Pride in the Face of Adversity: How the Herald Examiner Covered the LGBT Community in Los Angeles

Photos relating to the LGBT community are almost non-existent in the the library’s Los Angeles Herald Examiner newspaper image collection prior to the 1970s. The few that have turned up focus exclusively on men being held in jail after having been arrested for "masquerading" in women's clothing with terms like "fairies" written on the back of the photos in grease pencil. As public activism increased in the 1970s and 1980s, so did stories relating to issues and events. However, handwritten derogatory comments continued to appear on backs of photos and negative envelopes depicting Gay Pride parades, AIDS awareness, and other fights for equal rights. However, the images reflect that in the face of constant adversity during the decades, the people depicted in them universally display pride, confidence, and a sense of self, whether they're behind bars, marching in a parade, or in court fight for marriage equality (in 1979).