Letter from the creator: Start a conversation

This print edition began with a conversation.

A historian told me about some of The Daily Gamecock's LGBTQIA+ coverage from the 1970s and '80s. Some of it was bold and progressive. Some of it was misinformed and hateful. Our conversation moved on, but it got me thinking about our student papers' legacy and gave me an idea.

That first conversation led to many more with my fellow editors and reporters, designers and photographers, professors and experts, until today — where we can see "With Pride" with our own eyes.

This print edition, its stories and the voices it hopefully amplifies now sit on stands and in hands across our campus. It is the first time The Daily Gamecock has published an edition focused on the LGBTQIA+ community.

This was made possible because of the tireless work of a group of students — some of who are members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and some who aren't. Seeing my colleagues' excitement to tell these stories — to tell stories of my community, even if it isn’t theirs — has helped heal the pain of years of feeling unaccepted and unworthy of companionship and compassion.

And it all started with one conversation. I hope this print edition inspires more conversations. I hope it makes you feel like you have a community around you that supports you and will work to make you feel safe — like how I have felt while taking part in its creation. I hope it inspires you to help create that feeling for those around you.

We can help create a better future by knowing where we have been and where we are today. We can learn from the mistakes and painful experiences of ourselves and others. We can remind ourselves of those who have fought for and stood with us in the past so that we may continue their work for those who come after.

No print edition or single publication can tell the story of an entire community. This isn’t exactly the beginning of the work, but it certainly isn’t the end, either — for The Daily Gamecock, for me and hopefully not for you.

With pride,

Caleb Bozard