Eighteen Years the Makg: Connecticut’s 1991 Gay Rights Law - Connecticut History | a CTHumani Project

Contents:

• GAY & LBIAN VICTORY FUND FOUND TO BUILD LGBTQ+ POLIL POWERFOUNRS OF GAY & LBIAN VICTORY FUNDIN 1990, DIANE ABBT HAD ENOUGH. ALL AROUND HER SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, MEN WERE DYG OF AIDS WHILE POLICIANS KEPT SILENT.SHE GOT UP AT A FUNDRAISER AT DR. STT HT’S HOE THE HOLLYWOOD HILLS AND ANGRILY CLARED THAT SHE WOULD NO LONGER GIVE A CHECK TO ANY NDIDATE WHO DID NOT SAY THE WORDS “GAY AND LBIAN.” ABBT—THE RPECTED FIRST FEMALE -CHAIR OF MECLA—WAS REFERRG TO FORMER SAN FRANCIS MAYOR DIANNE FESTE, WHO TRIED TO KILL AN AIDS-RELATED DG BILL AND WAS NNG FOR CALIFORNIA ERNOR AGAST SAN DIEGO REPUBLIN SENATOR PETE WILSON. HER WORDS HAD A RIPPLE EFFECT WH SOME CHECKBOOK ACTIVISTS VOTG FOR WILSON, WHO HAD PROMISED LOG CAB REPUBLIN CLUB FOUNR FRANK RICCHIAZZI THAT HE WOULD SIGN THE PERENNIAL GAY CIVIL RIGHTS BILL. WILSON WON BY JT OVER 3 PERCENT OF THE VOTE. IN 1991, WILSON VETOED THAT BILL, AB 101, PROMPTG MASSIVE PROTTS FOR TWO WEEKS. FESTE WON WILSON’S OLD SENATE SEAT 1992 AND LATER BEME A STNCH ADVOTE FOR MARRIAGE EQUALY. BUT LGBTQ+ POLIL POWER WAS STRENGTHENG.VIC BASILE WAS A PROMENT GAY RIGHTS ACTIVIST WASHGTON, DC, WHO WAS THE FIRST EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN FUND (HRCF) BEFORE DOG VELOPMENT WORK FOR EMILY’S LIST FOUNR ELLEN MALLM AND LEARNG HOW A “BUNDLG” POLIL ACTN MTEE (PAC) WORKED. “IT SOON BEME APPARENT TO ME THAT THE NCEPT WAS ‘PORTABLE,’” BASILE RELLS, “THAT IS, ULD WORK FOR JT ABOUT ANY WELL-FED NSTUENCY.”INSPIRED BY THE SUCCS OF EMILY’S LIST AND TEXAS GOVERNOR ANN RICHARD’S SUCCSFUL MPAIGN, VIC BASILE AND WILLIAM WAYBOURN DREAMED OF CREATG A PAC THAT WOULD PRRIZE GAY AND LBIAN POLIL NDIDAT AND GROW LGBTQ+ POLIL POWER AT A TIME WHEN SOME POLICIANS STILL RETURNED CHECKS OM GAY ANIZATNS. WAYBOURN RALLIED SUPPORT AROUND TEXAS WHILE BASILE NTACTED HIS WORK WASHGTON, DC, WHO “LOVED” THE IA. DAVID MIXNER GOT MEMBERS OF ANGLE (ACCS NOW FOR GAY AND LBIAN EQUALY) VOLVED, CLUDG ABBT, ROBERTA BENT, AND HT. BASILE ALSO ROUND UP HRCF DONORS, CLUDG MALLM, RANDY KLOSE, TERRY BEAN, HILARY ROSEN, LYNN GREER, JOY TOMCH, HOWARD MENAKER, TIM MCFEELEY, JIM HORMEL, AND OTHERS WHO BEME EARLY DONORS AND BOARD MEMBERS OF THE GAY & LBIAN VICTORY FUND.LGBTQ+ VICTORY FUND -FOUNRS VIC BASILE (LEFT) AND WILLIAM WAYBOURN (RIGHT) AT THE OFFICE. WAYBOURN SERVED AS S FIRST EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.REFERRG