Office Space Recreation

The journal itself was housed in the LGSA/LGBA/LGBTA office, a small room on the third floor of Faunce House, with not much else but a couch, desk and window. This space became a home base for LGBTQ student organizing at Brown; members would head up to the office to eat their lunch, visit the office in between classes to hang out with friends, man the desk for a few hours to field any potential questions from other members, or curious community members, who wandered in throughout the day. It was in these quiet moments that many alumni remember taking up the journal, which usually laid on top of the desk, to go write on to the couch (described as “big and uncomfortable”) or a chair by the window, in order to respond to someone else’s entry, reflect on a moment from their day, or write vulnerably about a topic that they otherwise wouldn’t have been able to communicate about in person.

Not all writing was done in solitude; in the “Manny and Annie” poll for example, you can almost hear the laughter of the two friends as they come up with the raunchiest questions possible for members to respond to the next time they visit the office.

Image of "Office Space Recreation" Section Label

Uncredited Journal Entry- "Rebecca on LGSA Office Couch"

“Rebecca on LGSA Office Couch”

Uncredited, Journal 2, c. 1986

Oral History Quotes

I'd check-in between classes or, like, if I had a free period, I'd go, you know, hang out up there. There were some very comfortable couches and chairs, and a little table at the center, there were posters on the walls. And it felt very safe there. In part because the only other office on the floor, or in that wing of Faunce, was the Fantasy Gaming Society. So, not a source of hostility, but also not a lot of overlap between FGS and LGSA.

-Bill Jesdale speaking about how the location of the LGSA office in Faunce House lent towards it feeling like a safe space.

My recollection, you know, you'd go up to the lounge. You'd say hi to people. You'd hang out and you'd grab the book. You’d read the book, but, I mean, that's not all we did. Sometimes people would sit and do their homework there because it felt like a very safe space up on the fourth floor, away from everything else. So it felt like just a very peaceful place. But just reading and writing in the book was so important. (...) These journals were a great way to be in touch with each other. You could say it was sort of like asynchronous communication. Like, someone posts on Facebook and five hours later, someone [else] comments.

-Geri speaking about how the LGBA members used the office as a gathering space, and about the journals as their source of asynchronous communication in Faunce House

Photos from Alumni Leading Towards "Office Space Recreation" Section

Photos from Alumni

Ellen LaPointe and Debra Burcuviz at a Sedar

c. 1980s

Courtesy of Ellen LaPointe

Elizabeth Hargrave in her dorm room

c. 1990s

Courtesy of Elizabeth Hargrave

Ed Brockenbrough at a protest

c. 1990s

Courtesy of Ed Brockenbrough

Northeast Lesbian Gay Student Union at Brown University conference shirt

c. 1986

Courtesy of Debra Bercuvitz

Annette's Dorm Room

c. 1980s

Courtesy of Annette Huddle

Mail Room Recreation

Image of "Mail Room Recreation" Section

Sign on Mailbox: In the tradition of the Brown University Mail Room of the 80's and 90's, use the paper provided to write a letter to the LGSA/LGBA/LGBTA/TNT alumni, curator, or person of your choice.

Close-up of Mailbox

BDH Mail Room Articles

Student mailboxes, c. June 1, 1988

From Brown Daily Herald

Transcription:

Post Office Invitations are a way at life at Brown. But for about hald of this year students will have to [go] somewhere besides the basement of Faunce to get [their] invites (as well as their mail) as the P.O. undergoes major renvoation.

Student signing petition as part of Gay Awareness Week, c. February 28, 1984

From Brown Daily Herald

Transcription:

Sexual Orientational Week- A student adds his name to the LGSA petition yesterday in the post office. Volunteers say they collected 960 signatures on the first day of their week-long drive.

Uncredited Journal Entry - "In 20 Years"

"In 20 Years"

Journal 1

Circa 1985

Transcription:

12 Oct

I’m glad people are using this book and really writing our social history. Perhaps we can come back in 20 years and find this book one of a collection of many documents in the Brown Gay-Lesbian library annex. Everything is relative; times are relatively good for us. When we were born, there was no place for us to write, nowhere for us to be. Now there is. When our straight brothers’ & sisters’ & friends’ children are our age, they will exist and thrive in a society relatively free from the stress & pressure we feel now, whether gay or straight.

15 Oct

I forgot what I intended to say last Friday. But the page remains empty & I do like to write: besides, when this book is written, there will be another…

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