Robin Tyler

Last updated
Robin Tyler
Robin Tyler Performing.png
Born
Arlene Chernick

April 8, 1942 (1942-04-08) (age 82)
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Occupation(s)Comic, producer, and activist
Known forProduced the main stages at the first three LGBT Marches on Washington DC, including the historic first national march in 1979. The first out lesbian comic. Successfully sued state of California for gay marriage. Half of comedy duo, Harrison and Tyler.
SpouseDiane Olson
PartnerPat Harrison
Website www.robintyler.com

Robin Tyler (born Arlene Chernick, April 8, 1942) is the first lesbian or gay comic to come out on national television, a feminist and pioneer in the grassroots struggle for LGBTQ civil rights and marriage equality in the U.S., and a producer. [1] She emceed and produced the main stage at three marches on Washington for LGBTQ rights, including the historic first National March On Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights in 1979. Tyler coined the phrase "We are everywhere" as a rallying cry for the LGBTQ community. This became the powerful signature chant of the 1979 march, appearing on banners and posters. The chant "We are everywhere" has continued as a popular rallying cry for LGBTQ equality. [2]

Contents

Early career

Tyler arrived in New York City from Manitoba, Canada, in 1962 at 20 years of age. One of her first jobs was in New York City's famous Club 82, a nightclub known for its female impersonators and drag performances. Tyler, in her impersonation of Judy Garland, took this gender performance and "subverted it even further [...] as she was a woman pretending to be a man pretending to be a woman." [3] Tyler was offered the job impersonating Garland after getting caught up in a police raid at one of the city's famous drag balls. Along with the drag queens, she was charged with violations of the infamous "three-item" or "three-article" rule. This informal "rule" was used by NYC police, and police across the country at that time, to target queer people who publicly wore three or more articles of clothing that didn't match their assigned gender. [4] [5] Even despite insisting to police that she was actually female, Tyler found herself in an NYC jail. With her one phone call she resourcefully called the New York Post. The headline the following day read, "Cops Grab 44 Men and a Real Girl in Slacks." [6] Tyler was promptly released.

National marches on Washington for lesbian and gay rights

Tyler produced and emceed the main stages for the first three historic lesbian and gay marches on Washington DC, and she called for the first National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights in 1979. While initially this first march was considered controversial even among LGBTQ communities, after the murder of Harvey Milk on November 27, 1978, LGBTQ people from across the country rose up in anger and protest, flooding Washington DC. [7] The first march took place on Oct 14, 1979, and brought between 75,000 and 125,00 LGBT people to the Washington Monument grounds. [8] [9]

At the Second National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights, in 1987, Tyler, wearing a black tuxedo as she emceed the event, produced "The Wedding" on a special stage built on the Washington Mall. Over 6,000 people attended The Wedding where hundreds of gay couples took part in a mock marriage ceremony in protest of the fact that LGBT people were not allowed to legally marry. This was the first protest and act of mass civil disobedience in support of gay marriage in the United States. [2]

Activism

In 2004 Tyler and her late wife, Diane Olson, were the first couple to file a law suit against the state of California for the right to be married, launching a seven-year legal battle for marriage equality in the state. Ultimately it was their successful lawsuit that brought marriage equality to California. After winning their suit, Tyler and Olson became the first lesbian couple to be married in Los Angeles. [10] The City Council of Los Angeles unanimously voted that their wedding day, June 16, 2008, should be known officially as “Marriage Equality Day."

In 2000, when radio host Dr. Laura Schlessinger called LGBTQ people "biological errors," among other slurs, Tyler became the National Protest Coordinator for StopDrLaura.com, spearheading a campaign against Schlessinger's homophobic propaganda. [11] Protests were subsequently held across the country, including one produced by Tyler in front of Paramount Studios, the company slated to produce Schlessinger's new syndicated television talk show. Paramount Studios responded by promising that Dr. Schlessinger would no longer express anti-gay sentiments. To this Tyler quipped, "If (former Klan leader) David Duke were to do a cooking show and promised not to say anything about race, would any network still give him a show? We have a right to demand corporate responsibility to stop bigotry." [12] Schelssinger's planned television show was subsequently canceled.