TO BUNDLG – THE PRACTICE OF ENURAGG AN ANIZATN’S DONORS TO ALSO GIVE DIRECTLY TO A NDIDATE AS A MEANS OF MULTIPLYG THE IMPACT OF AN ENDORSEMENT – WHEN VIC BASILE RAISED THIS “ALTERNATIVE WAY” TO SUPPORT GAY NDIDAT, ROSEN SAYS, THE FOUNRS REALIZED LGBTQ+ VICTORY FUND NEED TO BE A SEPARATE ANIZATN, NOT A DIVISN OF HRCF, WHICH HAD BEEN DISCSED. THAT ENABLED GAY POLIS TO “DO MORE WORK AND VTMENT AT THE MORE LOL ELECTORAL LEVEL, WHICH WE KNEW WOULD BE NECSARY TO GROW THE NEXT LEVEL OF FERAL OFFICIALS.” THE STATE AND LOL OFFICIALS WOULD BE A PIPELE FOR FUTURE LEARSHIP ROL AND ALSO ALLOW LOL MUNI NNECTED TO LOL OFFICIALS TO FEEL EMPOWERED.IN MAY 1991, ABOUT A DOZEN PROMENT LGBTQ+ LEARS GATHERED A MARRTT HOTEL NFERENCE ROOM VIRGIA AND DISCSED ANIZATNAL PLANS ON HOW TO ELECT OUT LGBTQ+ NDIDAT. IT WOULD NOT BE AN EASY TASK: THEIR IEND HARVEY MILK HAD BEEN ASSASSATED; ELAE NOBLE NEED THE PROTECTN OF STATE TROOPERS DURG HER MPAIGN; OTHERS AMONG THE MORE THAN FORTY OUT LGBTQ+ ELECTED AND APPOTED OFFICIALS AMERI HAD ALSO ENDURED IGHTENG ORALS. WH EMILY’S LIST AS A MOL, THE GROUP LNCHED THE GAY & LBIAN VICTORY FUND WH MIXNER AND LYNN GREER AS BOARD -CHAIRS, WAYBOURN AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AND BASILE, WHO HAD ALREADY DONE A LOT OF LEGWORK WH AN ANIZATNAL PLAN AND BUDGET, AS ADVISOR AND FUNDRAISER. THE RT IS HISTORY. AN EARLY LGBTQ+ VICTORY FUND FUNDRAISG PAMPHLET FEATUR SHERRY HARRIS, LGBTQ+ VICTORY FUND'S FIRST ENDORSED NDIDATE.LGBTQ+ VICTORY FUND'S FIRST CANDIDATE MAK HISTORY AS FIRST BLACK LBIAN ELECTED THE U.S. SHERRY HARRISTHE NEWLY FOUND GAY & LBIAN VICTORY FUND CHOSE SHERRY HARRIS, AN AIN-AMERIN LBIAN WH AN MBA, AS THEIR FIRST NDIDATE. SHE WAS NNG FOR CY UNCIL SEATTLE, WASHGTON. “OUR FIRST FUNDRAISER WAS DALLAS, AND I WONRED WHAT WOULD HAPPEN WHEN I ASKED ALL MY IENDS TO NTRIBUTE TO A NEW ANIZATN SUPPORTG A BLACK LBIAN NNG FOR OFFICE WASHGTON STATE,” SAYS WILLIAM WAYBOURN. “SO I RECED MASSACHETTS CONGRSMAN BARNEY FRANK AND FORMER NAVAL MIDSHIPMAN JOE STEFFAN TO E AND HELP DRAW A CROWD. WE RAISED A LOT OF MONEY FOR THE NASCENT ANIZATN, AS WELL AS FOR SHERRY. THE EARLY VICTORI OF BOTH SHERRY’S RACE AND GAIL SHIBLEY’S RACE OREGON THE NEXT YEAR UNRSRED FOR ME THAT WE WERE ON TO SOMETHG, AND THE VICTORY FUND WOULD OCCUPY AN IMPORTANT PLACE OUR MOVEMENT.”IN NOVEMBER 1991, HARRIS FEATED A 26-YEAR CUMBENT, BEG THE NATN’S FIRST BLACK OUT LBIAN ELECTED OFFICIAL. SHERRY HARRIS AT SEATTLE PRIGAIL SHIBLEY, KATE BROWN APPOTED TO OREGON HOE
• GAY RIGHTS

