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IAC Newsletter – April 1986

  • Steve N.
  • Nov 16
  • 2 min read

IAC Newsletter – April 1986 (Issue No. 8) 

(International Advisory Council for Homosexual Men & Women in AA)


IAC Logo: IAC Newsletter – April 1986

The April 1986 issue of IACTIVITY is one of the earliest available documents from the IAC era. While brief, it captures several key moments in early LGBTQ+ AA history, including the release of the 1986 World Directory of Gay/Lesbian Groups, election announcements, early Roundup schedules, and the first major call for personal stories to support LGBTQ+ AA literature development.




🌍 1986 World Directory of Gay/Lesbian AA Groups Released

The IAC announced that the brand-new edition of the International Directory of Gay/Lesbian AA Groups was now available.

Pricing:

  • $2.50 USD per copy

  • Bulk rates:

    • 1–5 copies → $2.50 each

    • 6–10 copies → $2.00 each

    • 11+ copies → $1.50 each


This directory was the only worldwide listing of LGBTQ+ AA meetings at the time — a crucial resource decades before the Internet.


🗳 Next IAC Election — Chicago ’86 Roundup


The next IAC business meeting and officer elections would take place during:

Chicago ’86 Round-Up June 20–22, 1986


Members traveling to Chicago were encouraged to attend the meeting and consider standing for service, as the IAC relied entirely on volunteers.


🙏 Acknowledgments & Volunteer Transitions


The newsletter expresses gratitude to:

  • Beverly V. (NY) — for forwarding IAC mail to volunteers across the country

  • Regina S. (Brooklyn) — newly stepping into this role

  • Nancy T. & Rich W. — for many years of work creating, maintaining, and expanding the international directory


These individuals were the backbone of early LGBTQ+ AA service communications.


🕊 In Memoriam


The IAC notes with sadness the death of Ronald L., remembered warmly by the Council and his friends in Buffalo.


✍️ Call for Stories — Early LGBTQ+ AA Pamphlet Development


A major historical moment:

The IAC Literature Committee issued its first large-scale call for stories from gay and lesbian AA members, requesting:

  • 500–700 word submissions

  • Anonymous stories sharing “what it was like, what happened, and what it’s like now”

  • Minimum 1 year of sobriety


These stories were to form the foundation of a proposed IAC pamphlet — an early precursor to what eventually became AA’s P-32 “A.A. and the Gay/Lesbian Alcoholic.”

This is one of the earliest documented LGBTQ+ AA literature efforts.


🎉 1986 LGBTQ+ Roundup Calendar


This issue includes a compact but historically important roundup schedule for Spring–Summer 1986:

May 23–26

  • Boston Round-Up

  • Dallas Big D Roundup

June 20–22

  • Chicago ’86 Round-Up (host of the IAC business meeting)

July 3–6

  • San Francisco Western Round-Up

July 4–6

  • Montreal P.E.L. Round-Up

July 25–27

  • Milwaukee Commitment ’86

August 1–3

  • Hartford Walk the Walk

August 22–24

  • Columbus Round-Up

  • Washington DC Capitol Round-Up ’86


These events were the foundation of the LGBTQ+ Roundup movement as we know it today.


IAC Newsletter – April 1986

👉 Download the full PDF:


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