This is the PowerPoint document I created to go along with a presentation on my research into LGBTQ-related Library of Congress subject headings. Included is a brief history of LGBTQ cataloging, a review of an existing LC subject heading guide, terminology used in the LC catalog to describe LGBTQ individuals and communities, and a summary of my preliminary findings.

1. Queerying the Catalog:
LGBTQ Subject Headings
David Norris
LIS 7030, Fall 2015
St. Catherine University

2. What is the purpose of cataloging library materials?
“When library materials are cataloged in a careful and complete
manner, access is provided for the library patrons and staff to
all sources of information on a particular topic, by a particular
author, or in a particular format, that the library possesses. The
better the access, the more use the collection receives, and the
more satisfied the patron is in his or her search for information
in the library.”
— Idaho Commission for Libraries website

3. Purpose
A preliminary study of LC subject
headings pertaining to LGBTQ
people and cultures to gauge their
effectiveness in cataloging
literature and materials with
LGBTQ themes.

4. Research Questions
1. Is there fair or equal representation of subject headings in covering the
various gender identities and sexual orientations?
2. Do a majority of LCSH authority records contain both 450 and 550 terms, as
well as scope notes where necessary, and do those terms reflect a careful
understanding of LGBTQ communities?
3. Are the authorized terms used to catalog LGBTQ-related materials accurate,
current, and robust enough for users to locate them?
4. What changes or recommendations should be made to LCSH and its controlled
vocabularies to improve access to LGBTQ materials?

5. A Brief History of LGBTQ Cataloging...

6. A brief history of LGBTQ cataloging
Homosexuality first appears as a term in 1864.
By the 1890s it was regarded in most professional circles
(medical and psychiatric) as a mental illness.
From 1895 to 1945, “LC relied on the medical literature for
literary warrant for subject headings” (Adler 2012).
Homosexuality appeared as a term in the 1898 LC card catalog
under the subject heading “Sexual perversion.”
The first 1910 edition of the LCC placed homosexuality under
the heading “Abnormal sex relations.”

7. A brief history of LGBTQ cataloging
Homosexuality authorized as a heading
in 1946.
LC changes “Sexual perversion” to
“Sexual deviation.”
Barbara Gittings becomes coordinator
of the Task Force on Gay Liberation
(now the GLBT Round Table) in 1971.
Organized first APA panel to discuss
depathologizing homosexuality.
Barbara Gittings
(1932-2007)

8. APA, 1972
Barbara Gittings, Franklin Kameny and
John E. Fryer as “Dr. H. Anonymous.”
Psychiatry: Friend or
Foe to Homosexuals: A
Dialogue
Homosexuality removed
from the DSM in 1972.
The GLT petitioned LC
to update the LCC,
which it did.
“Sexual perversion” =
“Sexual life”

9. A brief history of LGBTQ cataloging
In 1978, the GLT enlists the help of Sanford Berman to
petition LC to change “Homosexual” to “Gay.”
“Groups of people should be assigned according to what the group would
call itself.”
The change would not happen until 1988.
LC prescribed that “Gay” and “Gays” would be applied to
books about both men and women, while books exclusively
about gay women would be filed under the SH “Lesbians.”

10. A brief history of LGBTQ cataloging
“The authentic name of ethnic, national, religious, social,
or sexual groups should be established if such a name is
determinable. If a group does not have an authentic name, the
name preferred by the group should be established. The
determination of the authentic or preferred name should be
based upon the literature of the people themselves (not upon
outside sources or experts), upon organizational self-
identification, and/or upon group member experts.”
— Statement endorsed by ALA Subject Analysis Committee and
the Library of Congress Subject Cataloging Division in 1975.

11. The Joy of [Gay] Cataloging

12. Queerying the Subject Headings
Yale University Library subject guide: LGBTQ Subject Headings -
http://guides.library.yale.edu/c.php?g=295883&p=1972812
404 subject headings “to assist with research in LGBTQI studies.”

13. Queerying the Subject Headings
➢ General
➢ Art and Architecture
➢ Business
➢ Culture and Identity
➢ Film and Theater
➢ Health and Medical
➢ History
➢ Law and Legal
➢ Literature
➢ Mass Media
➢ Psychology
➢ Religion and Spirituality
➢ Sociology
➢ Sports and Fitness
➢ Youth and Education

14. Queerying the Subject Headings
One problem… only 339 headings were unique.
31 headings were duplicated throughout the categories.
Headings like “Homosexuality in the workplace,” “Aged gay men,”
“Lesbian psychotherapists,” and “Sexual minorities.”
One heading, “Sex change,” appeared three times.
I needed a much more robust list.