In 2003, as the US Supreme Court was hearing the case Lawrence v. Texas , Tyler co-organized national demonstrations across the United States. When the decision from the court came down affirming that sodomy laws were unconstitutional, thousands of LGBTQ rights activists rallied by Tyler came together in celebrations across the country. [11]

Comedy career

Tyler became the first out lesbian on U.S. national television on a 1978 Showtime comedy special hosted by Phyllis Diller. [13] The 2024 Netflix documentary, Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution, documents the early history of LGBTQ standup comedy and features Tyler as one of the most influential progenitors of the genre. [14] Tyler has said of the film,“I had tears in my eyes when I was watching the documentary for the first time. I remember being at the Troubadour and [people] yelling, ‘Get off the stage,’ ‘You’re a dyke.’ It’s great not to be alone. And it’s great that as we’ve evolved as a civil rights movement, our humor has evolved to not only protect us but to be used as a weapon.” [15] The film also captures Tyler reflecting on what it meant to be an out feminist lesbian in the 1960's and the price still paid to be closeted: "Closets are vertical coffins," she declares in the film, "All you do is suffocate to death." [16]

Tyler has released two comedy albums, "Always a Bridesmaid Never A Groom" in 1979, and "Just Kidding" in 1985. [17] In her earlier career she was one half of the lesbian, feminist comedy duo, Harrison and Tyler. When Tyler and her partner Pat Harrison took on anti-gay crusader Anita Bryant as part of their television act, Tyler humorously remarked, “I don’t mind them being born again, but do they have to come back as themselves?” ABC promptly canceled their television deal. [18]

Lesbian music festivals

Along with the lesbian and gay marches on Washington, Tyler also produced a series of 25 popular women's music and comedy festivals, including the annual West Coast Women's Music and Comedy Festival, which ran from 1980 through 1994. Hers were the first trans-inclusive women's festivals in the country. [19] [20]

Marriage

In 2004 Tyler and her late wife, Diane Olson, were the first couple to file a lawsuit against the state of California for the right to be married, launching a seven-year legal battle for marriage equality in the state. Ultimately it was their successful lawsuit that brought marriage equality to California. After winning their suit, Tyler and Olson became the first lesbian couple to be married in Los Angeles. [10] They were married in June 2008, with rabbi Denise Eger officiating. [21] The City Council of Los Angeles unanimously voted that their wedding day, June 16, 2008, should be known officially as “Marriage Equality Day."

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT community</span> Community and culture of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people

The LGBT community is a loosely defined grouping of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals united by a common culture and social movements. These communities generally celebrate pride, diversity, individuality, and sexuality. LGBT activists and sociologists see LGBT community-building as a counterweight to heterosexism, homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, sexualism, and conformist pressures that exist in the larger society. The term pride or sometimes gay pride expresses the LGBT community's identity and collective strength; pride parades provide both a prime example of the use and a demonstration of the general meaning of the term. The LGBT community is diverse in political affiliation. Not all people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender consider themselves part of the LGBT community.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon</span> American feminists and gay-rights activists

Dorothy Louise Taliaferro "Del" Martin and Phyllis Ann Lyon were an American lesbian couple based in San Francisco who were known as feminist and gay-rights activists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Human Rights Campaign</span> LGBTQ civil rights advocacy group

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) is an American LGBTQ advocacy group. It is the largest LGBTQ political lobbying organization within the United States. Based in Washington, D.C., the organization focuses on protecting and expanding rights for LGBTQ individuals, including advocating for same-sex marriage, anti-discrimination and hate crimes legislation, and HIV/AIDS advocacy. The organization has a number of legislative initiatives as well as supporting resources for LGBTQ individuals.

The origin of the LGBT student movement can be linked to other activist movements from the mid-20th century in the United States. The Civil Rights Movement and Second-wave feminist movement were working towards equal rights for other minority groups in the United States. Though the student movement began a few years before the Stonewall riots, the riots helped to spur the student movement to take more action in the US. Despite this, the overall view of these gay liberation student organizations received minimal attention from contemporary LGBT historians. This oversight stems from the idea that the organizations were founded with haste as a result of the riots. Others historians argue that this group gives too much credit to groups that disagree with some of the basic principles of activist LGBT organizations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Troy Perry</span> American activist and clergy

Troy Deroy Perry Jr is an American cleric and the founder of the Metropolitan Community Church, with a ministry with the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities, in Los Angeles on October 6, 1968.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robyn Ochs</span> American bisexual activist, professional speaker and workshop leader

Robyn Ochs is an American bisexual activist, professional speaker, and workshop leader. Her primary fields of interest are gender, sexuality, identity, and coalition building. She is the editor of the Bisexual Resource Guide, Bi Women Quarterly, and the anthology Getting Bi: Voices of Bisexuals Around the World. Ochs, along with Professor Herukhuti, co-edited the anthology Recognize: The Voices of Bisexual Men.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of lesbianism in the United States</span>

