2 20 2617 https://www.exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/83580e359ab7db26d5e73889d6c0902a.jpeg b8effb975a25f4c34ce739627825b0b4 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Queer Sacramentality: The Church of the Beloved Disciple Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CBD_014 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1970-06-28 Title A name given to the resource "Gay People, This Is Your Church" Description An account of the resource Robert M. Clement and John Darcy Noble stand in Sheep Meadow following the first Christopher Street Liberation Day March on June 28, 1970, beneath a hand-painted sign proclaiming, "Gay People, This Is Your Church." Earlier that day, Clement carried this sign in the march while Noble distributed leaflets announcing their forthcoming inaugural public Mass. Carried at the first anniversary march commemorating the Stonewall uprising, the sign publicly proclaimed the Church of the Beloved Disciple’s affirming sacramental ministry for lesbian and gay people ahead of its first public Mass on July 19, 1970. This restored photograph preserves one of the earliest surviving public images of Clement and Noble's ministry and documents a pioneering declaration that LGBTQ Christians could participate fully in the sacramental life of the Church without concealing their identities. Type The nature or genre of the resource Still Image Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Church of the Beloved Disciple Archive, https://beloved-disciple.com https://www.exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/9188726bdb1e98d223b0fa0b7a433f36.pdf 1579e3563e193b7dab90d5f4a2ad0e42 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "Gays in the Synagogue" by Elenore Lester.&nbsp;<em>Present Tense,&nbsp;</em>Fall 1974 Issue. Description An account of the resource “Gays in the Synagogue,” writer and CBST member Elenore Lester’s article for the American Jewish Committee’s journal, Present Tense, which appeared in the Fall, 1974 issue. Paste-up copy, 2 pages. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Archives of Congregation Beit Simchat Torah, New York City, NY https://www.exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/dfcb9251ef49c8b55068ee7aee10bdb0.jpg 08d720c157bd701014cc2d735d0b3352 https://www.exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/cc4164369ed02ceaef5bca991d73cb5f.jpg 6aac3fe48b932bef77de731d48910aa0 https://www.exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/f424ca71a50438b06113eae57f179f4a.jpg 2650e699b3788c94112ad7d8c9b6eab2 https://www.exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/ac1aa38b1989e091fcefebc9d146198b.jpg 0b3103e385d236f7bcc4d167a26718d7 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Shower of Stoles Description An account of the resource Items (stoles) for the Shower of Stoles exhibit Stole A stole in the Shower of Stoles exhibit Honoree The person honored by the creation of thestole. Jocelyn Hasty Rachel Jennings Stole Text <p>This stole is displayed to the Glory of God in memory of <br /><strong>Jocelyn Hasty and Rachel Jennings</strong><br />life-long friends, housemates, Churchwomen and Deacons in the Presbyterian Church</p> <p>Jo was a life-long member of a small Presbyterian church in Minnesota when she died.  In preparing her funeral, I learned she had never married and had no children and very few relatives.  At her burial I was told Jo was being buried next to her parents and Rachel, her longtime friend and companion, with whom she had lived and served the church for over 40 years.  -- her pastor</p> Denomination Presbyterian Church (USA) Contribution Date 1998 Contribution Story <p>"Jocelyn Hasty" and "Rachel Jennings" are chosen pseudonyms for two life-long companions who had served as ordained Deacons in the Presbyterian Church for many years.  The pastor came to know "Jo" before she died.  Born in an era when two women would have referred to themselves as "companions" rather than "partners," certainly wouldn't have labeled themselves as lesbian, and wouldn't have talked openly about it one way or another, this pastor was savvy enough to create a safe space in which the nature of their relationship could be made clear.</p> <p><strong>Martha Juillerat</strong><br />Founder, Shower of Stoles Project<br />2006</p> Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 430 Title A name given to the resource "Jocelyn Hasty" Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Minnesota (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Their Pastor Ally Minnesota Presbyterian Presbyterian Church (USA) Women and Religion https://www.exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/60e866980eba2b074ebbc1c41a6e1bbd.jpeg d7445ff9fe64dca3173986227d6a452a Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Queer Sacramentality: The Church of the Beloved Disciple Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CBD_062 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1976-06-15 