A PIONEERING PIECE OF CIVIL RIGHTS LEGISLATION FOR THE NEW YORK'S GAY AND LESBIAN COMMUNITY
Moderated by Stephen Petrus, Curator of the Digital Exhibit on the 1986 Gay Rights Bill
Featuring Allen Roskoff, Eldon Clingan, and others
Initially proposed in 1971, the Gay Rights Bill in New York City was the first of its kind in the nation, meant to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in housing, employment, and public accommodations. After fifteen years of grassroots activism and strident opposition, the bill, known as local law Intro. 2, passed in City Council in 1986 by a vote of 21 to 14, making New York the 51st city in the country to pass such a measure. What took so long? Join us as we revisit the heated debates about gay and lesbian rights during the mayoralties of John Lindsay, Abraham Beame, and Ed Koch. Panelists will discuss the roles of advocates like the Gay Activists Alliance and opponents including the Catholic Church, the Police Department, and the Fire Department.
Participation in this event is made possible by the generous funding from the New York City Council LGBTQIA Caucus and the Office of the Mayor, and is supported by the LaGuardia and Wagner Archives and LGBTQIAA+ Programs at Queens College.
More