As this year’s Pride parade rolled by, the contingent from Growing American Youth once again proved the highlight marching 400-youth-strong. The support group for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) and questioning youth 21-and-under turned 30-last year and so, as a former alumnus of the organization, let me lead the cheer—you all are doing us proud!
Being a teenager is tough—and for LGBT teens this fact rings doubly true. But today’s youth are embracing visibility on a level never seen before. Sure, those of us who came before helped pave the road—but the current generation has seized the wheel with vigor. Whether forming Gay/Straight Student Alliances at area schools or taking their same sex date to prom; today’s LGBT youth are quickly shattering the prism through which our community is viewed.
In late 1979, Al Macabeo, a member of the Metropolitan Community Church (MCC) recognized that there was a complete lack of information or any legitimate activities for Gateway City LGBT youth. Accordingly, he obtained permission from the church’s Board of Directors to organize a social support group.
When the group first met at the church; a Victorian three-story house on Waterman in the Central West End, they didn’t have a name and the meetings were quite small. In early 1980 the group took the name “Pride” and the late Bill Cordes, who would play an instrumental role in the organization’s success over the next 20-years, came on board as sponsor. But the church was uncomfortable with some older people hanging around the group and organizers quickly changed the name to “Under 21 Group.” Few liked the name; so in June 1980, members voted and “Growing American Youth” was born.
While the format of the youth group has changed throughout the years to suit the needs of its current members, it has remained a constant in our community. It is a safe-haven for our young people and continues to produce generations of well adjusted and productive LGBT community members.
I first discovered Growing American Youth my senior year of high school. I’d known I was gay since before junior high and sadly, started experimenting at far-too-young of an age. Luckily in 1989 someone did me the favor of talking to me instead of just taking me home. I’ll never forget his words—“You need to take your happy butt to Our World Too and talk to Bill Cordes.”
Our World Too was St. Louis’ gay bookstore. It sat next to Magnolia’s on Vandeventer and was owned and operated by Bill from 1987-1999. I can’t begin to tell you the level of love and affection I have for that man—he changed my life. There was never a stupid question you could ask him and believe me, I had plenty. Bill opened my eyes to the possibility and power of community—he gave me books to read and I quickly became a student of queer history.
All of these things have remained a constant in my life. Still the greatest gift he gave me was entry into Growing American Youth. In 1989/90 the group met in the basement of the old MCC Church on Dolman. The neighborhood may have been run-down, but seemed like grandest place on earth. There, I had found my tribe—peers just like me and together we discovered ourselves, our community and each other.
Back then sneaking into your first gay bar was the right of passage—the Internet was still a government secret, and there were no gay coffee houses or 18-and-up nights at the clubs. It seemed all we had was The West End Cafe, the Hampton “Gay Denney’s and the safety of our group—but that was more than enough.
I remember interviewing Bill for Vital VOICE shortly before he died; we both got such a kick out of it. I’ll share a bit of what he said:
“Our community is our home. Let it become a shambles, ignore it and it will not shelter you when you need it. Put in the necessary maintenance and it can be something from which you can draw support, friendship, love and much more. Community quite literally has made such a huge difference in so many peoples’ lives—often giving them the means to survive.”
Indeed, Growing American Youth has given our young people not only the means to survive—but to thrive. I still see a few of the peers from my class and not surprisingly, we are all active within the LGBT community. That’s a testament to Bill and Growing American Youth. And given the strides the present generation has made—there’s no telling of the heights our community will reach.
For more information check out www.growingamericanyouth.org or if you’re an alumnus like me – join the Growing American Youth Alumni Page on Facebook.
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