Michigan Union

Jim Toy was raised in a small rural Ohio town in the 1930s and 1940s, and he recalled feelings of isolation related to having to hide his identity as a gay man—and deal with widespread anti-Asian sentiment. At the age of 40, he became what is believed to be the first person in Michigan to publicly come out as gay during a speech at an anti-Vietnam War demonstration in 1970 Detroit. Toy also cofounded Gay Liberation Front organizations in Detroit and Ann Arbor.

Also in 1970, alongside the Gay Liberation Front and Radical Lesbians organizations, Toy requested to hold a statewide conference at the University of Michigan. Robben Wright Flemming, the U-M president at the time, rejected this request, arguing that homosexual activity was illegal, and the conference was not an appropriate use of university space. 

Enter student government leader Jerry DeGrieck. DeGrieck eventually became one of the first openly gay elected officials in the US as an Ann Arbor City Council member. But at the time, he was a closeted gay man. DeGrieck gave Jim Toy the keys to the Student Activities Building, and this act of rebellion allowed the conference to be held. 

After persistent pressure from U-M students and the Gay Liberation Front, the university eventually funded the opening of a humble one-room office dedicated to addressing campus LGBT-related issues. The Human Sexuality Office—later renamed Spectrum Center—was the first office aiming to open educational opportunities and serve the LGBT population on a university campus. Jim Toy and lesbian activist Cindy Gair headed the office, where they worked to enact rules that would—ideally—prevent people from suffering discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. 

Since its founding, Spectrum Center has expanded its outreach to offer services to anyone in the LGBT community, including opportunities specifically for people of color. Jim Toy and Cindy Gair—along with student activists—paved the way to make the Spectrum Center what it is today. These activists should be largely credited for immense improvements on campus, such as expanding to support issues regarding transgender rights in 1990, and successfully pushing the Regents to amend university bylaws to protect sexual orientation from discrimination in employment and academic settings in 1993.

Today, Spectrum Center is a prominent hub for student services. Hosting more than 80 seminars a year, it holds the same values and principles to provide proper aid to the LGBT community. But, Spectrum Center would not be what it is today if student and community activists decided to abide by the university’s wishes 50 years ago.

Havey, Robert. “Pride and Prejudice.” History of U-M. Accessed October 20, 2022.

Spectrum Center, University of Michigan. “Our History.” Accessed October 20, 2022.

Spectrum Center, University of Michigan.“Celebrating 50 Years” (Spectrum Center 50th anniversary website). Accessed October 20, 2020.