The L'GASP-GLBT Caucus provides a forum in which to meet other gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender professionals and friends to work on issues that concern our professional lives. L'GASP's By-Laws on membership include a category for associate members who may be heterosexual but are supportive of the organization.Through meetings, newsletters, and networking, members identify the concerns and frustrations encountered due to homophobia in the workplace, in society, and in the profession in general.  With greater visibility, policy change and education we strive to provide open and welcoming services and work environments to consumers and professionals. 

At the 1982 ASHA Convention in Toronto a small group of gay men got together and expressed their desire to meet other gays in speech-language pathology and audiology. At this meeting the acronym, GASP, first emerged, standing for Gay Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists. As the group continued to meet each year at ASHA conventions for dinner and socializing, the circle grew in numbers, due largely to word-of-mouth and pink posters that announced the gatherings.

A decision was made at the 1988 Convention in Boston to initiate a formal professional organization and seek ASHA recognition.  But it wasn’t until 1991 that the first formal meeting was held in Atlanta.  During this Convention, L’GASP member and ASHA Fellow Richard Adler addressed the Legislative Council announcing the formation of GASP and requested recognition as a Allied Related Professional Organization (ARPO).  It was also in Atlanta that GASP became L’GASP to reflect the presence and inclusions of its new Lesbian members.  ASHA recognized L’GASP as an ARPO in the spring of 1992.  L’GASP became L’GASP – GLBT Caucus in 2005 when members voted to retain the traditional acronym but also show inclusiveness by adding Bisexual and Transgender individuals in a new acronym which identified the group as a caucus and one of ASHA’S multicultural constituency groups.

At the 1992 Convention in San Antonio L’GASP member Bob Peppard delivered the first ASHA Convention seminar on homophobia.  It was also here that ASHA first provided meeting space for L’GASP.  In 1994, L’GASP member and ASHA Fellow Joe Melcher was featured in a video created by ASHA based on the convention theme “Celebrate Diversity.”  ASHA’S Convention Program Committee also sponsored the first L’GASP recommended speaker Karen Thompson, whose topic was “Handicapped By Society?, An Anti-Ableism Workshop”.  A number of invited speakers, workshops, and poster sessions addressing issues relevant to the GLBT community have been presented since then.

L’GASP gained representation on the Minority Issues Board in 1997 when a resolution was passed to restructure the Board to include two representatives from L’GASP.  This occurred in 1998 and Ellen Fye was the first official representative.

The official business meeting is held each year at the ASHA Conventions, along with special programs and social events. L'GASP has participated in Pride festivals in many cities and at the National March on Washington in 1993. We have been written about many times in the ASHA Magazine (see Fall, 1996 issue!), the ASHA Leader, Advance for Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists, the Public School Caucus newsletter Practically Speaking, and in many other professional newsletters.

Topics have included communication disorders and HIV/AIDS, gays who stutter, gay symbols, the transsexual voice and communication, graduate school experiences, diversity and sexual orientation and a look at accredited programs and whether or not their policies allow discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Current L’GASP – GLBT Caucus initiatives include improving our visibility and providing outreach within ASHA.  A flyer was recently created and will be included in the Fall edition of the NSSLHA newsletter.  The flyer provides information about our Caucus and provides a link to ASHA’S multicultural constituency group website (www.asha.org/members/connecting/constituency).

A future initiative will attempt to review ASHA’S accrediting process for individual academic programs to see how ASHA’S commitment to multicultural concerns is incorporated and supported within individual programs.

The L’GASP GLBT Caucus welcomes comments and suggestions. Visit the website at www.lgasp.org for more information or contact Co-Chair Tedd Masiongale, M.A. CCC-SLP at Faix@yahoo.com. The annual business meeting and social agenda for the 2007 Boston Convention can be found on the website under the Boston 2007 link.  Visit us at the MIB booth at ASHA or join us at one of our planned events.