List of U.S. ballot initiatives to repeal LGBT anti-discrimination laws

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US ballot initiatives to repeal LGBT anti-discrimination laws are anti-LGBT initiatives used to target and repeal LGBTQ anti-discrimination laws in the United States. These efforts started in 1972 and continue through at least 2018 on the state and local level.[ citation needed ]

Contents

History

Jurisdictions in the United States began outlawing discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in 1972, when East Lansing, Michigan, passed an ordinance forbidding discrimination based on "affectional or sexual preference". [1] In response, opponents began organizing campaigns to place measures on their local ballots to repeal these anti-discrimination laws. The repeal movement found a national spokesperson in Anita Bryant, who helped found—and served as president of—Save Our Children. Save Our Children organized in Florida in 1977 in response to the passage by the Dade County Commission of an anti-discrimination ordinance.[ citation needed ] Bryant's campaign was successful; the Miami-Dade ordinance was repealed by a greater than two-to-one margin. Repeal campaigns, building on this success, spread nationally and several other ordinances were repealed. In California in 1978, conservative state senator John Briggs sponsored Proposition 6, which would have barred gay and lesbian people from working in a public school. The defeat of this measure, and of an ordinance repeal measure in Seattle, Washington, the same day, stalled the momentum of the repeal forces.[ citation needed ]

Opponents of Colorado's Amendment 2 at a rally sponsored by the National Organization for Women Noon22.jpg
Opponents of Colorado's Amendment 2 at a rally sponsored by the National Organization for Women

The mid-1980s and early 1990s saw a resurgence in ballot initiatives, culminating in proposed state constitutional amendments in Oregon and Colorado not only to repeal existing anti-discrimination ordinances but to proactively prohibit the state and any local unit of government within the state from ever passing such an ordinance. In 1992, Oregon's Measure 9 sponsored by the Oregon Citizens Alliance failed, but Colorado's Amendment 2 passed. Amendment 2 was declared unconstitutional by the United States Supreme Court in its 1996 Romer v. Evans decision. Oregon and two other states, Idaho and Maine, had initiatives between the passage of Amendment 2 and the Court decision; all three were defeated but many municipalities within Oregon passed local measures.[ citation needed ]

As the question of same-sex marriage has risen to greater prominence, opponents of such marriages have turned their attention to passing constitutional amendments barring individual states from legalizing same-sex marriages or recognizing such marriages performed in other jurisdictions. These amendments are listed here. Before the marriage issue arose, some jurisdictions had begun providing limited rights and benefits to same-sex domestic partners. These ordinances also became targets of repeal efforts, with repeal supporters meeting with less success.[ citation needed ]

Since the 2015 US Supreme Court ruling in the case of Obergefell v. Hodges , the prominence of LGBT anti-discrimination laws became the top priority of LGBT rights activists.[ citation needed ] One of the most controversial, recent, and largest repeal effort was Proposition 1 in Houston, Texas.

Ballot initiatives

Statewide level

The first attempt to restrict gay and lesbian rights through a state wide ballot measure occurred in 1978 in California. [2] While the measure failed, the late-1980s and early 1990s saw a resurgence in ballot initiatives, culminating in proposed state constitutional amendments in Oregon and Colorado not only to repeal existing anti-discrimination ordinances but to proactively prohibit the state and any local unit of government within the state from ever passing such an ordinance. Oregon's Measure 9, sponsored by the Oregon Citizens Alliance, failed, but Colorado's Amendment 2 passed. Amendment 2 was declared unconstitutional by the United States Supreme Court in its 1996 Romer v. Evans decision. Oregon and two other states, Idaho and Maine, had initiatives between the passage of Amendment 2 and the Court decision; all three were defeated but many municipalities within Oregon passed local measures.

Election dateStateGoalOutcome
November 7, 1978 California Proposition 6, to ban gays and lesbians from working in California's public schools.Defeated with 58.43% of the vote. [3]
November 8, 1988 Oregon Measure 8: “Revokes ban on sexual orientation discrimination in state executive branch.” [4]

The measure was aimed at Governor Neil Goldschmidt’s executive order (EO-87-20), which prohibited employment discrimination within the executive branch based on sexual orientation, both in hiring and the performance of job duties. [5]

Passed.