This article addresses the history of lesbianism in the United States. Unless otherwise noted, the members of same-sex female couples discussed here are not known to be lesbian, but they are mentioned as part of discussing the practice of lesbianism—that is, same-sex female sexual and romantic behavior.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay and Bi Equal Rights and Liberation</span> Demonstration

The March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay, and Bi Equal Rights and Liberation was a large political rally that took place in Washington, D.C., on April 25, 1993. Organizers estimated that 1,000,000 attended the March. The D.C. Police Department put the number between 800,000 and more than 1 million, making it one of the largest protests in American history. The National Park Service estimated attendance at 300,000, but their figure attracted so much negative attention that it shortly thereafter stopped issuing attendance estimates for similar events.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Second National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights</span> American political rally and demonstration

The Second National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights was a large political rally that took place in Washington, D.C., on October 11, 1987. Its success, size, scope, and historical importance have led to it being called, "The Great March". It marked the first national coverage of ACT UP, with AIDS activists prominent in the main march, as well as making headlines the next day during mass civil disobedience actions at the United States Supreme Court Building.

Methodist viewpoints concerning homosexuality are diverse because there is no one denomination which represents all Methodists. The World Methodist Council, which represents most Methodist denominations, has no official statements regarding sexuality. Various Methodist denominations themselves take different stances on the issue of homosexuality, with many denominations holding homosexual practice to be sinful, while other denominations ordain LGBT clergy and marry same-sex couples. The positions of the various Methodist denominations around the globe are outlined in this article.

The modern South Korean LGBT rights movement arose in the 1990s, with several small organizations seeking to combat sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT history in Taiwan</span>

The major religions in Taiwan are Buddhism and Taoism. In these religions, the beliefs present no arguable issues about LGBTQ people. There are no laws about punishing sodomy, which means a sexual relationship between males is not considered an abomination, unlike in many western and Abrahamic religions. However, it was long considered a taboo issue. When human rights issues were discussed in political arenas, the concept of Tongzhi became a key term among the politicians in Taiwan. When it emerged in political forums, Taiwanese people began to become familiar with the idea that Tongzhi people being a part of their culture. Yet still, LGBTQ people were not mentioned in Taiwanese law. Punishment for being part of the LGBTQ community did not exist, yet there was also not any welfare or protection for LGBTQ people.

Pat Harrison and Robin Tyler were a feminist comedy duo, noted as the first lesbian, feminist comedy act. They came together during the 1970s, performing in small venues like colleges and using comedy as a tool to make fun of a system that oppresses lesbians, women, and members of the LGBT community. In 1970–1971 the comedy duo performed at Boston College where they met Maxine Feldman. Feldman joined Harrison and Tyler on their national tour, performing at colleges across the country and at a women's penitentiary, the California Institute for Women. Harrison and Tyler continued to tour college campuses throughout the U.S. for several years, bringing their particular brand of pointed, insightful, and decidedly gay, humor to students, while actively pushing for equal rights for women and LGBTQ people. In October of 1975 the comedy team was met with protestors when they performed at one of California State University, Long Beach's first Gay Pride celebrations. Tyler, in her persona as "Reverend Ripoff," delivered a scathing critique of rape culture, which was met by picketers carrying signs like, "Don't be a freak--be a normal Christian." This was the first national college tour of a lesbian comedy team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric Rosswood</span> American author and LGBT activist (born 1979)

Eric Rosswood is an American author and LGBT activist, best known for writing books about parenting. As of 2022, he has released five books. He is the author of two children's books, starting with My Uncle's Wedding in 2011 and Strong in 2022. His parenting books include Journey to Same-Sex Parenthood in 2016 and The Ultimate Guide for Gay Dads in 2017. We Make It Better, released in 2018, is compilation of biographies on LGBTQ people.

