Fox Valley Gay Alliance (FVGA)

On November 30, 1972, six men gathered for a dinner party at a home in Neenah and began discussing the possibility of creating a gay and lesbian organization for the Oshkosh-to-Appleton area. 

There was no established community center, no LGBTQ print media, no "out" gay bars, and very few public places where gay men and lesbians could safely find one another.

These pioneers agreed to reach out to their friends and explore whether there was enough interest to form a group.  The response was immediate.

Just one week later, on December 6, twenty gay men and lesbians gathered at the Conway Hotel bar in Appleton for the first organizational meeting. Additional meetings followed on December 12, 19 and 27 at various locations. The group rented a post office box and posted notices at UW-Oshkosh, Lawrence University and UW-Stevens Point. They called themselves the Fox Valley Gay Alliance (FVGA).

Throughout 1973, FVGA meetings were held every other Tuesday, drawing gay men and lesbians from across the region, including Fond du Lac, Green Bay, Manitowoc and Wausau. Attendance typically reached 40 to 50 people, with many meetings held in members' homes. For many attendees, this was the first time they'd ever met another gay person.

FVGA quickly became more than a meeting. The group’s first official event was a Mardi Gras party at a member’s home in Neenah, where 52 people turned out in costume. Other 1973 activities included a picnic at Menominee Park in Oshkosh, a Halloween party and a Christmas gathering. FVGA quickly created a social scene where none had existed before. 

In 1974, much of the group’s attention turned to a practical challenge: finding a gay- and lesbian-friendly bar in the Fox Valley. The Conway Hotel and Cleo’s Brown Beam in Appleton and Mr. Lucky’s in Oshkosh were known as gay hangouts, but several attempts to persuade these and other establishments to openly welcome gay and lesbian customers were unsuccessful.

That changed in October 1974. After an FVGA meeting in downtown Appleton, a group of members walked into Doris’ Super Bar on College Avenue. After several conversations with owner Doris, she agreed to give it a try.

The decision transformed Doris’ Super Bar into a successful gay and lesbian gathering place. The bar was eventually sold to a gay couple and renamed the Lambda Lounge. FVGA held many meetings and parties there, giving the organization a home and helping establish a lasting social space for the region’s LGBTQ community.

By 1975, FVGA meetings became less frequent. The group had largely accomplished its primary goal: creating a place where gay men and lesbians in the Fox Valley could connect, socialize and build community.  The final FVGA gathering was a Mardi Gras celebration at the Lambda Lounge on February 29, 1975.