Miller-Stephens GLBTQ UA Student Organization Collection

The group that became the Gay Student Union at The University of Alabama started meeting in January 1983, and first sought recognition as an official university student organization in February of that year. The university’s Student Government Association recognized the Gay Student Union in September 1983. During Spring 1983, the university newspaper, the Crimson White, printed numerous letters to the editor, cartoons, articles, and columns from students and faculty who supported or opposed the idea of an LGBTQ student organization on campus.

The organization went through seven total name changes between 1983-2007. It was called the Gay Student Union (GSU) from 1983-1985; Gay/Lesbian Support Services (G/LSS), 1985-1991; Gay/Lesbian Alliance (GLA), 1991-1993; Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual Alliance (GLBA), 1993-1999; Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Transgender Alliance (GLBTA), 1999-2003; Queer-Straight Alliance (QSA), 2003-2007; Spectrum, 2007-2021. Today, the group is called the Queer Student Association.

The group’s first faculty adviser was English professor David Miller. Annabel Stephens, a professor in the university’s School of Library and Information Studies, was the group’s adviser from 1988-1996. American Studies professor Rose Gladney was the faculty adviser in the late 1990s and early 2000s. A later adviser, Joshua Burford, also served as president of the Capstone Alliance, an organization on The University of Alabama campus for LGBTQ and allied staff, faculty, and graduate students.