The National LGBTQ Wall of Honor is a memorial wall in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City, dedicated to LGBTQ "pioneers, trailblazers, and heroes". Located inside the Stonewall Inn, the wall is part of the Stonewall National Monument, the first U.S. National Monument dedicated to the country's LGBTQ rights and history. The first fifty nominees were announced in June 2019, and the wall was unveiled on June 27, 2019, as a part of Stonewall 50 – WorldPride NYC 2019 events. Five honorees will be added annually.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dana Goldberg (comedian)</span> American comedian (born 1976)

Dana Goldberg is an American comedian. She is especially known in the gay community, as Goldberg herself is gay. She is a weekly guest on The Stephanie Miller Show on SiriusXM and hosts her own podcast, Out in Left Field With Dana Goldberg on Advocate.com. She hosts an annual show in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In 2013, she was named a finalist in the Advocate's Stand Out: The National Queer Comedy Search. In 2017, she hosted the Los Angeles Resist March. Also in 2017, she performed at Trevor Live in New York City on a bill featuring John Oliver and Imagine Dragons. In 2019, she spoke at Lambda Legal's annual National Liberty Awards. In television, Goldberg has appeared on LOGO with her comedy special One Night Stand Up: Episode 4, filmed at San Francisco's Great American Music Hall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LGBT culture in Washington, D.C.</span>

In Washington, D.C., LGBT culture is heavily influenced by the U.S. federal government and the many nonprofit organizations headquartered in the city.

Queer radicalism can be defined as actions taken by queer groups which contribute to a change in laws and/or social norms. The key difference between queer radicalism and queer activism is that radicalism is often disruptive and commonly involves illegal action. Due to the nature of LGBTQ+ laws around the world, almost all queer activism that took place before the decriminalization of gay marriage can be considered radical action. The history of queer radicalism can be expressed through the many organizations and protests that contributed to a common cause of improving the rights and social acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community.

References

  1. ↑ "The Trailblazing Women of Stand-Up Comedy". National Women's History Museum. Retrieved 2022-10-12.
  2. 1 2 PRIDE on FX , retrieved 2022-10-12
  3. ↑ Olsen, Craig (2023). P.S. Burn This Letter. Great Britain: Sphere. p. 49. ISBN   978-0-7515-8594-0.
  4. ↑ "WATCH: 'Stonewall' Clip Explores the Old 'Three-Item Rule'". www.advocate.com. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
  5. ↑ "How Dressing in Drag Was Labeled a Crime in the 20th Century". HISTORY. 2019-06-28. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
  6. ↑ Pasternack, Dan. "Robin Tyler". McSweeney's Internet Tendency. Retrieved 2023-08-19.
  7. ↑ "1979 March on Washington". www.houstonlgbthistory.org. Retrieved 2022-07-07.
  8. ↑ Courlt; Milloy; Tofani, Loretta (1979-10-15). "25,00 Attend Gay Rights Rally At the Monument". Washington Post. ISSN   0190-8286 . Retrieved 2022-07-07.
  9. ↑ Ghaziani, Amin (2008). The dividends of dissent how conflict and culture work in lesbian and gay marches on Washington. University of Chicago Press. ISBN   0-226-28995-8. OCLC   495413819.
  10. 1 2 "L.A.'s first married same-sex couple eats wedding cake to celebrate". Los Angeles Times. 2013-06-26. Retrieved 2022-07-07.
  11. 1 2 "Pioneer: Robin Tyler". The Pride LA. 2016-06-09. Retrieved 2022-10-11.
  12. ↑ "Muzzling Dr. Laura". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
  13. ↑ http://www.glbtqarchive.com/ssh/tyler_r_ssh_S.pdf
  14. ↑ Hurwitz, Page (2024-06-18), Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution (Documentary), Judy Gold, Guy Branum, Rosie O'Donnell, Push It Productions, Brian Graden Media, retrieved 2024-06-29
  15. ↑ Cadenas, Kerensa. "Lily Tomlin, Robin Tyler, Margaret Cho & more queer comedy legends get the last laugh in new doc". Queerty. Retrieved 2024-06-29.
  16. ↑ "Queer comedians take center stage in Netflix documentary 'Outstanding'". NBC News. 2024-06-18. Retrieved 2024-06-29.
  17. ↑ "Robin Tyler". Discogs. Retrieved 2022-10-11.
  18. ↑ Rooney, David (2024-06-15). "'Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution' Review: Trailblazing Queer Comics Get Their Due in Entertaining Netflix Doc". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2024-06-16.
  19. ↑ "A TERF's fist gave rise to trans-inclusive women's music festivals". TransAdvocate. 2014-08-17. Retrieved 2022-07-07.
  20. ↑ "Robin Tyler's Political Stage". www.mydigitalpublication.com. Retrieved 2022-07-07.
  21. ↑ "After legal battle, California's first lesbian wedding takes place - under the huppa". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. June 17, 2008.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.