Much discussion of modern social justice movements in popular media focuses on the role of social media as organizer and catalyst. Twitter is credited as a key organizing platform in both the Arab Spring protests and Black Lives Matter, for example, which found popular adoption during the 2014 protests in Ferguson, Missouri, following the shooting of Michael Brown. And increasingly, both historians and the general public view such digital communication as important archival material: for example, six days after the protests started, software developer Ed Summers began collecting an archive of all tweets mentioning “Ferguson.”
Yet while social movements’ use of digital tools seems to be a modern phenomenon, the importance of digital communications to understanding movement organizing predates the rise of social media. As historian Ian Milligan has argued, any attempt to seriously study historical events like 9/11 or the dot-com bubble and subsequent crash without using born-digital materials, such as email, digital photographs, and web archives, would “either be impossible or poorly done.” And, of course, these new documents also call for new methods of analysis. Building on Milligan, I argue born-digital materials are particularly important for studying LGBTQ history since 1980. LGBTQ individuals, particularly those working in technical fields, quickly recognized digital communications’ value. Communicating via computer reduced the risk of outing or retaliation, and the technology allowed those without a local queer community to stay connected. Moreover, content produced and circulated via computer didn’t require the approval of a publisher or distributor, and its reach was limited only by one’s ability to access a computer and modem. These features were especially important for transgender individuals and organizations, who used digital tools to organize and connect at a previously impossible scale and speed.
The bulletin board system (BBS) was a key platform for LGBTQ users. Functionally, a BBS was a server that allowed users with the required equipment—a microcomputer, modem, and an open phone line—to dial in. Once logged in, users could access a variety of features, including forums, chat rooms, games, and file libraries. Though the first BBS launched in 1978, they really began taking off in the mid-1980s. The first edition of the Gay and Lesbian BBS List, first published on August 20, 1988, and circulated monthly via Usenet until 1999, included 199 boards. For questioning users or those not yet out, the BBS offered a safe space for anonymous discussion and exploration. While some had national reach, most BBSes were primarily used by individuals within their area code. As such, they had deep connections to their local communities, facilitating everything from hosting fundraisers to a platform for political organizing.
