Introduction

On June 25, 1983 the first Lesbian and Gay Pride March in Vermont took place in Burlington, fourteen years after the Stonewall Uprising. From the very beginning the Pride events in Vermont were a celebration as well as a march. 350 people, many of them women, rallied in City Hall Park and marched through downtown Burlington – a memorable event that has taken place in either Burlington or Montpelier every year since.

Organizers of the first Pride in Vermont have been generous with sharing and talking about their experiences. When they held that first event, participants knew they were taking a risk. Publicly announcing their sexuality and their fight for civil rights opened up the possibility of losing jobs, children, and personal safety. But the organizers knew that the visible presence of what was then described as the “Lesbian and Gay Community” could also help push politicians and community members to understand the need for job and family protections and basic civil rights. This visibility has grown and transformed as LGBTQ2+ identity has changed and shifted in the past few decades – and it still takes collective action and organizing to continue progress towards equality.

This exhibit is presented by the Pride Center of Vermont and the Vermont Folklife Center. Pride 1983 was curated by Meg Tamulonis of the Vermont Queer Archives—a program of the Pride Center of Vermont.

Support for the exhibit provided by Liz Shayne and Tiffany Bluemle, the Samara Fund, a component fund of the Vermont Community Foundation, Vermont Humanities Council and our generous donors.

portraits of pride — photos by m. sharkey

The Vermonters in this gallery of portrait photos by M. Sharkey were all part of the 1983 Pride march in varying ways, from organizers to early activists who created community prior to Pride. Their willingness to be out and public about their identities set the stage for civil rights and community growth. We are grateful for their willingness to share memories and challenges from this pivotal event.

As with any Pride, many more people were involved as planners, marchers, and those cheering on the sidelines. The Vermont Folklife Center and Vermont Queer Archives will continue to gather and share the memories and stories of organizers and participants.

Click on gallery images to access audio and larger photographs.

Click on gallery images to access audio and larger photographs.