Jump to Content

Collection Guide
Collection Title:
Collection Number:
Get Items:
Southern California Women for Understanding (SCWU) collection
LSC.1851  
View entire collection guide What's This?
Search this collection
Collection Overview
 
Table of contents What's This?
Description
The Southern California Women for Understanding Collection contains the operational records of Southern California Women for Understanding (SCWU), one of the earliest lesbian non-profit educational organizations in Los Angeles, California.
Background
Southern California Women for Understanding (SCWU), an educational non-profit organization, formed in 1976 and dedicated itself to "enhancing the quality of life for [the lesbian] community and for lesbians nationwide, creative and positive exchange about homosexuality, [and] changing stereotypical images of lesbians." SCWU emerged in the midst of the civil rights, gay rights, and women's movements when many marginalized social groups organized en masse to demand recognition and rights. SCWU was one of the earliest known lesbian organizations. At its height, SCWU reached membership of 1,100 and in 1982, Lesbian News hailed it as the "largest lesbian support group in the country."
Extent
10.5 linear feet (14 boxes, 1 shoe box, and 1 oversize box)
Restrictions
Property rights to the objects belong to UCLA Library Special Collections. All other rights, including copyright, are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright.
Availability
Open for research. All requests to access special collections materials must be made in advance using the request button located on this page.