Gay Officers Action League t-shirt

This navy blue “Gay Officers Action League” t-shirt was donated by William Shepard, executive director of the organization. The Gay Officers Action League (GOAL) was founded in April 1982 by Sergeant Charles Cochrane, who became the NYPD’s first openly gay officer after testifying in front of the New York City Council in support of a proposed Gay Rights Bill. According to Cochrane, some of the NYPD higher ups supported GOAL from the start, but the group faced resistance from other police social organizations and was initially excluded from attending intergroup meetings.

Despite these challenges, membership grew. GOAL made this t-shirt design in the 1980s to raise funds for publication of its newsletter and development of a multicultural educational curriculum for the NYPD. The t-shirt was available for purchase by officers who had been members of GOAL for at least six months.

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