GAY & LBIAN VICTORY FUND FOUND TO BUILD LGBTQ+ POLIL POWERFOUNRS OF GAY & LBIAN VICTORY FUNDIN 1990, DIANE ABBT HAD ENOUGH. ALL AROUND HER SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, MEN WERE DYG OF AIDS WHILE POLICIANS KEPT SILENT.SHE GOT UP AT A FUNDRAISER AT DR. STT HT’S HOE THE HOLLYWOOD HILLS AND ANGRILY CLARED THAT SHE WOULD NO LONGER GIVE A CHECK TO ANY NDIDATE WHO DID NOT SAY THE WORDS “GAY AND LBIAN.” ABBT—THE RPECTED FIRST FEMALE -CHAIR OF MECLA—WAS REFERRG TO FORMER SAN FRANCIS MAYOR DIANNE FESTE, WHO TRIED TO KILL AN AIDS-RELATED DG BILL AND WAS NNG FOR CALIFORNIA ERNOR AGAST SAN DIEGO REPUBLIN SENATOR PETE WILSON. HER WORDS HAD A RIPPLE EFFECT WH SOME CHECKBOOK ACTIVISTS VOTG FOR WILSON, WHO HAD PROMISED LOG CAB REPUBLIN CLUB FOUNR FRANK RICCHIAZZI THAT HE WOULD SIGN THE PERENNIAL GAY CIVIL RIGHTS BILL. WILSON WON BY JT OVER 3 PERCENT OF THE VOTE. IN 1991, WILSON VETOED THAT BILL, AB 101, PROMPTG MASSIVE PROTTS FOR TWO WEEKS. FESTE WON WILSON’S OLD SENATE SEAT 1992 AND LATER BEME A STNCH ADVOTE FOR MARRIAGE EQUALY. BUT LGBTQ+ POLIL POWER WAS STRENGTHENG.VIC BASILE WAS A PROMENT GAY RIGHTS ACTIVIST WASHGTON, DC, WHO WAS THE FIRST EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN FUND (HRCF) BEFORE DOG VELOPMENT WORK FOR EMILY’S LIST FOUNR ELLEN MALLM AND LEARNG HOW A “BUNDLG” POLIL ACTN MTEE (PAC) WORKED. “IT SOON BEME APPARENT TO ME THAT THE NCEPT WAS ‘PORTABLE,’” BASILE RELLS, “THAT IS, ULD WORK FOR JT ABOUT ANY WELL-FED NSTUENCY.”INSPIRED BY THE SUCCS OF EMILY’S LIST AND TEXAS GOVERNOR ANN RICHARD’S SUCCSFUL MPAIGN, VIC BASILE AND WILLIAM WAYBOURN DREAMED OF CREATG A PAC THAT WOULD PRRIZE GAY AND LBIAN POLIL NDIDAT AND GROW LGBTQ+ POLIL POWER AT A TIME WHEN SOME POLICIANS STILL RETURNED CHECKS OM GAY ANIZATNS. WAYBOURN RALLIED SUPPORT AROUND TEXAS WHILE BASILE NTACTED HIS WORK WASHGTON, DC, WHO “LOVED” THE IA. DAVID MIXNER GOT MEMBERS OF ANGLE (ACCS NOW FOR GAY AND LBIAN EQUALY) VOLVED, CLUDG ABBT, ROBERTA BENT, AND HT. BASILE ALSO ROUND UP HRCF DONORS, CLUDG MALLM, RANDY KLOSE, TERRY BEAN, HILARY ROSEN, LYNN GREER, JOY TOMCH, HOWARD MENAKER, TIM MCFEELEY, JIM HORMEL, AND OTHERS WHO BEME EARLY DONORS AND BOARD MEMBERS OF THE GAY & LBIAN VICTORY FUND.LGBTQ+ VICTORY FUND -FOUNRS VIC BASILE (LEFT) AND WILLIAM WAYBOURN (RIGHT) AT THE OFFICE. WAYBOURN SERVED AS S FIRST EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.REFERRG TO BUNDLG – THE PRACTICE OF ENURAGG AN ANIZATN’S DONORS TO ALSO GIVE DIRECTLY TO A NDIDATE AS A MEANS OF MULTIPLYG THE IMPACT OF AN ENDORSEMENT – WHEN VIC BASILE RAISED THIS “ALTERNATIVE WAY” TO SUPPORT GAY NDIDAT, ROSEN SAYS, THE FOUNRS REALIZED LGBTQ+ VICTORY FUND NEED TO BE A SEPARATE ANIZATN, NOT A DIVISN OF HRCF, WHICH HAD BEEN DISCSED. THAT ENABLED GAY POLIS TO “DO MORE WORK AND VTMENT AT THE MORE LOL ELECTORAL LEVEL, WHICH WE KNEW WOULD BE NECSARY TO GROW THE NEXT LEVEL OF FERAL OFFICIALS.” THE STATE AND LOL OFFICIALS WOULD BE A PIPELE FOR FUTURE LEARSHIP ROL AND ALSO ALLOW LOL MUNI NNECTED TO LOL OFFICIALS TO FEEL EMPOWERED.IN MAY 1991, ABOUT A DOZEN PROMENT LGBTQ+ LEARS GATHERED A MARRTT HOTEL NFERENCE ROOM VIRGIA AND DISCSED ANIZATNAL PLANS ON HOW TO ELECT OUT LGBTQ+ NDIDAT. IT WOULD NOT BE AN EASY TASK: THEIR IEND HARVEY MILK HAD BEEN ASSASSATED; ELAE NOBLE NEED THE PROTECTN OF STATE TROOPERS DURG HER MPAIGN; OTHERS AMONG THE MORE THAN FORTY OUT LGBTQ+ ELECTED AND APPOTED OFFICIALS AMERI HAD ALSO ENDURED IGHTENG ORALS. WH EMILY’S LIST AS A MOL, THE GROUP LNCHED THE GAY & LBIAN VICTORY FUND WH MIXNER AND LYNN GREER AS BOARD -CHAIRS, WAYBOURN AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AND BASILE, WHO HAD ALREADY DONE A LOT OF LEGWORK WH AN ANIZATNAL PLAN AND BUDGET, AS ADVISOR AND FUNDRAISER. THE RT IS HISTORY. AN EARLY LGBTQ+ VICTORY FUND FUNDRAISG PAMPHLET FEATUR SHERRY HARRIS, LGBTQ+ VICTORY FUND'S FIRST ENDORSED NDIDATE.LGBTQ+ VICTORY FUND'S FIRST CANDIDATE MAK HISTORY AS FIRST BLACK LBIAN ELECTED THE U.S. SHERRY HARRISTHE NEWLY FOUND GAY & LBIAN VICTORY FUND CHOSE SHERRY HARRIS, AN AIN-AMERIN LBIAN WH AN MBA, AS THEIR FIRST NDIDATE. SHE WAS NNG FOR CY UNCIL SEATTLE, WASHGTON. “OUR FIRST FUNDRAISER WAS DALLAS, AND I WONRED WHAT WOULD HAPPEN WHEN I ASKED ALL MY IENDS TO NTRIBUTE TO A NEW ANIZATN SUPPORTG A BLACK LBIAN NNG FOR OFFICE WASHGTON STATE,” SAYS WILLIAM WAYBOURN. “SO I RECED MASSACHETTS CONGRSMAN BARNEY FRANK AND FORMER NAVAL MIDSHIPMAN JOE STEFFAN TO E AND HELP DRAW A CROWD. WE RAISED A LOT OF MONEY FOR THE NASCENT ANIZATN, AS WELL AS FOR SHERRY. THE EARLY VICTORI OF BOTH SHERRY’S RACE AND GAIL SHIBLEY’S RACE OREGON THE NEXT YEAR UNRSRED FOR ME THAT WE WERE ON TO SOMETHG, AND THE VICTORY FUND WOULD OCCUPY AN IMPORTANT PLACE OUR MOVEMENT.”IN NOVEMBER 1991, HARRIS FEATED A 26-YEAR CUMBENT, BEG THE NATN’S FIRST BLACK OUT LBIAN ELECTED OFFICIAL. SHERRY HARRIS AT SEATTLE PRIGAIL SHIBLEY, KATE BROWN APPOTED TO OREGON HOE

