Historical Note

HokiePRIDE was originally founded in 1985 as Lambda Horizons (sometimes written as Lambda Horizon). In 1994, the group was renamed the Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Alliance (LGBA). Then, in 1999, the name was changed again to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Alliance (LGBTA). In 2014 the name changed once more to the current name, HokiePRIDE.

HokiePRIDE was the second officially recognized LGBTQIA+ student group formed at Virginia Tech following the Gay Alliance of Virginia Tech (GAVT) in 1971. It also followed three unofficial groups: the Gay Liberation Front (GLF) in 1970, the Gay Student Union (GSU) in 1975, and the Gay Student Alliance (GSA) in 1976.

The early goals of HokiePRIDE included providing a place on campus for gay and lesbian members of the university community to meet without judgement, helping educate the campus community about homosexuality, and creating a positive image of gay and lesbian people. Over time, the group’s mission expanded to include advocacy for everyone under the societally defined umbrella of LGBTQIA+, including bisexual, asexual, pansexual, transgender, and intersex people.

The group implemented multiple programs on campus to advocate on behalf of the LGBTQIA+ population including Gay Awareness Week, AIDS Awareness Week, National Coming Out Day, Freedom to Marry Day, Pride Week, advocacy for hate crimes legislation, and the organization of Safe Line, Safe Watch, the Safe Zone program, and more.

For more information on the current organization, see their website: http://www.hokiepride.org.vt.edu/

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