Alliance for Gay and Lesbian Artists (AGLA) records, circa 1980-1992

Printable guide [HTML]
Request items

Summary

Title:
Alliance for Gay and Lesbian Artists records
Dates:
circa 1980-1992
Creators:
Alliance for Gay and Lesbian Artists.
Abstract:
Meeting minutes, event records, promotional material, clippings, photographs, correspondence, membership records, newsletters and other material, 1980-1992, from the Alliance for Gay and Lesbian Artists in the Entertainment Industry (AGLA), formed to encourage the responsible portrayal of gays and lesbians in entertainment media. Materials in the collection document the organization's most active period, particularly when it produced an annual awards show for gay and lesbian representation in the entertainment industry.
Extent:
4.2 linear feet. 3 archive boxes + 1 archive flat box + 1 poster.
Language:
Preferred citation:

[Box/folder #, or item name] Alliance for Gay and Lesbian Artists Records, Coll2013-005, ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California

Background

Scope and content:

The collection comprises meeting minutes, event records, promotional material, clippings, photographs, correspondence, membership records, newsletters and other material, 1980-1992, from the Alliance for Gay and Lesbian Artists in the Entertainment Industry (AGLA), formed to encourage the responsible portrayal of gays and lesbians in entertainment media. Materials in the collection document the organization's founding; media monitoring activities; outreach activities in the entertainment industry at large; membership participation; and the production of its annual media awards show for gay and lesbian representation in the entertainment industry.

Biographical / historical:

The Alliance for Gay and Lesbian Artists in the Entertainment Industry (AGLA) was founded in 1982. Initially named the Alliance for Gay Artists, AGLA began as an actors' support group, and as other artists joined, the group expanded its focus to greater interaction with the entertainment industry at large. During the AGLA's most active period in the 1980s, the organization presented its annual AGLA Media Awards to "responsible" representations of lesbian and gay characters and issues. The annual award show honored or featured celebrities such as Ed Asner, Steven Bochco, Sammy Davis, Jr., Rita Moreno, Bernadette Peters, Lynn Redgrave and others. AGLA's other activities included monitoring gay and lesbian portrayals in film, plays and television; consulting on scripts in progress; supporting local stage productions; and holding regular meetings with speakers working in the entertainment industry.

As the organization's statement of purpose reads: "Starting from the premise that the formation of a positive media image depends upon gay artists having a positive image of themselves, [AGLA] provides a mutual support group in which individual experiences can be shared and evaluated in an atmosphere of complete confidentiality. [AGLA] provides a media watch to criticize productions which create derogatory gay images, perpetuate insidious stereotypes or use anti-gay language. On the other hand, [AGLA] commends productions which help create a realistic and multi-dimensional gay image for the public. [AGLA] addresses itself to instances of job discrimination within the industry which are brought to [AGLA's] attention, by means of affirmative job action. [AGLA] encourages artists to create, develop and foster works that expand the public's knowledge of who gay people really are, and which give a complete picture of the many types of gay people and gay lifestyles that comprise the gay community."

Source:

Alliance for Gay and Lesbian Artists Records, Coll2013-005, ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California

Acquisition information:
The bulk of the materials in this collection were donated by Dale Reynolds, date unknown.
Processing information:

Formerly boxes A034, A035, A036 and 103-020. Collection processed by Loni Shibuyama, February 2013.

Arrangement:

Articles of Incorporation and Board of Directors folders are at the beginning. The remaining folders are arranged alphabetically.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Finding aid prepared by Loni Shibuyama
Sponsor:
Processing this collection has been funded by a generous grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.
Date Prepared:
(c) 2013
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2013-05-01T14:43-0700

Access and use

Restrictions:

The collection is open to researchers. There are no access restrictions.

Terms of access:

All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the ONE Archivist. Permission for publication is given on behalf of ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives at USC Libraries as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.

Preferred citation:

[Box/folder #, or item name] Alliance for Gay and Lesbian Artists Records, Coll2013-005, ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California

Location of this collection:
909 West Adams Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90007, US
Contact:
(213) 821-2771
askone@usc.edu
Website