Yes: 626,751 (52.75%)

No: 561,355 (47.25%) [6]

Overturned by the Oregon Court of Appeals on November 12, 1992. [7]

November 3, 1992 Colorado Amendment 2, to repeal all gay rights ordinances within the state and to prevent the state or any political subdivision from passing new gay rights ordinancesPassed with 53.2% of the vote. [8] Later struck down by the United States Supreme Court in Romer v. Evans . [9] [10]
Oregon Measure 9. Would amend the Oregon Constitution to prohibit the state, counties, and municipalities from legally recognizing homosexuality as a minority status, and prohibit the passing of anti-discrimination laws based on sexual orientation; prohibit the state, counties, and municipalities from using public funds and properties to “promote, encourage, or facilitate homosexuality;” and require state, county, and municipal agencies, specifically the Oregon Department of Education, to “assist in setting a standard for Oregon’s youth that recognizes homosexuality, pedophilia, sadism and masochism as abnormal, wrong, unnatural, and perverse and that these behaviors are to be discouraged and avoided.” [11] Defeated.

Yes: 638,527 (43.53%)

No: 828,290 (56.47%) [12]

November 8, 1994 Oregon Measure 13: “SUMMARY: Amends state Constitution. Governments cannot:
  • create classifications based on homosexuality;
  • advise or teach children, students, employees that homosexuality equates legally or socially with race, other protected classifications;
  • spend public funds in manner promoting or expressing approval of homosexuality;
  • grant spousal benefits, marital status based on homosexuality;
  • deny constitutional rights, services due under existing statutes.

Measure nonetheless allows adult library books addressing homosexuality with adult-only access. Public employees’ private lawful sexual behaviors may be cause for personnel action, if those behaviors disrupt workplace.” [13]

Defeated.

Yes: 592,746 (48.45%)

No: 630,628 (51.55%) [14]

Idaho Proposition 1, to forbid state and local governments from granting minority status and rights based on homosexual behavior.Defeated with 50.1% of the vote. [9] [15]
November 7, 1995 Maine Question 1, to ban the state and local governments from passing anti-discrimination ordinancesDefeated with 53% of the vote. [9] [16]
November 3, 1998 Maine To repeal state's gay rights lawPassed with 52% of the vote. [9]
November 7, 2000 Maine To repeal state's gay rights lawPassed. [9]
November 8, 2005 Maine To repeal state's gay rights lawDefeated by 57% of the vote. [9]
November 6, 2018 Massachusetts To repeal state's 2016 transgender rights law that forbids discrimination in public accommodations (including bathrooms and locker rooms)Defeated by 67.82% of the vote. [17]

Local level

After failing to pass Measure 9 in 1992, OCA turned its attention to passing anti-discrimination bans at the county and municipal level. Couching the debate in terms of forbidding LGBT people from receiving so-called "special rights", OCA sought not only to block ordinances in these communities but to bar them from spending money to "promote homosexuality". [18] OCA was successful in passing over two dozen initiatives. However, in 1993 the Oregon Legislative Assembly passed a law prohibiting local governments from considering LGBT rights measures so the ordinances had no legal force. [19] The Oregon Court of Appeals upheld the state law in 1995. [20] Two weeks after the United States Supreme Court ruled in Romer, OCA suspended its efforts for a third statewide ballot initiative. [21]

