Arnie Kantrowitz
Arnold Kantrowitz, pioneering and beloved gay activist and writer, passed away peacefully on 1/21/22, at the Upper East Side Rehabilitation Center in New York City, where he was being treated for complications of COVID. He was the author of a gay classic, Under The Rainbow, which famously described the first Christopher Street Gay Liberation Day Parade in New York City in 1969. Together with his closest friend, leading gay activist Vito Russo, he was a co-founder of Gay Activists Alliance, and later of GLAAD. He established a pioneering Gay Studies course at the College of Staten Island, where he served as chairperson and professor of the Department of English. He wrote often about his own beloved hero, the poet Walt Whitman. He was a true sage and champion whose loss will be mourned by his his family and by the many students, colleagues and friends whose lives he so deeply touched. He is survived by his life partner, Larry Mass, and his brother, Barry Kantrowitz.
AP News 4/13/22
Gay USA January 26, 2022 from Manhattan Neighborhood Network on Vimeo.
"When I see young men and old women come out of the closet and face being called faggots and dykes and pariahs and betrayers of the family dream, then I am honored to be gay because I belong to a people who are proud." ~ Arnie Kantrowitz
Extended Bio
Arnie Kantrowitz, a prominent figure in the gay rights movement, was born on November 26, 1940, in Newark. He was a literature professor, author, and a pioneer of gay liberation. Kantrowitz graduated from Rutgers University-Newark with a bachelor’s degree in 1961 and later earned a master’s degree in English literature from New York University in 1963. He began his teaching career at the State University of New York at Cortland before teaching at the City University’s College of Staten Island until his retirement in 2006. Kantrowitz was known for introducing one of the earliest gay studies courses and was named chairman of the English department in 1999.
Throughout his life, Arnie Kantrowitz played a significant role in advocating for gay rights. He became the vice president of the Gay Activists Alliance in 1970 and was a founding member of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) in 1985. His memoir, “Under the Rainbow: Growing Up Gay” (1977), shed light on the challenges faced by him and his contemporaries in the 1950s and '60s. Kantrowitz also chronicled historical events within the gay rights movement, including the first Christopher Street Gay Liberation Day Parade in New York City in 1970.
Arnie Kantrowitz passed away on January 21, 2022, at the age of 81 due to complications of Covid-19. He left behind a legacy as a true champion and sage within the gay rights movement. Survived by his brother Barry and his life partner Dr. Lawrence D. Mass, Kantrowitz's contributions to advancing LGBTQ+ rights and his dedication to creating a more inclusive society continue to inspire many.
Sources:
[1] https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/03/us/arnie-kantrowitz-dead.html
[2] https://archives.nypl.org/mss/1616
[3] https://gaycitynews.com/arnie-kantrowitz-gay-pioneer-author-professor-and-lover-dies-at-81
[4] https://www.nypl.org/sites/default/files/archivalcollections/pdf/kantrowi.pdf
[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnie_Kantrowitz
[6] https://www.perplexity.ai/search/write-a-bio-JY6YNOoxTKWUB7MilN_3Fg