David P. Stevens interviewed by Chelsea Yager March 30, 2020 via Zoom platform.

Narrator:
David P. Stevens was born in Pennsylvania in 1954, though he moved multiple times in the first decade of his life before landing in Longmeadow, Massachusetts. David returned to Pennsylvania to attend Swarthmore College with aspirations of becoming a minister. After coming out as gay, David decided against ministry and pursued social work. The self-described
“valley boy” returned to Massachusetts after graduating in 1978, this time moving to Springfield. David stayed there until moving to Northampton in 1987, which he still calls home. He has been politically active since 1972 and active in the LGBTQ community since 1978. David became involved in Northampton Pride in its second year of 1983. He has been “in or at”
every Northampton Pride since, save one year. David was active during the bisexual controversy, concerned that the controversy amongst the community would “spill over” into the statewide fight for equal rights. He helped organize healing events during this time, was the sole gay man
on the Lesbian March Committee, and organized the vote to formally include or exclude bisexuality from the march’s name. In the mid-1980s, David was active in the early AIDS treatment movement.

Abstract:
In this interview, Stevens reflects upon his experiences as a gay man and activist. Stevens discusses the importance of LGBTQ communities sticking together and supporting one another. Additionally, Stevens shares his memories of Northampton and its Pride March in the early days, including the years of controversy surrounding bisexuality being added into the march’s name.

Interviewer:
Chelsea Yaeger is a graduate student at Simmons University. She is working toward her master’s in library and information science with a concentration in archives.