15. Queerying the Subject Headings
I stopped at a list of 673 subject headings.
Used a combination of keyword and BT/NT subject searches in
LC Authorities and OCOC to build from the Yale list.
Tried to organize like-subjects together: business
occupations, health and psychology, and sociology.
Identified a number of “obnoxious” terms, such as “Sexual
minorities,” “Gender identity disorder,” “Sodomy in…” and
“Sexual reorientation.”

16. Say My Name: Terminology

17. Terminology
(Definitions taken from the advocacy website, “It’s Pronounced Metrosexual.”)
Bisexual: A person who experiences sexual, romantic, and/or physical
attraction to people of their own gender as well as another gender.
Gay: A term used to describe a man who is attracted to men, but often used and
embraced by women to describe their same-sex relationships as well.
Homosexual: A medical definition for a person who is attracted to someone with
the same gender (or, literally, biological sex) they have.
Intersex: A person with a set of sexual anatomy that doesn’t fit within the
labels of female or male (e.g., 47, XXY phenotype, uterus, and penis).
Lesbian: A term used to describe a woman who is attracted to other women.

18. Terminology
Sexual minority: A group whose sexual identity, orientation or practices
differ from the majority of the surrounding society (Math & Seshadri, 2013).
Transgender: A blanket term used to describe all people who are not cisgender.
Transsexual: A person whose gender identity is the binary opposite of their
biological sex, who may undergo medical treatments to change their biological
sex, often times to align it with their gender identity, or they may live
their lives as the opposite sex.
Transvestite: A person who dresses as the binary opposite gender expression
(“cross-dresses”) for any one of many reasons, including relaxation, fun, and
sexual gratification.

19. Breakin’ It Down: Analysis

20. Is there fair or equal representation of
subject headings in covering the various
gender identities and sexual orientations?

21. Analysis of the subject headings
Code Orientation/Issue Count %
000 Topical 80 11.89%
100 Bisexual 27 4.01%
110 Bisexual females 3 0.45%
120 Bisexual males 6 0.89%
200 Homosexuality 68 10.10%
210 Gay 154 22.88%
220 Gay males 72 10.70%
230 Lesbians 146 21.69%
300 Intersex 11 1.63%
400 Sexual minority 35 5.20%
410 Gender identity disorder 3 0.45%
420 Sodomy in ___ 3 0.45%
430 Sexual reorientation 1 0.15%
500 Transgender 32 4.75%
510 Transsexual 24 3.57%
520 Transvestite 8 1.19%
673

23. Professions/Occupations vs. Orientation
1. The heading “Sexual minority college athletes” exists, but not “Sexual minority athletes.”

24. Coverage in randomly selected fields:
2. While “Gays in art” could not be found, both “Homosexuality in art” and “Gay men in art” exist.

25. Correspondence of “Gay” SH’s with other orientations:
3. “Children of lesbians” appears as a 450 under “Children of gay parents.”

26. Do a majority of LCSH authority records contain
both 450 and 550 terms, as well as scope notes
where necessary, and do those terms reflect a
careful understanding of LGBTQ communities?

27. 450, 550, and 670 entries
Randomly selected 50 subject headings out of the 673:
Both 450 and 550: 25
450 only: 3
550 only: 16
150 only: 6
6XX: 11
So… kinda.

28. … do those terms reflect a careful understanding of LGBTQ communities?
150 Transvestites
450 Cross-dressers
450 Crossdressers
450 Femmiphilliacs
550 Transgender people $w g
670 Work cat.: Allen, M. Transformations : men who dress as women, 1989.
670 HCL.
670 Random House.
670 Web. 3.
670 LC database, Mar. 25, 1997 $b (cross-dressers; crossdressers)
675 IAC
680 $i Here are entered works on persons, especially males, who assume the dress and
manner of the opposite sex for psychological gratification. Works on men who impersonate
women, generally for purposes of entertainment or comic effect, are entered under $a
Female impersonators. $i Works on women who impersonate men, generally for purposes of
entertainment or comic effect, are entered under $a Male impersonators.

29. … do those terms reflect a careful understanding of LGBTQ communities?
150 Female-to-male transsexuals
450 F-t-Ms (Female-to-male transsexuals)
450 F2Ms (Female-to-male transsexuals)
450 Female transsexuals
450 FTM transsexuals
450 FTMs (Female-to-male transsexuals)
450 Trans men
450 Transmales
450 Transmen
450 Transsexual males
450 Transsexual men
550 Transsexuals $w g

30. … do those terms reflect a careful understanding of LGBTQ communities?
>670 Wikipedia, Dec. 9, 2012: $b Trans man (A trans man (also trans-man or transman) is
a female-to-male (FTM) transgender or transsexual person. A trans man was assigned female
at birth, but identifies as male. The label of transgender male is not interchangeable
with that of transsexual male although the two are often combined or mistaken for the same
thing. The difference is that while transgender males identify with the male gender
identity, transsexual males may intend to undergo physical changes to align their body
with their gender identity. A transgender male is someone whose gender identity is male,
but who does not necessarily change himself physically. ... The term "trans man" is used
as a short form for either identity (transsexual man and transgender man). Trans men may
identify as transsexual, as transgender, neither, or both. "Transgender man" is an
umbrella term that may include anybody who was assigned the female sex at birth but
identifies as male.)

