Doug Whaley

Douglas Whaley was born in Huntingburg, Indiana in 1944. He came to Columbus in 1976 to teach at the Ohio State Law School until his retirement in 2004. Whaley has won nine awards for outstanding teaching, including the Ohio State University’s Distinguished Teaching Award in 1978. He was one of the second-wave of supporters of Columbus's Stonewall Union, Central Ohio’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ+) Community Organization. Whaley's support, along with that of fellow law professor Rhonda Rivera, was key to getting the fledgling organization established. He served as the President of Stonewall Union in 1984.
In his interview Whaley talks about his early life including his awareness of his sexual orientation, his marriage, and teaching at law school. In 1976 he came out to his wife and decided to explore his sexuality, at the same time he excepted a job teaching law at The Ohio State University. He describes the gay community/scene in Columbus in the 1970s, his first long-term relationship with a man, and becoming involved with the Gay Activist Alliance. Whaley discusses the impact of Rhonda Rivera's bravery being an "out" woman in the legal profession in the 1970s and her work in "queer law." After several years in Columbus Whaley begins to live as an openly gay man and describes the awkwardness of that transition. He shares the early history of Stonewall Union, the difficulties in getting established, the organizational missteps, and its great success. He concludes his interview by discussing the changes in the gay community from the 1970s and the 20th anniversary of Stonewall.
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...