Election dateLocaleGoalOutcome
1974 Boulder, Colorado Placed on the ballot by the Boulder city council after passage of a gay rights ordinance met with public outcryPassed with 83% of the vote. [9] [22] [23]
June 7, 1977 Miami-Dade County, Florida To repeal the county's gay rights ordinancePassed with 69.3% of the vote. [9] [24]
April 25, 1978 St. Paul, Minnesota To repeal the city's gay rights ordinancePassed with 63.1% of the vote. [9] [25]
May 9, 1978 Wichita, Kansas To repeal the city's gay rights ordinancePassed with 80% of the vote. [9] [26]
May 23, 1978 Eugene, Oregon To repeal the city's gay rights ordinancePassed with 64.3% of the vote. [9] [27]
November 7, 1978 Seattle, Washington To repeal the city's gay rights ordinanceDefeated with 62.9% of the vote. [9] [28]
June 3, 1980 Santa Clara County, California To repeal the county's gay rights ordinancePassed with 70.2% of the vote. [9] [29]
San Jose, California To repeal the city's gay rights ordinancePassed with 75.2% of the vote. [9] [29]
1982 Austin, Texas To repeal the city's gay rights ordinance in housingDefeated with 63% of the vote. [9]
1984 Duluth, Minnesota To repeal the city's gay rights ordinancePassed with 76% of the vote. [9] [30]
1985 Houston, Texas To repeal the city's gay rights ordinancePassed with 82% of the vote. [9]
1986 Davis, California To repeal the city's gay rights ordinanceDefeated with 58% of the vote. [9]
November 7, 1989 Athens, Ohio To repeal the city's gay rights ordinancePassed with 53% of the vote. [9] [31]
Irvine, California To repeal the city's gay rights ordinancePassed with 53% of the vote. [9] [31]
Concord, California To repeal the city's gay rights ordinancePassed with 50.2% of the vote. [9] [31]
Tacoma, Washington To repeal the city's gay rights ordinancePassed with 51.2% of the vote. [9] [32]
1990 Wooster, Ohio To repeal the city's housing lawPassed with 63% of the vote. [9]
May 21, 1991 Denver, Colorado To repeal the city's gay rights ordinanceDefeated with 55% of the vote. [9] [33]
November 5, 1991 St. Paul, Minnesota To repeal the city's gay rights ordinanceDefeated with 54% of the vote. [9] [34]
May 19, 1992 Corvallis, Oregon Would prohibit the city from recognizing homosexuality, passing anti-discrimination laws based on homosexuality, and from using city funds and properties to "promote" homosexuality. [35] Failed with 63% voting against. [9] [36]
Springfield, Oregon Would prohibit the city from recognizing homosexuality, passing anti-discrimination laws based on homosexuality, and from using city funds and properties to "promote" homosexuality. [37] Passed with 55.4% of the vote. [9] [36]
1993 Portsmouth, New Hampshire To repeal the city's gay rights lawPassed. [9]
November 2, 1993 Portland, Maine To repeal the city's gay rights lawDefeated with 57% of the vote. [9] [38]
Tampa, Florida To repeal the city's gay rights ordinancePassed with almost 58.5% of the vote. However, the Florida Supreme Court later ruled that 462 signatures from the initiative petition were invalid and voided the repeal. [9] [39]
Cincinnati, Ohio Ballot Issue 3, to prevent the city from enacting any gay rights ordinances.Passed with 67% of the vote. Despite being worded almost identically to Colorado's Amendment 2, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the measure as constitutional in 1997. [40] Cincinnati voters repealed Issue 3 in 2004. [9] [41]
Lewiston, Maine To repeal a recently passed anti-discrimination ordinancePassed with 68% of the vote. [9] [42]
May 18, 1993 Cornelius, Oregon Measure 34-5:

“SUMMARY: Amends City Charter. Prohibits City from extending minority status based on homosexuality, sexual orientation or preference and from enforcing such laws. Prohibits City spending to promote or approve homosexuality. Does not deny City services based on lawful sexual practices. Does not forbid public library materials for adults. Does not nullify civil rights based on race, religion, color, sex, marital status, familial status, national origin, age or disability. Does not limit constitutional rights. Allows laws which prohibit employment discrimination based on non-work related reasons.” [43]

Passed.

YES: 981 (61.74%)

NO: 608 (38.26%) [44]