Title A name given to the resource "New York's Gay Patriarch" on the Cover of <em>FLASH: The International Guide to Gay Living</em> Description An account of the resource The cover of the June 15, 1976, issue of <em>FLASH: The International Guide to Gay Living</em> features Bishop Robert Mary Clement under the headline, "A Candid Interview with Bishop Robert Clement – New York's Gay Patriarch." Published during a period of increasing LGBTQ visibility following the Stonewall uprising, the magazine introduced Clement and the Church of the Beloved Disciple to a national LGBTQ readership. The feature reflected the church's growing prominence as one of the best-known sacramental ministries serving gay and lesbian Christians, highlighting Clement's conviction that LGBTQ people deserved full participation in the sacramental life of the Church without renouncing either their faith or their identity. Type The nature or genre of the resource Still Image Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Church of the Beloved Disciple Archive, https://beloved-disciple.com https://www.exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/f291bba6a452e34507b06d5491844a6a.jpeg 63d6008e2eef05100b8e6b4c13c07914 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Queer Sacramentality: The Church of the Beloved Disciple Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CBD_051 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1974-04-01 Title A name given to the resource "Two gay men ordained priests" Description An account of the resource Press release issued by the Church of the Beloved Disciple, authored by Robert Bradley, announcing the ordination of John Darcy Noble and Leo M. Joseph on April 20, 1974. The statement proclaimed the ordinations as the first known instance of two openly acknowledged gay men being ordained to the apostolic priesthood with the full knowledge and acceptance of their sexual orientation by all participants. It also introduced the Church of the Beloved Disciple to the wider public as an apostolic Christian community serving New York City's gay community and invited readers to attend its services at 348 West 14th Street in Manhattan. Type The nature or genre of the resource Still Image Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Church of the Beloved Disciple Archive, https://beloved-disciple.com https://www.exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/cde668f3fd69370037408bead58b4b06.pdf bc2fa92f07cd6555e8ee7cfa4885ce71 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Historical Development of BIPOC Trans-spiritual Leadership Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "We Also Have A Religion" The American Indian Religious Freedom Act and the Religious Freedom Project of the Native American Rights Fund Subject The topic of the resource Discusses developments in Native American hunting and fishing rights. And describes the establishment of the Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Announcements of the Native American Rights Fund, Winter 1979 https://www.narf.org/nill/documents/nlr/nlr5-1.pdf Description An account of the resource Discusses developments in Native American hunting and fishing rights. And describes the establishment of the <br /><a href="https://www.narf.org/nill/documents/nlr/nlr5-1.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.narf.org/nill/documents/nlr/nlr5-1.pdf</a> Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Historical Development of BIPOC Trans-spiritual Leadership Website A resource comprising of a web page or web pages and all related assets ( such as images, sound and video files, etc. ). URL https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/an-act-for-suppressing-outlying-slaves-1691/ Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource “An act for suppressing outlying slaves” (1691) Subject The topic of the resource Primary documents with text Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived William Waller Hening, ed., The Statutes at Large: Being a Collection of All Laws of Virginia, from the First Session of the Legislature, in the Year 1619 (Philadelphia: R. & W. & G. Bartow, 1823), 3:86–88. Description An account of the resource If a runaway was killed, the public would owe the owner 4,000 pounds of tobacco. And if white person married a runaway or an Indian, they "shall within three months after such marriage be banished and removed from this dominion forever..." https://www.exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/7bb87d0dca1e4298410214035028c387.pdf b24cc6f64d8167b99237421d87f8547d Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Upstairs Lounge Fire Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource “Thieves, Queers and Fruit Jars: The Community and Media Responses to the Fire at the Upstairs Lounge” by Clayton Delery Description An account of the resource Dr. Clayton Delery, a Louisiana native and professor at The Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts, has recently written this essay comparing the response of New Orleans city and religious leaders to the Rault Center fire in November 1972 with the response to the Upstairs Lounge fire. He unabashedly points out the disdain with which homosexual persons were treated at the time. Delery is working on a book on the Upstairs Lounge fire. