"Austin 12" collection now housed at UNT libraries' LGBT Archive

UNT is now home to a collection of materials from the "Austin 12's" historic conversation about gay rights with then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush. In 2000, Charles C. Francis, a friend of Bush, broke the barrier for gay-rights advocates by organizing a meeting with the governor and 11 other gay Republican men and women. On the agenda for the "Austin 12": personal stories as gay and lesbian Republicans and a discussion about Bush's presidential candidacy.

Fifteen years later, Francis has donated his collection from the meeting to the UNT libraries' LGBT Archive that documents the struggle of gay Republicans to influence the direction of the GOP within their party.

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