3.4 - Gay rights

Question 1

How far had gay rights been won by 1973?

Answer 1

· In 1973, homosexuals often suffered employment discrimination, public hostility, and humiliation
· Homosexuality was considered a mental illness that could be cured
· The authorities harassed bars and restaurants without served homosexual customers
· However the Stonewall riots generated growing gay pride and political militancy in the 1970s
For example the New York gay Liberation Front established in 1970 urged gays to ‘come out’ proudly with some doing so and gay rights obtained several victories between 1973-80

Question 2

What were the main victories for the gay rights movement between 1973 and 1980?

Answer 2

Public attitudes were changing and progress was made in noted sentence of gay life:
· San Francisco passed and ordinance banning employment discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation in 1972 with New York City following in 1979
· In 1973 the NOW finally endorsed gay rights
· In 1974 the American Psychiatric Association removed homosexuality from its list of psychological disorders
· In 1978 Californian voters resoundingly defeated proposition 6 which would have rescinded a 1975 law that protected homosexual teachers from discrimination and given school district authority to fire gay teachers who publicly endorsed homosexuality
In 1980 the Democratic Party platform supported equality for all regardless of sexual orientation

Question 3

By 1980, how far had the situation improved for gay Americans?

Answer 3

· However there were also setbacks in a decade that saw the rise of the religious right and a conservative backlash
· 1977-8, Baptist ministers Jerry falwell and Tim la Haye gained national attention in a successful battle against a Miami pro gay rights ordinance
· That Miami defeat generated greater assertiveness among gay rights activists in major cities most famously in San Francisco
· San Francisco’s Castro area was becoming a totally homosexual community with bars, restaurants, political organisations and the public celebrations for gay men and lesbian women

· Overall though progress remained relatively slow 
· In 1980 millions of homosexuals remained in the closet fearing ridicule, harassment, job loss and losing custody of their children
· Politicians remained fearful of promoting gay rides and homosexuals were portrayed on sympathetically in the media
· there were public debates over whether they were fit to be teachers or hold positions of responsibility Homosexual activity remained illegal although rarely prosecuted in many states

Question 4

Annual protest marches

Answer 4

• 1970, first ‘gay liberation’ march in New York, on the anniversary of the Stonewall riots. The march had thousands of participants with organizers “who said variously 3,000 and 5,000 and even 20,000.”
  These became annual
• The next year, Gay Pride marches took place in Boston, Dallas, Milwaukee. By 1972 the participating cities included Atlanta, Buffalo, Detroit, Washington D.C., Miami, and Philadelphia, as well as San Francisco.
  Note – the term ‘gay pride’ not used until 1980s, early 1990s

Question 5

Backlash from christian fundamentalists: rise of religious right

Answer 5

• Dade County, Florida, passed a county ordinance (law) that banned discrimination in areas of housing, employment, and public accommodation based on sexual orientation.
• In 1977, singer and conservative Southern Baptist Anita Bryant led a campaign with the “Save Our Children” Crusade to repeal it. She claimed it discriminated against her right to teach her children biblical morality.
• It was a well-organized campaign that initiated a bitter political fight between unprepared gay activists and highly motivated Christian fundamentalists. When the repeal of the ordinance went to a vote, it attracted the largest response of any special election in Dade County’s history, passing by 70%.
  The gay rights ordinance was not reinstated in Dade County until 1998

Question 5

Other 70s successes

Answer 5

• December 1973 - The board of the American Psychiatric Association votes to remove homosexuality from its list of mental illnesses
• January 1974 - Kathy Kozachenko becomes the first (female) openly gay American elected to public office when she wins a seat on the Ann Arbor, Michigan City Council.
• October 14, 1979 - An estimated 75,000 people participate in the National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights. LGBT people and straight allies demand equal civil rights and urge for the passage of protective civil rights legislature.
  July 8, 1980 - The Democratic Rules Committee states that it will not discriminate against homosexuals. At their National Convention on August 11-14, the Democrats become the first major political party to endorse a homosexual rights platform.

Question 6

Harvey Milk

Answer 6

• First openly gay governor of California
• He was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977, marking a significant milestone in the LGBTQ+ rights movement. Milk used his platform to advocate for gay rights, anti-discrimination laws, and broader civil liberties.
• His election symbolized progress during a time of widespread homophobia and discrimination. He was a charismatic and effective leader who helped mobilize the LGBTQ+ community politically.
• Tragically, Milk was assassinated in 1978 by a former colleague, Dan White, along with San Francisco Mayor George Moscone.
• White’s lenient sentence for the killings sparked national outrage and led to the “White Night Riots” in San Francisco.