L1990.05 The Bridget Wilson and Kim McAlister Papers

Title: L1990.05 The Bridget Wilson and Kim McAlister Papers

Dates: 1983-1988

Collection Number: L1990.05

Creator/Collector: Bridget Wilson Kim McAlister

Extent: .5 linear feet

Repository: Lambda Archives of San Diego

Abstract: Bridget Wilson is most known for her lifetime to commitment to activism and her service in the Judge Advocate Corps of the California State Military. As a child in Nebraska, Wilson was girl selected for her High School’s then-boy’s rifle team, leading to other schools in the area refusing to compete against them. Wilson served in the United States Army Reserves from 1977-1980, with an honorable discharge and several commendations. Wilson trained and worked as a nurse until 1987; during her time as a nurse, she was a staff member of the notable Dr. Brad Truax.

Language of Material: English

Open for research

L1990.05 The Bridget Wilson and Kim McAlister Papers. Lambda Archives of San Diego

Taken from The Center’s Wall of Honor Bridget Wilson is most known for her lifetime to commitment to activism and her service in the Judge Advocate Corps of the California State Military. As a child in Nebraska, Wilson was girl selected for her High School’s then-boy’s rifle team, leading to other schools in the area refusing to compete against them. Wilson served in the United States Army Reserves from 1977-1980, with an honorable discharge and several commendations. Wilson trained and worked as a nurse until 1987; during her time as a nurse, she was a staff member of the notable Dr. Brad Truax. Wilson then entered the legal field and graduated from University of San Diego School of Law. During her time as a student at the university, Wilson was a founding member of the Gay and Lesbian Law Student Association. She then opened her own practice and formed her law firm in 1997 where she focused on military, civil litigation, business, employment, and personal injury law. Wilson is a pioneer in LGBT communities nation-wide. She marched in the earliest gay pride parades at a time when some people wore paper bags over their heads to prevent identification. She was an original volunteer for The Center in 1973 and served on the planning committee for the Lesbian and Gay Pride Parade from 1974-1979. In the 1980’s Wilson was involved in the San Diego Democratic Club, United San Diego Elections Committee, and the AIDS Foundation. Bridget has used her legal expertise to aid the LGBT community across the nation, working with groups such as the National Lesbian and Gay Law Association, the Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, the ACLU, and the Tom Homann Law Association. Wilson is best known for her work with LGBT veterans and servicemembers. She is a charter member of the San Diego Veterans Association and American Veterans for Equal Rights and a co-coordinator for the Dixon Defense Group that defended seven Navy women from a lesbian witch-hunt that received national publicity.

The Bridget Wilson and Kim McAlister collection contains materials that involve the Democratic Party, Gay voters in 1984, AB101, Proposition 6, and Jesse Jackson's Presidential Campaign. In addition, documents from the NOW Lesbian Rights Conference 1988, The San Diego Democratic Club, Gays in the Military, miscellaneous government legal papers, military law papers, public services papers, papers in regard to the San Diego AIDS Project, and outreach involving local Latinx communities, specifically those in Tijuana and Baja California. There are several documents that highlight the Tijuana and Baja California region, including Tijuana Magazines, flyers for organizing events, notes, articles, and letters. This expansive collection additionally documents Lambda Gay Pride in the 1980's, sexuality-based discrimination in the workplace, religious support of LGBT communities, gay comics, a photo collection of the Gay Ballot Parade in 1980, Nicky and Sandie Awards Court, and various articles and correspondence by Bridget Wilson.