June 29, 1993 Canby, Oregon To repeal the city's gay rights ordinancePassed. [45]
Junction City, Oregon To repeal the city's gay rights ordinancePassed by one vote. [18] [45] The measure was later invalidated by a court but a new initiative passed in March 1994. [46]
Douglas County, Oregon To repeal the city's gay rights ordinancePassed. [45]
Josephine County, Oregon To repeal the city's gay rights ordinancePassed. [45]
Klamath County, Oregon To repeal the city's gay rights ordinancePassed. [45]
Linn County, Oregon To repeal the city's gay rights ordinancePassed. [45]
September 21, 1993 Creswell, Oregon To repeal the city's gay rights ordinancePassed. [47]
Estacada, Oregon To repeal the city's gay rights ordinancePassed. [47]
Grants Pass, Oregon To repeal the city's gay rights ordinancePassed. [20]
Gresham, Oregon To repeal the city's gay rights ordinancePassed. [20]
Lebanon, Oregon To repeal the city's gay rights ordinancePassed. [47]
Medford, Oregon To repeal the city's gay rights ordinancePassed. [47]
Molalla, Oregon To repeal the city's gay rights ordinancePassed. [47]
Sweet Home, Oregon To repeal the city's gay rights ordinancePassed. [47]
Jackson County, Oregon To repeal the city's gay rights ordinancePassed. [47]
November 9, 1993 Keizer, Oregon To repeal the city's gay rights ordinancePassed with 55% of the vote. [19]
Oregon City, Oregon To repeal the city's gay rights ordinancePassed with 53% of the vote. [19]
1994 Springfield, Missouri To repeal the city's gay rights ordinancePassed. [46]
March 22, 1994 Albany, Oregon To repeal the city's gay rights ordinancePassed. [46]
Junction City, Oregon To repeal the city's gay rights ordinancePassed. [46]
Turner, Oregon To repeal the city's gay rights ordinancePassed. [46]
Marion County, Oregon To repeal the city's gay rights ordinancePassed. [46]
May 17, 1994 Cottage Grove, Oregon To repeal the city's gay rights ordinancePassed. [20]
Gresham, Oregon To repeal the city's gay rights ordinanceReceived a majority of the vote but not the 60% majority required for passage. [48]
Oakridge, Oregon To repeal the city's gay rights ordinancePassed. [20]
Roseburg, Oregon To repeal the city's gay rights ordinancePassed. [20]
Veneta, Oregon To repeal the city's gay rights ordinancePassed. [20]
November 1994 Alachua County, Florida 1) To overturn the existing gay rights law
2) To bar future ordinances		Passed with 57% of the vote.
Passed with 59% of the vote. [9] [49]
November 8, 1994 Lake County, Oregon To repeal the city's gay rights ordinancePassed. [20]
January 10, 1995 West Palm Beach, Florida To repeal the city's gay rights ordinanceDefeated with 56% of the vote. [9] [50]
March 7, 1995 Tampa, Florida To repeal the city's gay rights ordinanceFive days before the election a judge threw out the referendum so the votes were not tallied. [9] [51]
1996 Lansing, Michigan Two initiatives, both to repeal the city's gay rights ordinancePassed with 52% of the vote.
Passed with 55% of the vote. [9]
1998 Fayetteville, Arkansas To repeal the city's gay rights lawPassed with 60% of the vote. [9]
Fort Collins, Colorado To repeal the city's gay rights lawPassed with 62% of the vote. [9]
1999 Falmouth, Maine To repeal the city's gay rights lawDefeated with 59% of the vote. [9]
Spokane, Washington To repeal the city's gay rights lawDefeated with 52% of the vote. [9]
2000 Ferndale, Michigan To repeal the city's gay rights lawPassed. [9]
2001 Huntington Woods, Michigan To repeal the city's gay rights lawDefeated. [9]
Kalamazoo, Michigan To repeal the city's gay rights lawDefeated with 54% of the vote. [9]
Traverse City, Michigan To repeal the city's gay rights lawDefeated with 58% of the vote. [9]
September 10, 2002 Miami-Dade County, Florida To repeal the county's gay rights ordinanceDefeated with 53% of the vote. [9] [52]
2002 Westbrook, Maine To repeal the city's gay rights lawDefeated. [9]
Ypsilanti, Michigan To repeal the city's gay rights lawDefeated with 63% of the vote. [9]
Tacoma, Washington To repeal the city's gay rights lawDefeated. [9]
March 1, 2005 Topeka, Kansas To bar Topeka from recognizing sexual orientation as a protected class for ten yearsDefeated with 52% of the vote. [9] [53]
March 24, 2009 Gainesville, Florida Charter Amendment One, to repeal the city's gay rights ordinanceDefeated with 58% of the vote. [9] [54]
November 8, 2011 Traverse City, Michigan To repeal the anti-discrimination ordinance enacted in 2010.Defeated by 62.9% of the vote. [55]
November 6, 2012 Salina, Kansas To repeal the city's anti-discrimination ordinance in public employment or housing.Passed by 54% of voters. [56]
Hutchinson, Kansas To repeal the city's anti-discrimination ordinance in public employment or housing.Passed by 58% of voters. [56]
May 20, 2014 Pocatello, Idaho To repeal the cities anti-discrimination ordinance for sexual orientation and gender expressionDefeated by a margin of 80 votes. [57]
August 7, 2014 Chattanooga, Tennessee To repeal Ordinance 12781, an ordinance prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity and establishing domestic partnership benefits for city employees.Passed by a vote of 62.58% in favor of repeal and 37.42% against. [58]
December 9, 2014 Fayetteville, Arkansas To repeal Ordinance 5703 Chapter 119, an ordinance to protect and safeguard the right and opportunity of all persons to be free from discrimination based on real or perceived race, ethnicity, national origin, age, gender, gender identity, gender expression, familial status, marital status, socioeconomic background, religion, sexual orientation, disability and veteran status.Passed by a vote of 51.66% in favor of repeal and 48.34% against. [59]
April 7, 2015 Springfield, Missouri To repeal the Ordinance 6141 [60] Passed with 51.43% of the vote. [61]
September 8, 2015 Fayetteville, Arkansas To repeal the Ordinance 5781Defeated with 52.77% of the vote. [62]
November 3, 2015 Houston, Texas Proposition 1 Defeated with 60.97% of the vote. [63]
April 3, 2018 Anchorage, Alaska Proposition 1 Defeated by 52.64% of the vote. [64]

