A new book, The Queer Side of Ridgefield: LGBTQIA+ Experiences of Ridgefield, Connecticut, has been published to share and preserve the stories of LGBTQIA+ people connected to Ridgefield.
Edited by nationally recognized LGBTQIA+ historian Susan Ferentinos, PhD, the book grew out of the Ridgefield LGBTQIA+ Oral History Project, a national award winning (2026 AASLH Award of Excellence) collaborative initiative of the Ridgefield Historical Society, Ridgefield Pride, and the Ridgefield High School Gender and Sexuality Alliance, with support from CT Humanities. Together, the three project partners worked to document, preserve, and share the experiences of LGBTQIA+ Ridgefielders, ensuring that these voices are represented in the town’s historical record.
Through the project, Ridgefield High School student volunteers were trained in oral history practice and LGBTQIA+ history by Dr. Ferentinos, project advisor. The students then conducted interviews with LGBTQIA+ Ridgefielders, listening as community members shared stories of identity, family, friendship, love, prejudice, perseverance, loss, joy, and belonging. Dr. Robin R. Collins, founder of the Literacy Barn in Ridgefield and project manager, facilitated preparation and debrief meetings with the students. The resulting book presents highlights from those oral histories, offering a moving glimpse into the richness of queer experience in Ridgefield and the ways individual lives intersect with larger historical events.
“For too long, the stories of Ridgefield’s LGBTQIA+ community were largely absent from the historical record,” said Stephen Bartkus, Executive Director of the Ridgefield Historical Society and Project Director of the Ridgefield LGBTQIA+ Oral History Project. “This book helps correct that absence. It affirms that LGBTQIA+ people have always been part of Ridgefield’s history, and that their voices belong at the heart of our community’s shared memory.”
“This project is a powerful reminder that visibility matters,” said Alisa Trachtenberg, Founder of Ridgefield Pride. “By sharing these stories, we are honoring the lives, courage, and contributions of LGBTQIA+ Ridgefielders. We hope this book helps people feel seen, valued, and more deeply connected to our community.”
“For our students, this project was a meaningful opportunity to listen, learn, and build connections across generations,” said Julie Henderson, Ridgefield High School Educator and GSA Advisor. “They approached these interviews with care, respect, and maturity, and helped ensure that these important stories will be preserved for the future.”
The publication reflects the shared commitment of the Ridgefield Historical Society, Ridgefield Pride, and the Ridgefield High School Gender and Sexuality Alliance to fostering understanding, preserving underrepresented histories, and creating opportunities for meaningful intergenerational conversation.
The book includes excerpts of oral histories from thirty-three Ridgefield community members whose memories span much of the twentieth century and into the twenty-first. Together, their stories speak to identity and belonging, visibility and silence, prejudice and perseverance, friendship and family, and the power of community.
In addition to the publication, the full interview videos and transcripts have been preserved and made accessible through the Ridgefield Historical Society’s online archive and the Connecticut Digital Archive, ensuring that the stories remain available to researchers, students, families, and the broader public.
To learn more about the Ridgefield LGBTQIA+ Oral History Project, read the book online, sign up to be notified when print copies of the book will be available, and watch the full interviews, visit www.ridgefieldhistoricalsociety.org/collections/oral-history-project.
About the Project Partners
The Ridgefield Historical Society preserves, interprets, and fosters public knowledge of Ridgefield’s historical, cultural, and architectural heritage. www.ridgefieldhistoricalsociety.org
Ridgefield Pride celebrates Ridgefield’s LGBTQIA+ community, promotes awareness, understanding, acceptance, and belonging, and provides support for LGBTQIA+ individuals and their friends and family. www.ridgefieldpride.org
The Ridgefield High School Gender and Sexuality Alliance provides a space for students to support one another, promote inclusion, and help foster understanding and respect within the school and broader community.