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Used by permission of Clayton Delery. https://www.exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/05c55018e23d6f8723075cb82ce6de4e.png 5bed3d4f3c9a2f71cec9a2fd31959125 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Historical Development of BIPOC Trans-spiritual Leadership Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource (Trans)Gender in Kabbalah Subject The topic of the resource Bereishit Rabbah 8:1 (1) R' Yirmiyah ben Elazar said, when Hashem created Adam HaRishon, he was created as both genders... Maggid Meisharim 8:3 You should know that this woman was in the past, a proper Torah scholar. However, he was stingy with his money and would not give charity. He was also stingy with his wisdom and would not teach others. He was therefore punished that his soul migrated into a woman, measure for measure… ...this is known according to the Sod (Secret/Mysticism) of reincarnation - that at times, a female would be in a male body, because in the reasons of gilgal (reincarnation) the soul of a female would come to be in a male. ... That is why it says by Issac that Hashem answered to Him and not to Her (Rebecca), because he needed divine help to be able to have kids. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Abby Stein, Eshel Retreat 2016 - Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/24596?lang=bi https://www.exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/af8086e13a3c80f0762c956b04362267.png 248b119d7d06b74c20e8af3b45eaddfc Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Historical Development of BIPOC Trans-spiritual Leadership Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource [Asian and Pacific Islander Queer Women and Transgendered Coalition at Pride Parade] Subject The topic of the resource A coalition of Queer women and transgenders of Asian and Pacific Islander descent Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Permission to use this image must be obtained from the San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library. https://digitalsf.org/islandora/object/islandora%3A157705?solr_nav%5Bid%5D=4e4cf9557339434c1ea2&solr_nav%5Bpage%5D=0&solr_nav%5Boffset%5D=16 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Shades of LGBTQI, Shades of San Francisco Donor description: Asian and Pacific Islander Queer Women and Transgendered Coalition. Pride Parade 1999. https://www.exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/0a6915f8efb06ea818ce71d48868ac28.png b3d63c6d3b0583e253ae41d82e4f936a Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Historical Development of BIPOC Trans-spiritual Leadership Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource [During Gay Pride Day, marching with Gay Asian Pacific Alliance] Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Shades of LGBTQI, Shades of San Francisco Donor description: Marching with GAPA, 1990's San Francisco Gay Pride with tropical theme. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Permission to use this image must be obtained from the San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library. https://www.exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/566af3eaf5349c0b74b101dbb17b11f3.jpg 7e51bbf7383efebe3b289a1fd538d83d https://www.exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/94dcf1de33198855573f5de52ca3c369.jpg 0453217b8f6ff80169c8f660299b4b0c https://www.exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/8f35aeba25a2de8e6f0db559e73fc5d6.jpg 350eef961650141125ef0630aee3efe9 https://www.exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/c4dc74a08165dda300d3468279d3ac8f.jpg 7c798b835daca0a0bf9fd83463e9ecb2 https://www.exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/f30540ab2eb289bf8cc44349bd9a5a86.jpg ff2988b560e8f97b8dacdc1d59cb8d93 https://www.exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/dcfd8405dd24828263a6b1672a662c79.jpg 00285b8227e806e86c3d8b802730be9a Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Shower of Stoles Description An account of the resource Items (stoles) for the Shower of Stoles exhibit Stole A stole in the Shower of Stoles exhibit Honoree The person honored by the creation of thestole. #AJustFaith Stole Text #AJustFaith Multi-Faith  #AJustFaith is a black LGBTQ multi-faith, multi-ethnic, and multi-generational coalition of people who speak, teach and organize to create a just world for all. We are members of African, Arab, Asian, Indigenous and Latinx communities presenting visionary narratives of a world free of all forms of violence, domination, and oppression. We are inspired by our faiths’ most positive values to promote love for all humankind and responsible stewardship of our home, Earth. Signed by those attending the first convening in Salt Lake City, UT on October 19, 2015. Contribution Date 2015 Contribution Story This founding gathering took place on the day before the Faith & Family LGBTQ Power Summit, hosted by the National LGBTQ Task Force in Salt Lake City, UT, October 20-23, 2015. