Connection

Today, many take for granted the ability to swipe left in an app or instantly chat with just a few taps on a glass screen. Fifty years ago, communication between individuals and groups was very different. As many queer people shielded their identities from their friends and family, they found clever ways to discover each other and build meaningful connections.  

Many gay magazines advertised services like these two. People would write in and get matched with others, sending physical letters by mail through the service. These early social networks allowed people to discover other like-minded individuals—especially those looking to avoid the bar scene. 

The Loving Brotherhood was the idea of an elderly New Jersey man named Ralph Walker. Although the 1970s saw the gradual decline of the hippie and counter-cultural movements, the Brotherhood remained steeped in New Age values. For many gay men who were shunned from organized religion, the Loving Brotherhood was a path towards connecting with spirituality, and with each other.