Domestic partnership repeal initiatives

Election dateLocaleOutcome
November 6, 1990 Seattle, Washington Failed. [32]
1991 San Francisco Failed. [65]
November 7, 1995 Northampton, Massachusetts Repealed by a margin of 87 votes. [16]
August 7, 2014 Chattanooga, Tennessee Passed by a vote of 62.58% in favor of repeal and 37.42% against. [58]

See also

Further reading

Related Research Articles

Romer v. Evans, 517 U.S. 620 (1996), is a landmark United States Supreme Court case dealing with sexual orientation and state laws. It was the first Supreme Court case to address gay rights since Bowers v. Hardwick (1986), when the Court had held that laws criminalizing sodomy were constitutional.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1992 Oregon Ballot Measure 9</span> Referendum on gay rights

Oregon Ballot Measure 9 was a 1992 citizens' initiative concerning LGBT rights in the state of Oregon. It sought to amend the Oregon Constitution to prohibit anti-discrimination laws regarding sexual orientation and to declare homosexuality to be "abnormal, wrong, unnatural, and perverse". Listing homosexuality alongside pedophilia and sadism and masochism, it has been described as one of the harshest anti-gay measures presented to voters in American history.

This is a list of notable events in the history of LGBT rights that took place in the year 1990.

This is a list of notable events in the history of LGBT rights that took place in the year 1978.

This is a list of notable events in the history of LGBT rights that took place in the year 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U.S. state constitutional amendments banning same-sex unions</span>

Prior to the Supreme Court's decision in Obergefell v. Hodges (2015), U.S. state constitutional amendments banning same-sex unions of several different types passed, banning legal recognition of same-sex unions in U.S. state constitutions, referred to by proponents as "defense of marriage amendments" or "marriage protection amendments." These state amendments are different from the proposed Federal Marriage Amendment, which would ban same-sex marriage in every U.S. state, and Section 2 of the Defense of Marriage Act, more commonly known as DOMA, which allowed the states not to recognize same-sex marriages from other states. The amendments define marriage as a union between one man and one woman and prevent civil unions or same-sex marriages from being legalized, though some of the amendments bar only the latter. The Obergefell decision in June 2015 invalidated these state constitutional amendments insofar as they prevented same-sex couples from marrying, even though the actual text of these amendments remain written into the state constitutions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Basic Rights Oregon</span> U.S. nonprofit LGBT rights organization

Basic Rights Oregon is an American nonprofit LGBT rights organization based in Portland, Oregon. It is the largest advocacy, education, and political organization working in Oregon to end discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Basic Rights Oregon has a full-time staff, a contract lobbyist, and more than 10,000 contributors, and 5,000 volunteers. It is a 501(c)(4) organization that maintains a 501(c)(3) education fund, a state candidate PAC and a ballot measure PAC. The organization is a member of the Equality Federation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1978 California Proposition 6</span> Failed Californian anti-gay ballot initiative

California Proposition 6, informally known as the Briggs Initiative, was an unsuccessful ballot initiative put to a referendum on the California state ballot in the November 7, 1978 election. It was sponsored by John Briggs, a conservative state legislator from Orange County. The failed initiative sought to ban gays and lesbians from working in California's public schools.

The Oregon Citizens Alliance (OCA) was a conservative Christian political activist organization, founded by Lon Mabon in the U.S. state of Oregon. It was founded in 1986 as a vehicle to challenge then–U.S. Senator Bob Packwood in the Republican primaries, and was involved in Oregon politics from the late 1980s into the 1990s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2008 California Proposition 8</span> Successful referendum on banning same-sex marriage

Proposition 8, known informally as Prop 8, was a California ballot proposition and a state constitutional amendment intended to ban same-sex marriage; it passed in the November 2008 California state elections and was later overturned in court. The proposition was created by opponents of same-sex marriage in advance of the California Supreme Court's May 2008 appeal ruling, In re Marriage Cases, which followed the short-lived 2004 same-sex weddings controversy and found the previous ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional. Proposition 8 was ultimately ruled unconstitutional by a federal court in 2010, although the court decision did not go into effect until June 26, 2013, following the conclusion of proponents' appeals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBTQ rights in Michigan</span>

