Patterns

Using the Miller-Stephens collection within the University of Alabama Libraries Special Collections, I began by seeking out Crimson White letters to the editor that expressed hatred toward the queer student group on campus. Before long, I realized that expressions of hatred were rampant throughout the collection and I would have to go through absolutely everything to find it all. Twelve linear feet later, I found multitudes of examples of public expressions of hatred and noticed a pattern connecting them all.

Hate came in waves on campus, generated when queer students pushed aggressively for more visibility, legitimacy, and a larger institutional presence. A large majority of the public expressions of hatred centered around these events: formation of the first queer student group on campus, the seeking and securing of institutional funding, a kiss-in that made it to the front page of the Crimson White, and multiple attempts at passing state legislation aiming to end the ability for queer groups to form and meet on university campuses.