The collection documents the history and activities of the Lambda Rights Network (LRN). LRN
activities are best documented in the agendas and minutes, correspondence, community
surveys, and records relating to Community Speak Outs and candidate forums.
Along with the history of LRN itself, the collection sheds light on the political
struggles and challenges faced by Milwaukee's gay and lesbian community over a five-year
period. Of particular significance are LRN's efforts to record instances of harassment,
abuse, and discrimination involving sexual orientation. LRN's information-gathering
activities occurred during a period of increasing national awareness of the seriousness of
bias-motivated crimes. Indeed, during LRN's existence, twelve states passed hate crimes
statutes that enhanced penalties for crimes motivated by the victim's sexual orientation,
race, religion, color, disability, national origin or ancestry. Wisconsin's hate crime
legislation passed in 1991 (Wisconsin Statute 939.645). The information gathered by LRN is
contained in records of harassment complaints, surveys of hate crimes, and news clippings.
The clippings relate to two prominent Wisconsin hate crimes, the Rochon and Dressler cases,
and various other hate-related incidents and legislative reforms.
