The Lavender Network
Our name and its local history
Then
The Lavender Network was a newsmagazine based in Eugene, Oregon, and published monthly between February 1986 and October 1994 by Ron Zahn.
Earlier issues have a particular focus on the HIV/AIDS epidemic and its impact on LGBTQ+ communities in Oregon and across the nation. These issues highlight political activism, current events and civil rights efforts regarding the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination that accompanied this epidemic. Also, included in these issues are memorials and obituaries for those from the Eugene community who died due to HIV/AIDS-related illnesses. Furthermore, these issues contain news and federal updates on the HIV/AIDS epidemic, information about research into treatments and drugs, information about confidential and anonymous testing, educational material on HIV/AIDS prevention and transmission, information about support groups for people with HIV/AIDS and their loved ones, and information about safe sex practices. Of note are pieces published by Ken Storer, director of Shanti, an organization in Oregon, which provided support and advocacy for people living with HIV/AIDS.
In general, the issues have a specific focus on LGBTQ+ communities in Eugene and Oregon. The issues contain community news updates, national news updates, information about protests and demonstrations happening in the community, political organizing happening locally and nationally, information about community resources, organizations and LGBTQ+ affirming business. The issues also contain a calendar of community events, opinion columns, poetry, lists of LGBTQ+ books accompanied with brief reviews, word and trivia games, and classified, personal and person-to-person ads. Of note are articles on the history of the LGBTQ+ rights movement in Eugene/Springfield and the Eugene Gay People’s Alliance, on topics such as co-parenting, LGBTQ+ parenting and custody laws, on the ACLU Oregon’s efforts to pass the pro-LGBTQ+ House Bill 2325, on the National Gay March on Washington of 1988, and articles about several federal hate crime laws. Also of importance are pieces on the Lesbians in Coalition Against Racism and Anti-Semitism and the Oregon Minority AIDS Coalition, two organizations from Oregon who worked at the intersections of race and LGBTQ+ identity.
About The Lavender Network
The Lavender Network was based in Eugene, Oregon, and published monthly between February 1986 and October 1994 by Ron Zahn. The newsmagazine began publication just a few years before Measure 8 was introduced by the Oregon Citizens Alliance, and was published throughout the aforementioned group’s efforts to pass anti-LGBTQ+ and anti-abortion initiatives such as Measure 9 and Measure 6 in Oregon. The publication timeline of The Lavender Network overlapped with two other Oregon based LGBTQ+ newspapers, Just Out and the Alternative Connection.
The newsmagazine describes itself as follows: “Our purpose is to build community unity through networking, and to work toward social change. We believe that strength comes from unity. By recognizing and respecting our diversity while emphasizing our similarities and shared interests, TLN can help facilitate accord and trust-building within the community. TLN encourages lesbian and gay pride and dignity through positive exploration of our gay cultural heritage. We also provide current community news, health education and AIDS information, a community resource guide and a calendar of community events. TLN is committed to human rights, lesbian and gay empowerment, disarming homophobia and ending discrimination.”
Now
In early September 2024, the leadership of the project then known as the Queer Resource Center Expansion were looking for a new name. They were transitioning from a small service center where TransPonder and HIV Alliance collaborated for LGBTQ+ focused care, to a larger more community based center, with space for events and three more collaborating organizations. Looking at databases of service centers across the US, websites of common synonyms they debated back and forth about the benefits and downsides of community visibility while being overtly queer.
Eventually Leadership stumbled upon an archived collection of The Lavender Network news magazine donated to Oregon State University. From the beginning, this project wanted to spotlight the history of the LGBTQ+ community in Eugene, so the opportunity to adopt a historical name was exciting. After contacting the previous publisher for their blessing, polling the community at Eugene Pride Fest 2024, and bringing the shortlist of names to a meeting of the project’s Community Council, the name was decided!
The logo, adapted to the new name, was designed by a student of Lane Community College’s graphic design program.
The Lavender Network opened formally on November 4th, 2024 at 440 Maxwell Road in Eugene.
