The surveys of drug dealers completed by the Vanguard Youth and the reports , like The Tenderloin Ghetto: The Young Reject in Our Society, enabled Glide and the Central City (Tenderloin and Mid Market) interfaith pastors to lobby and secure anti-poverty funding for the Central City. Some of the projects created with the funding were housed at Glide. Others partnered with Glide as they grew into new organizations.
One of the most radical projects purchased a mobile health van to support gay men, sexuality education, drug treatment and harm reduction support. This work led to the creation of Glide’s National Sex and Drug Forum, led by Dr. Joel Fort, the Rev. Ted McIlvenna and Phyllis Lyon.
1967 – Dr. Joel Fort Day
1968 Mobile Health Van
One of the experimental health programs studied in the mobile health van included providing LSD (which was legal at the time) to gay men who were experiencing depression.
Photo of Sgt. Elliot Blackstone with the mobile health van. Courtesy of the GLBT Historical Society, Don Lucas Papers, Box 21
Dr. Joel Fort (left), Ted Wright (center) and Donald S. Lucas (right). Courtesy of the GLBT Historical Society, Don Lucas Papers, Box 21
Courtesy of the GLBT Historical Society, Megan Rohrer Files
Courtesy of the GLBT Historical Society, Megan Rohrer Files
Courtesy of the Glide Archive
Courtesy of the Glide Archive
You can learn more about the gender change support for transgender individuals here.
1971 – National Sex and Drug Forum at Glide
Courtesy of the Glide Archive
Courtesy of the Glide Archive
From the Glide Archive
2022 – Mobile Harm Reduction at Glide
The video below, from the Glide Archive, shares information about Glide’s current harm reduction efforts.
If this exhibit has inspired you to learn more about Glide Pride, you can connect here.