Jim Andris, Facebook

Women's Film Series

In 1980 there were a variety of organizations, programs and individuals whose primary home was Washington University. In 1979 there had been a successful weekend community-wide Gay Pride Weekend April 20, 21, and 22 that had been held at Washington Univerity and that was a virtual template for a big segment of the 1980 Pride Celebration. Those arrangements grew out of community alliances and associations forged in 1977 and 1978 in fighting the Save Our Children campaign launched by Anita Bryant. What made the 1980 event so unique was that on April 20, there was a public Walk for Charity on St. Louis streets recognized by the City and formally acknowledged by Mayor James Conway. There was also an expansion of support, in that the weekend workshops were held at Forest Park Community College instead of at Washington University, and also many community members had attended and been transformed by the First National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights.

One of the reasons Washington University figured so strongly in these first St. Louis pride celebrations was that there were extremely well-developed and successful women's programs, activities and organizations at the University. An active lesbian community constituted a significant part of the Washington University feminist community. My 2012 article section on The Women's Study Program at Washington University discusses aspects of these influences. Joyce Trebilcot came to the University in 1970, and by 1975, had developed a women's studies program. Trebilcot was a recognized figure in second wave feminism and a controversial figure. In the second half of the 1970s, feminism was a strong movement and young women were seeking to establish connections within the local, regional and international women's movement. Because of the continued growth of the program started by Prof. Trebilcot, in 1979 there was a Women's Building, and in it, a Women's Resource Center on campus.

Chris Guerrero was a key figure in both the Washington University women's community and in the securing of a recognized demonstration of gay and lesbian presence in 1980 in St. Louis. From 1977 to 1982 she was Women's Programming Coordinator, which included acting as resource and advisor with the Women's Programming Board, the Feminist Coalition, and the Women's Resource Center. Gurerro was also a founding member of the Magnolia Committee and one of the four-person subcommittee that met with Mayor James Conway to negotiate the 1980 Walk for Charity. She was the craftsperson who brought these two movements together in that time and place.

On the Schedule of Events for the 1980 St. Louis Celebration of Lesbian and Gay Pride, the third event, sponsored by the Washigton University Women's Group, were the films "In the Best Interest of the Children" and "Daughter Rite" to be shown at the Gargoyle. As it turns out, these particular films were just a part of the 1980 Film Series that had been planned by the Washington University Women's Programming Board and the Student Union. Chris Guerrero had been for years facilitating the construction of this annual program, and the April 15, 1980 program had been carefully programmed to fit in with the week's pride activities in St. Louis.

Here is a link to the 1980 Women's Film Series.