Keweenaw Pride

Disclaimer: While the history of the formation of Keweenaw Pride was not witnessed by anyone currently at Michigan Tech, we have researched articles from the LODE and had the story recounted by members of the original group. If you have corrections to this history (i.e. you were one of the founding members) please contact us!

From one of our Alums:

My name is Eric Z.  I was the first President and one of the founding members of the Copper Country Gay and Lesbian Alliance.  I was checking out the Keweenaw Pride web site and saw that you might be looking for a little more information regarding the history of the CCGLA.

Eric Z (a.k.a.: grik), David B. (a.k.a.: luther, lugos, atropos), Douglas J.  (a.k.a.: lefty), Derral V, and Randy L were the original CCGLA group founders.  The aka’s listed were our System5/bitnet usernames (any of the older crowd will know about sys5 & bitnet); we communicated heavily with computers. We worked closely with James K (MTU class of ‘ 8?) and his partner Charles M, who was a very active member of the Michigan State University LBGTA.  It was with there help that we formed the basis for the CCGLA.

All of us were MTU students except Randy L, who was a community member. The history is basically correct as you have it outlined(below) in your website. The campus atmosphere in the late 80′s and early 90′s was very homophobic. I only hope that it has opened up since then. I could tell you about a number of things, but I don’t want to seem like I am wandering.  So, if you have specific questions, please let me know.

In 1988, when Ray Mitsch, a staff member and Counseling Psychologist with MTU Counseling Services wrote a letter to the editor of the LODE (Stephen Jukuri). The letter stated that in his opinion Homosexuality was a pathological condition, and any health care provider should seek reversal treatments for all of their Homosexual patients. Mitsch equated Homosexuality and AIDS; stating that Homosexual acts result in AIDS.

Needless to say this letter caused quite a stir on campus, and was never published as a letter to the editor. Instead the LODE ran a news story about the letter and included the letter as part of the story. Mitsch had been asked by Counseling Services to retract the letter, which Mitsch attempted to do, but once the letter was received by the LODE it was considered to be public knowledge. A disclaimer was attached stating that the opinions expressed in the letter were those of Ray Mitsch and not those of MTU Counseling Services.

During the following year, the group that was to become the Copper Country Gay and Lesbian Alliance started forming. Initially meetings were held in a confidential room in the Administration building. Admittance to the group went through an interview board of a current member and a member of Counseling Services.

On January 31, 1990 (Winter Carnival Edition of the LODE) the group wrote a letter to the editor stating it’s goal, and inviting interested people to contact them, including a staff/faculty member willing to be an advisor. On March 8th, 1990 Asst. Dean Richard Drenovsky approved the Constitution of the Copper Country Gay and Lesbian Alliance. During this time, the MTU Board of Control was looking at updating the University’s Non-discrimination policy. The Board of Control added verbage to include Sexual Orientation in the the non-discrimination policy in July of 1990.

Notable opposition appeared in the LODE to the formation of the CCGLA. One such letter was written by Gary Schwerin:

Within the last couple weeks, the administration of Michigan Tech decided to recognize a new organization on campus–The Copper Country Gay and Lesbian Alliance. I find it outrageous that an organization that I, as well as many other students, find immoral and disgusting, can get funded by money we pay to this university. I would like nothing more than to see these people talk to a counselor and become normal people as God intended. I think this money would be better spent trying to straighten them out rather than trying to bring them together to meet new “friends”.

Additional letters followed, both supportive and non-supportive. Thus began the Copper Country Gay and Lesbian Alliance in the Spring of 1990.

In 1996, the organizations name was changed to include Bisexual in the title. While the group always welcomed any sexual orientation, the inclusion of Bisexual in the name was felt to be important enough to make a name change.

In 1997, the organizations name was changed again. This time we changed our name to included Transgender people. This change was initiated by the presence of a Transgendered person within the group.

In 1998, the organization held a rename the group contest. Troy Moore, Michigan Tech Alumni and Residence Hall Coordinator submitted Keweenaw Pride as a suggestion. While suggestions like “Dike’s for Life” (spelled exactly like it was submitted) were amusing, Keweenaw Pride won by a landslide vote. The motivation to rename the organization was fueled by the length and confusion of all the letters in Copper Country Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender (CCGLBTA) name.