Sahl, Ted

Biographical History

Theodore (Ted) Sahl is an award winning photographer in San José, California. Sahl has spent the last 30 years as a photojournalist, documenting social and political events in the Bay Area. Although best known for his involvement with the gay and lesbian community (GLBT), he also covered the anti-nuclear demonstrations at the Lawrence Livermore Radiation Laboratory, and the Farm Labor Strikes that occurred during the 1970's.

Sahl's long time association with the GLBT community began in 1978 after a bitter dispute took place between the gay community and members of the Christian right. Local Christian groups were upset over the San José City Council's decision to issue a proclamation in support of Gay Pride Week. While the Christian groups mobilized against the City Council, the gay community held a rally in support of Gay Pride Week. Intrigued by the grassroots activism and interested in recording the event, Sahl attended the protest and thereby launched a life long career documenting the GLBT community.

Initially, the GLBT community distrusted Sahl's motives as a heterosexual outsider. At that time, many individuals in the gay community were still "closeted" and did not wish to be photographed. Over the next three decades however, Sahl gained the trust of the GLBT community and today is widely recognized for his work as a photojournalist and as an outspoken advocate for gay rights.

Sahl served as the staff photographer for a number of local GLBT newspapers including the Lambda News, South Bay Times, Our Paper and Valley Views. His photographs have appeared in a number of works, including a 1999 San José Mercury News documentary on the city's lesbian and gay community, entitled "A Community of One." In 1981, the San Francisco Cable Car Award Association nominated Sahl for an award in photojournalism. He was also the recipient of an honorable mention in Advocate magazine's National Photo Contest in the "People" category and has the distinction of being the only heterosexual to ever become the President of the Board of the San José Gay Pride Celebration Committee.

From the guide to the Ted Sahl Collection, 1976-2001, (San José State University Library Special Collections & Archives)