Stt Ht’s hoe the Hollywood Hills and angrily clared that she would no longer give a check to any ndidate who did not say the words “gay and lbian.

GAY RIGHTS

Her words had a ripple effect wh some checkbook activists votg for Wilson, who had promised Log Cab Republin Club founr Frank Ricchiazzi that he would sign the perennial gay civil rights bill.

But LGBTQ+ polil power was Basile was a proment gay rights activist Washgton, DC, who was the first executive director of the Human Rights Campaign Fund (HRCF) before dog velopment work for EMILY’s List founr Ellen Mallm and learng how a “bundlg” polil actn mtee (PAC) worked. ”Inspired by the succs of EMILY’s List and Texas Governor Ann Richard’s succsful mpaign, Vic Basile and William Waybourn dreamed of creatg a PAC that would prrize gay and lbian polil ndidat and grow LGBTQ+ polil power at a time when some policians still returned checks om gay anizatns. Basile also round up HRCF donors, cludg Mallm, Randy Klose, Terry Bean, Hilary Rosen, Lynn Greer, Joy Tomch, Howard Menaker, Tim McFeeley, Jim Hormel, and others who beme early donors and board members of the Gay & Lbian Victory Victory Fund -founrs Vic Basile (left) and William Waybourn (right) at the office.

Referrg to bundlg – the practice of enuragg an anizatn’s donors to also give directly to a ndidate as a means of multiplyg the impact of an endorsement – when Vic Basile raised this “alternative way” to support gay ndidat, Rosen says, the founrs realized LGBTQ+ Victory Fund need to be a separate anizatn, not a divisn of HRCF, which had been discsed. That enabled gay polis to “do more work and vtment at the more lol electoral level, which we knew would be necsary to grow the next level of feral officials.