31. … do those terms reflect a careful understanding of LGBTQ communities?
150 Bisexuals |x Relations with heterosexuals
450 Bisexual-heterosexual relations
450 Bisexual-straight relations
450 Heterosexual-bisexual relations
450 Heterosexuals |x Relations with bisexuals
450 Straight-bisexual relations
670 Work cat.: A straight guide to GLBT Americans, 200- : |b t.p. verso ("resource ...
helps you build bridges of understanding with the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender
people in your life") p. 12 ("being ever more supportive of your gay, lesbian, bisexual or
transgender friends, loved ones or acquaintances") p. 3 of cover (guide written to help
straight people feel comfortable)
670 Google search, Mar. 3, 2009 |b (straight/bisexual relations; straight/bisexual
relationships; gay/straight/bi relations; straight/bi relationships; straight-
gay/straight-bi relationships; gay/straight/bi relationships; bi/straight relationships;
bi-straight relationships; bisexual-heterosexual relationships)

32. Are the authorized terms used to catalog LGBTQ-
related materials accurate, current, and robust
enough for users to locate them?

33. “Transsexuals”
150 Transsexuals
450 Transexuals
450 Transsexual people
450 Transsexualism $x Patients
550 Transgender people $w g
670 American Heritage dict. $b (transsexual: 1. One who wishes to be considered by
society as a member of the opposite sex. 2. One who has undergone a sex change.)
670 Random House dict. $b (transsexual: 1. a person having a strong desire to assume
the physical characteristics and gender role of the opposite sex. 2. a person who has
undergone hormone treatment and surgery to attain the physical characteristics of the
opposite sex.)
680 $i Here are entered works on individuals whose gender identity does not match their
physical sexual characteristics, and who usually undergo an anatomical sex change.

34. Are the authorized terms used to catalog LGBTQ-related materials accurate,
current, and robust enough for users to locate them?
Sexual reorientation programs
Gender identity disorder
Sexual minorities

35. “Sexual reorientation programs”
>150 Sexual reorientation programs
>670 Wikipedia, May 31, 2006 $b ("Reparative therapy (also known as "conversion",
"reorientation" or "differentiation" therapy), refers to any of several techniques that
are aimed at changing a person's sexual orientation from homosexuality to heterosexuality
(or ex-gay). Their claims of efficacy have been refuted, and almost all professionals warn
that such attempts are psychologically harmful and the therapy has been condemned
unanimously by all mainstream health and mental health organizations. Advocates claim that
sexual orientation is changeable and that homosexuality is itself either a psychological
disorder, a sin, a tendency toward immoral and harmful behaviours (to oneself and others),
or make several of these assertions ... The language used to describe reparative therapies
is itself contentious. Opponents prefer to use the term 'conversion therapy'.")

36. “Gender identity disorders”
150 Gender identity disorders
450 Dysphoria, Gender
450 Gender dysphoria
550 Psychosexual disorders
>670 Wikipedia, December 20, 2015 $b (“Gender dysphoria or gender identity disorder (GID) is the formal diagnosis used
by psychologists and physicians to describe people who experience significant dysphoria (distress) with the sex and gender
they were assigned at birth... GID is classified as a medical disorder by the ICD-10 CM and DSM-5 (called gender
dysphoria). Many transgender people and researchers support declassification of GID because they say the diagnosis
pathologizes gender variance, reinforces the binary model of gender, and can result in stigmatization of transgender
individuals.”)

37. “Sexual minorities”
150 Sexual minorities
450 Gender minorities
450 GLBT people
450 GLBTQ people
450 LBG people
450 LGBT people
450 Lesbigay people
450 LGBTQ people
450 Non-heterosexual people
450 Non-heterosexuals
450 Sexual dissidents
550 Minorities $w g
“Sexual minorities” = “I can’t even anymore with all of those other orientations!!”