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBTQ) people in the U.S. state of Michigan enjoy the same rights as non-LGBTQ people. Michigan in June 2024 was ranked "the most welcoming U.S. state for LGBT individuals". Same-sex sexual activity is legal in Michigan under the U.S. Supreme Court case Lawrence v. Texas, although the state legislature has not repealed its sodomy law. Same-sex marriage was legalised in accordance with 2015's Obergefell v. Hodges decision. Discrimination on the basis of both sexual orientation and gender identity is unlawful since July 2022, was re-affirmed by the Michigan Supreme Court - under and by a 1976 statewide law, that explicitly bans discrimination "on the basis of sex". The Michigan Civil Rights Commission have also ensured that members of the LGBT community are not discriminated against and are protected in the eyes of the law since 2018 and also legally upheld by the Michigan Supreme Court in 2022. In March 2023, a bill passed the Michigan Legislature by a majority vote - to formally codify both "sexual orientation and gender identity" anti-discrimination protections embedded within Michigan legislation. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed the bill on March 16, 2023. In 2024, Michigan repealed “the last ban on commercial surrogacy within the US” - for individuals and couples and reformed the parentage laws, that acknowledges same sex couples and their families with children.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Citizens for Fairness Hands Off Washington</span> LGBT organization to oppose two Washington ballot initiatives

Washington Citizens for Fairness | Hands off Washington (H.O.W.) was created in 1993 to defeat Washington State ballot initiatives 608 and 610, which threatened the civil rights of state and local public employees based on their actual or perceived sexual orientation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBTQ rights in Arizona</span>

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people in the U.S. state of Arizona may face legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBTQ residents. Same-sex sexual activity is legal in Arizona, and same-sex couples are able to marry and adopt. Nevertheless, the state provides only limited protections against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. Several cities, including Phoenix and Tucson, have enacted ordinances to protect LGBTQ people from unfair discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBTQ rights in Alaska</span>

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) rights in the U.S. state of Alaska have evolved significantly over the years. Since 1980, same-sex sexual conduct has been allowed, and same-sex couples can marry since October 2014. The state offers few legal protections against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, leaving LGBTQ people vulnerable to discrimination in housing and public accommodations; however, the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County established that employment discrimination against LGBTQ people is illegal under federal law. In addition, four Alaskan cities, Anchorage, Juneau, Sitka and Ketchikan, representing about 46% of the state population, have passed discrimination protections for housing and public accommodations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fairness Campaign</span>

The Fairness Campaign is a Louisville, Kentucky-based lobbying and advocacy organization, focusing primarily on preventing discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. The Fairness Campaign is recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(4) organization. The organization is a member of the Equality Federation.

SAVE is a grassroots nonprofit political advocacy organization located in Miami, Florida. Founded in 1993, the organization's stated mission is to "promote, protect and defend equality for people in South Florida who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender."

Proposition 1 was a referendum held on November 3, 2015, on the anti-discrimination ordinance known as the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO). The ordinance was intended to improve anti-discrimination coverage based on sexual orientation and gender identity in Houston, specifically in areas such as housing and occupation where no anti-discrimination policy existed. Proposition 1 asked voters whether they approved HERO. Houston voters rejected Proposal 1 by a vote of 61% to 39%.

Eugene Local Measure 51 was a 1978 petition calling for a referendum in Eugene, Oregon, to repeal Ordinance no. 18080, which prohibited sexual orientation discrimination in the city. VOICE created and campaigned for the petition, and gathered enough signatures to force a referendum vote. Measure 51 passed with 22,898 votes for and 13,427 against. This bill's passage garnered national attention, with Miami anti-gay activist Anita Bryant's telegram congratulating VOICE on the victory. It is the earliest example of 35 ballot measures to limit gay rights in Oregon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1992 Colorado Amendment 2</span> Referendum on gay rights

Amendment 2 was a ballot measure approved by Colorado voters on November 3, 1992, simultaneously with the United States presidential election. The amendment prevented municipalities from enacting anti-discrimination laws protecting gay, lesbian, or bisexual people.

