Rhonda Rivera

Rhonda Rivera was born in 1938 and grew up in Roosevelt, New Jersey. She is a pioneer working for LGBTQ+ rights and equality as a lawyer and activist. In 1979 she wrote an article about the legal treatment of lesbians and gays called "Our Straight-Laced Judges: The Legal Position of Homosexual Persons in the United States." Rivera served as a member of the OSU President’s Task Force on AIDS, held a seat on the Affirmative Action Council, and was president of Stonewall Union. She helped pass an Ohio executive order banning discrimination in state employment based on sexual orientation, as well as a similar ordinance for the city of Columbus. She was a professor at the Moritz College of Law where she crafted equality policies for OSU. Rivera received the University’s Distinguished Affirmative Action Award in 1991.
In her interview Rivera talks about her childhood, learning she was "different," and her experience coming out as a lesbian. She discusses her professional history, how she became an LGBTQ+ activist, and the academic discriminations she endured. Rivera describes her work in local politics, her OSU radio program, and her time as President of Stonewall Union. She notes the difference between male and female LGBT rights goals throughout the 80s and 90s in Columbus. Rivera shares her memories of the early gay pride parades, the AIDS crisis, and the social scene in central Ohio.
This oral history was recorded by Rob Berger as part of his mission to collect and share stories from the LGBT community of Central Ohio.
Ohio Memory: ohiomemory.org...

[@Cats752]

That’s my grandma!