Committee for Sexual-Orientation & Gender Minorities in Astronomy (SGMA)

SGMA Archives

• Letter from the AAS president to the president of the Indian Astronomical Society, announcing its support for "The Indian LGBTIQ community, especially those pursuing astronomical research", and decrying the recent Indian Supreme Court decision that re-criminalized homosexuality.
• Our poster (many thanks to Jane Rigby!), presented at the 223rd AAS meeting, on "How the Supreme Court ruling on DOMA affected astronomers".
• Notes from WGLE Town Hall Meeting, June 2012, Anchorage AAS meeting
• Jane Rigby's presentation on Frank Kameny (March 2012, YouTube, 25m)
• Recruitment and Retention of LGBTIQ Astronomers, presentation at January 2012 AAS meeting (PDF)
• January 2012: AAS honors Frank Kameny, astronomer and gay rights pioneer
• Obituary for Frank Kameny (1925-2011), astronomer and gay rights pioneer

Web Resources:

• Astronomy Outlist (list of LGBT astronomers and allies)
• How to join GLBTQastro email group
• AAS Anti-Harassment Policy now includes gender identity or expression and sexual orientation
• Astrodyke blog
• Women in Astronomy blog
• AAS Committee on the Status of Women in Astronomy
• AAS Committee on the Status of Minorities in Astronomy
• Why sexism, racism, and other forms of oppression must be considered together (from Women in Astronomy blog, April 2012)

Resources for Professionals

• NOGLSTP: National Organization of Gay and Lesbian Scientists and Technical Professionals
• LGBT+ Physicists
• Google Group for LGBTIQQAP+ Physicists
• LGBT Physicists and Astrophysicists facebook page

Resources for Students

• LGBTIQ-friendly campus climate index
• The 30 best colleges for LGBT students
• Undergraduate scholarships for outstanding LGBT students
• LGBT Workplace Issues for Astronomers, a poster at January 2011 AAS meeting (PDF)
• LGBTQ college student resource guide by Affordable Colleges Online.

National Organizations

• Human Rights Campaign: Working for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Equal Rights
• National Center for Transgender Equality
• Intersex Society of North America

Glossary

Transgender: An umbrella term for people whose gender identity, expression, or behavior is different from those typically associated with their assigned sex at birth (National Center for Transgender Equality).

Intersex: A term used for people who are born with external genitalia, chromosomes, or internal reproductive systems that are not traditionally associated with either a “standard” male or female (National Center for Transgender Equality).

Questioning: The questioning of one's gender, sexual identity, sexual orientation, or all three is a process of exploration by people who may be unsure, still exploring, or concerned about applying a social label to themselves for various reasons (Wikipedia).

Straight ally: a heterosexual person who supports equal civil rights, gender equality, LGBTIQA social movements, and challenges homophobia (Wikipedia).

SGMA Logo

The SGMA (formerly WGLE) logo was designed by Melody Weist.