References

  1. ↑ Faderman, p. 228
  2. ↑ Rimmerman, Craig (November 2001). "From Identity to Politics: The Lesbian and Gay Movements in the United States". Temple University Press. ISBN   9781566399050 . Retrieved December 7, 2008.
  3. ↑ "Primary Source Set: Briggs Initiative". GLBT Historical Society. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
  4. ↑ Office of the Secretary of State. "Voters' Pamphlet: State of Oregon General Election November 8, 1988" (p. 52)
  5. ↑ Oregon Office of the Governor. Executive Order EO-87-20. “Prohibition of Discrimination on the Basis of Sexual Orientation.” October 15, 1987.
  6. ↑ Office of the Secretary of State. "Official Abstract of Votes, General Election, November 8, 1988."
  7. ↑ Sura Rubenstein, "Court Kills Anti-Gay Rights Measure," The Oregonian (Portland, OR), November 13, 1992, A1.
  8. ↑ Murdoch and Price, p. 455
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 "TABLE 15 - C: LOCAL (CITY AND COUNTY) BALLOT MEASURES" (PDF). Retrieved June 29, 2014.
  10. ↑ Murdoch and Price, p. 475
  11. ↑ Office of the Secretary of State. "Voters' Pamphlet: State of Oregon General Election November 3, 1992" (p. 93)
  12. ↑ Office of the Secretary of State. "Official Abstract of Votes, General Election, November 3, 1992." (p. 45)
  13. ↑ Office of the Secretary of State. "Voters' Pamphlet: State of Oregon General Election November 8, 1994" (p. 76)
  14. ↑ Office of the Secretary of State. "Official Abstract of Votes, General Election, November 8, 1994." (p. 53)
  15. ↑ "Group revives anti-gay plan despite vote". The Deseret News. Associated Press. April 23, 1995. p. A15. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  16. 1 2 Dunlap, David W (November 12, 1995). "Gay Politicians And Issues Win Major Victories". The New York Times. Retrieved August 30, 2009.
  17. ↑ "Massachusetts Question 3, Gender Identity Anti-Discrimination Veto Referendum (2018)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  18. 1 2 Kidd, Joe (July 27, 1993). "City officials put gay issue on fall ballot". Eugene Register-Guard. p. 1C. Retrieved August 30, 2009.
  19. 1 2 3 "OCA gets ready to take its battle to 1994 ballots". Eugene (OR) Register-Guard. Associated Press. November 11, 1993. p. 5C. Retrieved August 30, 2009.
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Neville, Paul (April 13, 1995). "Appeals court deals setback to gay rights foes". Eugene (OR) Register-Guard. pp. 1A, 4A. Archived from the original on January 24, 2013. Retrieved August 30, 2009.
  21. ↑ Neville, Paul (June 28, 1996). "Gay celebration spotlights victory in Supreme Court". Eugene (OR) Register-Guard. p. 1C. Archived from the original on January 24, 2013. Retrieved August 30, 2009.
  22. ↑ "Civil rights, marching forward". Boulder Daily Camera. November 18, 2012. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
  23. ↑ Phelps, Timothy (October 8, 1995). "Gay issues split Colorado cities". Eugene Register-Guard. Newsday. p. 8A. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
  24. ↑ Rutledge, p. 108
  25. ↑ Rutledge, p. 122
  26. ↑ Rutledge, pp. 122–23
  27. ↑ "Anita's Group Aims to Help Homosexuals". The Ocala (FL) Star-Banner. Associated Press. June 5, 1978. p. 2B. Retrieved September 1, 2009.
  28. ↑ Rutledge, p. 129
  29. 1 2 "Income tax cut rejected by voters in California". The Kingman (AZ) Daily Miner. Associated Press. June 4, 1980. p. A3. Retrieved September 1, 2009.
  30. ↑ Vaid, p. 328
  31. 1 2 3 MacNamara, Mark (November 9, 1989). "Losses alarm gay rights supporters". USA Today. p. 3A.
  32. 1 2 George, Kathy; Scott Maier (November 8, 1990). "Only Tacoma Fails to Back Gay Rights". The Seattle Post-Intelligencer. p. B2. Retrieved September 1, 2009.
  33. ↑ Keen and Goldberg, p. 6
  34. ↑ "Gay Rights Ordinance Survives Repeal Vote". St. Paul Pioneer-Press. November 6, 1991. p. 1A. Retrieved September 1, 2009.
  35. ↑ Leslie A. Harper, "OCA Fights City's Anti-Bias Efforts," Corvallis Gazette-Times (Corvallis, OR), October 30, 1991, A1.
  36. 1 2 "A Blue-Collar Town Is a Gay-Rights Battleground". The New York Times . June 14, 1992. p. 35. Retrieved February 14, 2010.