38. “Sexual minorities”
670 WordIQ.com, Sept. 20, 2004 $b ("Sexual minorities defined by sexual orientation and
gender identity -- gay/lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered people ..."; "LGBT (or GLBT)
is an acronym used as a collective term to refer to lesbians, gays, bixexuals, and
transgender people LGB")
670 Eaton, L.E. Constructing rainbow classrooms : non-heterosexual students' journey
toward safer schools, 2005: $b p. 17 (The term "non-heterosexual" is used in this study to
denote all students who describe their sexuality as different, although they may not
necessarily identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer. In some cases,
students choose to use the "Q" in LGBTQ to mean that they are questioning their sexuality
and do not identify with any one particular category) p. 18 (LGBT youth) p. 23 (non-
heterosexuals)

39. “Sexual minorities”
Asian American sexual minorities
Children of sexual minority parents
Christian sexual minorities
Indian sexual minorities
Jewish sexual minorities
Libraries and sexual minorities
Middle-aged sexual minorities
Older sexual minorities
Pacific Islander American sexual minorities
Police services for sexual minorities
Sexual minorities
Sexual minorities in advertising
Sexual minorities in art
Sexual minorities in higher education
Sexual minorities in literature
Sexual minorities in mass media
Sexual minorities in motion pictures
Sexual minority business enterprises
Sexual minority college athletes
Sexual minority college students
Sexual minority community
Sexual minority consumers
Sexual minority legislators
Sexual minority men
Sexual minority parents
Sexual minority parents
Sexual minority politicians
Sexual minority public officers
Sexual minority students
Sexual minority women
Sexual minority youth
Sexual minority youth in mass media
Social work with sexual minorities
Unitarian Universalist sexual minorities
Web sites for sexual minorities

40. What changes or recommendations should be
made to LCSH and its controlled vocabularies to
improve access to LGBTQ materials?

41. Literary warrant
The Royal School of Library and Information Science in
Denmark:
“In LIS, the term literary warrant means that that an
indexer or classifier has to provide adequate ground for
the indexing, classifying (as well as the definition of
indexing terms and classes in classification systems) in
the literature. Warrant is also the justification for the
inclusion of a term or a class in a controlled vocabulary
as well as its definition and relations to other terms.”

42. Get it straight!
The “Gays” subject heading is unclear. We need a clear
distinction between “Gay men” and “Lesbians.”
Weed out terms that are either stigmatizing or outdated.
Enlist the help of LGBTQ community members in writing scope
and usage notes, adding 450 and 550 headings, and updating
obsolete language.

43. Potential new subject headings
Libraries and gay teenagers
African American gay teenagers
Asian American gay teenagers
Otters (Gay culture)
African American gay men--Abuse of
African American lesbian teenagers
Asian American lesbian teenagers
Lesbians, White
Lesbians--Mental health
Mass media and lesbians
Muslim lesbians
Asian American transgender people
Rural transgender people
Mass media and transgender people
Transgender people--Religious aspects
Abused transgender people
Aged transgender people
Transgender students
Asian American transsexuals
Rural transsexuals
Mass media and transsexuals
Abused transsexual people
Aged transsexuals

44. Sexual minority community → Queer community
150 Sexual minority community
450 Queer community
550 Communities $w g
670 Bailey, M.M. The labor of diaspora : ballroom culture and the making of a Black
queer community, 2005: $b abstr. (the creation of a Black queer community) leaf 1 (an
ethnographic study of ... an alternative Black and Latina/o queer community in the U.S.)
leaf 6 (the memories and experiences of the members of the Ballroom scene in particular,
and the larger Black queer community in general) leaf 20 (studies of Black queer
communities in the U.S. and throughout the Black world)
670 Jones, J.A. Hidden histories, proud communities, 2001: $b abstr. (For this study,
these Kentucky lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgendered individuals, queer-associated
heterosexuals, and other sexual variants are listed together under the controversial but
useful label of queer. This study examines how queers developed communities around
particular spaces in Lexington, Kentucky, over a seven-decade period; this study
emphasizes a multitude of queer communities in Lexington; Lexington's queer communities)

45. Bibliography
Adler, M. (2012). For sexual perversion see paraphilias: Disciplining sexual deviance at the Library of Congress (PhD
thesis). Retrieved from http://depot.library.wisc.edu/repository/fedora/1711.dl:2PQLILKWLIYXD8A/datastreams/REF/content
Berman, S. (1993). Prejudices and antipathies: A tract on the LC subject heads concerning people. Jefferson, NC: McFarland
& Company.
Committee on Professional Ethics. (2008). Code of ethics of the American Library Association. Retrieved from
http://www.ala.org/advocacy/proethics/codeofethics/codeethics
Crowley, G. (2009). LGBTQ subject headings. Retrieved from http://guides.library.yale.edu/c.php?g=295883&p=1972812
Idaho Commission for Libraries. (2002). What is the purpose of cataloging library materials? Retrieved from
http://lili.org/forlibs/ce/able/course5/08purpose.htm
Killermann, S. (2013). Comprehensive list of LGBTQ term definitions. Retrieved from
http://itspronouncedmetrosexual.com/2013/01/a-comprehensive-list-of-lgbtq-term-definitions/
Math, S., & Seshadri, S. (2013). The invisible ones: Sexual minorities. Retrieved from
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3657897/