, had placed several of its members on the Senate Finance Committee. What's more, a student names Steve Imber began circulating a petition to cut the group's funds. He managed to get more than the required 10% of the student body to sign it.
The petition was stalled throughout the summer of 1984, and was entangled in inter-Senate wrangling in the early fall. But regardless of the petition's success, a new fashion was appearing on campus:
“People were seen in a new T-shirt,” Lichtwardt wrote. “It was white with a ghost in a red circle with a slash through it. It was modeled on the ‘Ghostbusters' logo, only this ghost had long eyelashes and a limp wrist with ‘FAGBUSTERS' emblazoned above it. We had heard rumors which we were unable to confirm that it was Steve Imber who was selling them.”
Thanks to some intrepid reporting by University Daily Kansan reporter John Hanna, it was established that Imber was responsible for the shirts. His petition drive went down in flames soon after, and was widely covered in the local and national media.
An ugly spate of homophobic incidents began on campus soon after—ranging from threats to attacks to tampering with the cars of GLSOK members. At the request of a Senate Committee, Imber and GLSOK published an ad in the Kansan asking for both sides to simmer down. The Chancellor similarly urged restraint. And by the Student Senate elections in November of '84, the situation had ended.
The “Fagbusters” era's lasting impact was in politically mobilizing GLSOK members, many of whom ran for Senate and were elected. Funding was assured for 1985, 1986, and so on.
The group marched on for the rest of the '80s. With matters of recognition and funding finally settled, the most tumultuous and radical times of Queers and Allies had ended. In the decade ahead there would be new, subtler challenges—both from outside and inside the group.
After the radical late 1970s, the '80s were a peculiar combination of advancement and gay bashing for the group.
The University never actually recognized the group. Instead, the rules governing student organizations at KU changed. Any group of students that followed student senate rules and regulations became “official.” The change only came about after a number of court cases suggested that denying Gay and Lesbian Services of Kansas official recognition was unconstitutional.
David Ambler, then and now Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, proposed to end the recognition-funding policy. Student Organizations and Activities Director Anne Eversole developed the system, which was then approved by Chancellor Archie Dykes (who was less-than-tolerant on queer issues, despite his unfortunate last name).
1980 was the first year the University of Kansas—supposedly one of the most progressive universities in the state—recognized a group composed of LBGT students. Funding didn't come for another two years.
The push for actual funding coincided with a decline in the importance of the famous dances. Kansas liquor laws changed in the early '80, and the Kansas Union stopped allowing 3.2 beer at its student functions. Fewer people came (only 200 per dance), and less money was raised, according to Ruth Lichtwardt.
The dances were therefore moved off-campus to the Off-the-Wall Hall (now the Bottleneck). The Union Ballroom or Liberty Hall held less-frequent dances on Halloween and Valentine's time. But the time had come to get money for the group through other sources.
With the approval of GLSOK members, officers went before the Student Senate finance committee for funding. Senate agreed to fund the group—allocating $493 in the 1982-1983 school year. The budget request went through without a hitch, Lichtwardt wrote.
Two years later, however, an array of forces had allied against funding GLSOK. The Freedom Coalition (not to be confused with the current Lawrence LBGT-rights group), a right-wing religious organization, had placed several of its members on the Senate Finance Committee. What's more, a student names Steve Imber began circulating a petition to cut the group's funds. He managed to get more than the required 10% of the student body to sign it.
The petition was stalled throughout the summer of 1984, and was entangled in inter-Senate wrangling in the early fall. But regardless of the petition's success, a new fashion was appearing on campus:
“People were seen in a new T-shirt,” Lichtwardt wrote. “It was white with a ghost in a red circle with a slash through it. It was modeled on the ‘Ghostbusters' logo, only this ghost had long eyelashes and a limp wrist with ‘FAGBUSTERS' emblazoned above it. We had heard rumors which we were unable to confirm that it was Steve Imber who was selling them.”
Thanks to some intrepid reporting by University Daily Kansan reporter John Hanna, it was established that Imber was responsible for the shirts. His petition drive went down in flames soon after, and was widely covered in the local and national media.
An ugly spate of homophobic incidents began on campus soon after—ranging from threats to attacks to tampering with the cars of GLSOK members. At the request of a Senate Committee, Imber and GLSOK published an ad in the Kansan asking for both sides to simmer down. The Chancellor similarly urged restraint. And by the Student Senate elections in November of '84, the situation had ended.
The “Fagbusters” era's lasting impact was in politically mobilizing GLSOK members, many of whom ran for Senate and were elected. Funding was assured for 1985, 1986, and so on.
The group marched on for the rest of the '80s. With matters of recognition and funding finally settled, the most tumultuous and radical times of Queers and Allies had ended. In the decade ahead there would be new, subtler challenges—both from outside and inside the group.