  37. ↑ John Henrikson, "OCA to Push for Anti-Gay Law," Springfield News (Springfield, OR), October 16, 1991, 1A.
  38. ↑ Scherberger, Tom (November 5, 1992). "Blame spread for loss of gay rights". St. Petersburg Times. p. 6B. Retrieved September 1, 2009.
  39. ↑ Murdoch and Price, p.425
  40. ↑ Irwin, Julie (October 14, 1998). "Law denying gay protection stands". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved August 30, 2009.
  41. ↑ Hrenchir, Tim (February 24, 2005). "Legal battles followed passage". The Topeka Capital-Journal. Retrieved August 30, 2009.
  42. ↑ Egan, Timothy (November 4, 1993). "The 1993 Elections: Propositions; Ballot Measures on Term Limits and Crime Draw Wide Support". The New York Times. Retrieved August 30, 2009.
  43. ↑ Special District Election, May 18, 1993, sample ballot. Provided by the Washington County Elections Division.
  44. ↑ Abstract of Vote, May 18, 1993 Special District Election. Provided by the Washington County Elections Division.
  45. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Egan, Timothy (July 1, 1993). "Voters in Oregon Back Local Anti-Gay Rules". The New York Times. p. A10. Retrieved August 30, 2009.
  46. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "OCA: Measure gaining momentum". Eugene (OR) Register-Guard. Associated Press. March 24, 1994. p. 4C. Archived from the original on January 26, 2013. Retrieved August 30, 2009.
  47. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "6 Oregon Cities, 1 County Pass Laws Against Gay Rights". The Los Angeles Times. September 23, 1993. p. A30. Archived from the original on October 22, 2012. Retrieved August 30, 2009.
  48. ↑ "Oregon: going, going..." The Advocate . Here. June 28, 1994. p. 12. Retrieved July 28, 2008.
  49. ↑ Terhune, Chad (December 13, 1994). "Gainesville repeals gay resolution". The Ocala (FL) Star-Banner. NYT Regional Newspapers. p. 2C. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
  50. ↑ Rosza, Lori (January 11, 1995). "West Palm Beach Votes To Retain Gay-Rights Law". The Seattle Times. Knight-Ridder News Service. Retrieved September 1, 2009.
  51. ↑ "Surprise in Florida". The Advocate . Here. April 18, 1995. p. 10. Retrieved July 28, 2010.
  52. ↑ "Early Returns Show Miami-Area Voters Upheld Gay Rights Amendment". The Miami Herald. September 11, 2002. Retrieved September 1, 2009.
  53. ↑ Hrenchir, Tim; Barbara Hollingsworth; Cait Purinton (March 2, 2005). "Gay rights ban fails". The Topeka Capital-Journal. Retrieved August 30, 2009.
  54. ↑ "Gainesville keeps gay rights law". Miami Herald. March 24, 2009.
  55. ↑ "'Yes' wins big in TC non-discrimination vote". Traverse City Record-Eagle. November 8, 2001.
  56. 1 2 "Salina & Hutchinson repeal anti-discrimination protections". Archived from the original on October 23, 2013. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
  57. ↑ "Future of Pocatello's Proposition 1". Kpvi.com. Archived from the original on May 31, 2014. Retrieved June 29, 2014.
  58. 1 2 "Ordinance 12781". Archived from the original on August 9, 2014.
  59. ↑ Walsh, Joel (December 9, 2014). "Voters repeal Fayetteville Civil Rights Administration ordinance". Arkansas Democrat Gazette. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  60. ↑ "Bill No: 2014-189". City of Springfield. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  61. ↑ "SUMMARY REPORT". April 10, 2015. Archived from the original on May 7, 2015. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  62. ↑ "SUMMARY REPORT City of Fayetteville". September 8, 2015. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  63. ↑ Fernandez, Manny; Smith, Mitch (November 3, 2015). "Houston Voters Reject Broad Anti-Discrimination Ordinance". The New York Times. Archived from the original on November 8, 2015. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  64. ↑ "Anchorage, Alaska, Proposition 1, Access to Public Bathrooms and Locker Rooms Based on Sex at Birth (April 2018)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  65. ↑ "Euthanasia, Term Limits Among Key Ballot Issues". The Philadelphia Inquirer. November 6, 1991. p. A14.
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