1 September 2025

This Month in Queer Religious History*

The Founding of DignityUSA (September 1969)

In early 1969, a year that would see the Stonewall uprising in New York City galvanize the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement, an Augustinian priest in San Diego was quietly planting seeds for what would become one of the most enduring and significant organizations in queer religious history. Father Patrick Nidorf [1932-2023] founded Dignity in early 1969 in San Diego, California, first as a counseling group, then as a support group, making it a “pre-Stonewall” LGBTQ organization that is still in existence.

One of the earliest meetings of the group took place in September of 1970 at Saint Brendan’s Parish in Los Angeles.

Pat Nidorf (Courtesy of Pat McArron) in National Catholic Reporter [11 Apr 2023]

Father Nidorf, OSA, an Augustinian priest and psychologist, felt that the pastoral needs of his city’s gay Catholic community were being ignored. As he later stated, “The Catholic gay people whom I had met were frequently bothered by ethical problems and identity with the church. It seemed obvious that the church wasn’t meeting the needs of the gay community.” [DignityUSA website]

This recognition of unmet spiritual needs drove him to create what would become the world’s oldest Catholic organization for LGBTQIA+ ministry and advocacy.

The first chapter of Dignity was formed in 1970 in Los Angeles, and it was there that the organization began to take its more formal shape. Although located in Los Angeles, Dignity from the very beginning attracted members-at-large from around the country who joined in response to ads.

Father Pat asked Bob Fourier to draft a Constitution for Dignity, including the organization’s groundbreaking Statement of Position and Purpose that included this bold statement: “We believe that homosexuality is a natural variation on the use of sex. It implies no sickness or immorality. Those with such sexual orientation have a natural right to use their power of sex in a way that is both responsible and fulfilling… and should use it with a sense of pride.” [Dignity Houston website]

This statement was radical for its time, and it directly challenged the Catholic Church’s official teachings while affirming the inherent dignity and spiritual worth of LGBTQ+ Catholics.

DignityUSA’s significance in queer religious history has been profound. It emerged during a period when homosexuality was still classified as a mental illness, when most religious institutions offered only condemnation or “cure,” and when LGBTQ+ people faced systematic exclusion from faith communities.

Dignity provided a revolutionary alternative: a space where gay and lesbian Catholics could maintain their faith while affirming their sexual orientation and gender identity.

The organization’s impact extended far beyond its Catholic roots. It became a model for LGBTQ+ religious organizing across denominations and helped establish the theological foundation for affirming religious communities. By insisting that LGBTQ+ people deserved full inclusion in religious life rather than merely tolerance, Dignity helped shift the conversation from pathology to dignity, from shame to celebration.

The organization became lay-led when a bishop ordered Father Pat to stop his ministry just two years after founding, yet this transition only strengthened its grassroots character and independence. DignityUSA spread quickly around the US and by 1973 had become a formal national organization.

Today, DignityUSA continues its pioneering work, supporting LGBTQIA+ Catholics and allies, fostering spiritual integration for full societal participation, and maintaining its commitment to anti-racism work. The organization stands as a testament to the power of faith-based activism and the persistent courage of LGBTQ+ people who refused to choose between their spirituality and their authentic selves.

The founding of DignityUSA in 1969 represents a pivotal moment when the walls between sacred and secular LGBTQ+ organizing began to crumble, paving the way for the vibrant, diverse landscape of queer religious life we see today.

Pat Nidorf’s vision of a church that truly welcomes all continues to inspire activists, theologians, and people of faith around the world.

Dignity USA Logo

SOURCES

This Month in Queer Religious History

*Each month during 2025-2026, our 25th anniversary year, CLGS is honoring an individual, event, or movement of consequence in queer religious history. Although we will be able to highlight only a very few of those individuals and movements that have contributed to the thriving of LGBTQ+ persons and communities throughout history, we are eager to share with you the stories of some of the people and movements that have created positive change for LGBTQ+ people, our families, and our communities.