Ithaca LGBTQ History Walking Tour

Ithaca’s LGBTQ history

Today, we stand on the shoulders of LGBTQ people who paved our way. Some of those people and events happened right here in Ithaca!

Bars and public spaces have been sites of queer and transgender resistance and resilience for decades. But many of the people and places that make up our history’s shared past have been forgotten, erased, overlooked, or ignored. This LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning) local history tour is designed to preserve some of the rich stories and heritage of our Ithaca community. Our cisgender heterosexual allies working in solidarity have also played prominent roles. This tour is for anyone wanting to learn about our local LGBTQ history and culture.

Our hope is that through tools like this, we honor and remember those who paved the way. When you are challenged, you can remember everyone who came before us. You are their dreams. You dream things they were incapable of dreaming. Keep going! LGBTQ folks are resilient, resourceful, loving and strong. Knowing our history is a powerful tool as we move forward in solidarity.

This tour was originally developed by Rachel Steinmetz '19 (intern), Cal Goodin '19 (student employee), Rachel Kreidberg '18 (audio engineer), Gianna Caputo '19 and Luca Maurer (director) of the Ithaca College Center for LGBT Education, Outreach & Services during the 2018-2019 academic year.

We are grateful to all who generously shared their recollections and stories with us, and appreciative of the campus and community librarians and archives that supported us in this exciting journey of re-discovering our histories.

We are IC LGBTQ. We honor the past. We work to better the present. We look to the future.

Please use discretion when approaching private property. Thank you, and we hope you enjoy the tour!