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1230 Title A name given to the resource #AJustFaith Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Salt Lake City, Utah (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource #AJustFaith African American American Indian Asian Latinx Salt Lake City Theology Utah https://www.exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/2055033c93fcd34aae66a539b43d732f.jpg 619a019842aa5abadc8581a7499faeec Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Upstairs Lounge Fire Book An external reference to a published book. URL <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Afraid-Anymore-Metropolitan-Community/dp/0312069545" target="_blank">http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Afraid-Anymore-Metropolitan-Community/dp/0312069545</a> Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource <em>Don’t Be Afraid Anymore</em> by Troy Perry Description An account of the resource This book by UFMCC founder and long-time moderator Troy Perry includes his recollections of being in New Orleans following the fire. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived St. Martin’s Press: 1990; pp. 76-101 https://www.exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/d412319c54c9666a7d0ad711b1af7479.jpg 034590506867364b89822f7865f02689 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Upstairs Lounge Fire Book An external reference to a published book. URL <a href="http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2145976,00.html" target="_blank">http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2145976,00.html</a> Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource <em>The Horror Upstairs </em>by Elizabeth Dias with Jim Downs Description An account of the resource TIME magazine published a major story on the 40th anniversary (July 1, 2013 issue). https://www.exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/d8c92138bba0452a42a409ff9266d203.jpg 68f99c7c082462f400c7e5da47ebb749 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Upstairs Lounge Fire Book An external reference to a published book. URL <a href="https://www.facebook.com/upstairsloungefire" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/upstairsloungefire</a> Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource <em>The Upstairs Lounge Fire </em>by Royd Anderson Description An account of the resource Filmmaker Royd Anderson produced a documentary film that examines the tragedy of the Upstairs Lounge Fire (2013). https://www.exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/dac443b93c96e3242960d876de90a3d6.pdf 1f5fed4ccbad9ade2d180c8547588b33 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document Page 1: to implement the challenge of change... A Brief of Injustices an indictment of our society in its treatment of the homosexual Presented by The Council on Religion and the Homosexual, Inc. 330 Ellis Street San Francisco, California 94102 Page 2: to implement the challenge of change... A Brief of Injustices an indictment of our society in its treatment of the homosexual Presented by The Council on Religion and the Homosexual, Inc. 330 Ellis Street San Francisco, California 94102 Page 3: Index 1. Homosexuals are being prosecuted under laws which cannot be enforced equitably - Page 3 2. Homosexuals are being socially ostracized to the extent that they are often unable to avail themselves of effective legal counsel and unwilling to risk fighting for their legitimate rights in courts. - Page 4 3. Individuals who publicly assist persons/perceived by others as homosexuals face attempted intimidation by police as well as other negative sanctions. -Page 4 4. Enforcement officers use methods of enticement and entrapment to develop grounds for arrest and conviction of persons presumed to be homosexuals. -Page 5 5. Persons perceived to be homosexuals are subjected to unreasonable and unfair discriminatory practices in employment based on the unfounded belief of employers that homosexuals are unstable or are untrustworthy. - Page 5 6. Persons presumed to be homosexuals, on suspicion alone, are being willfully, publicly and illegally harassed by police in injurious ways. -Page 6 7. Criminals who attack citizens often go free because too much police manpower is used to harass, entice and entrap suspected homosexuals. - Page 7 8. Licensed public premises, such as bars, are subject to prosecution because they provide services to homosexuals or persons presumed to be homosexuals. Conversely, homosexuals and persons presumed to be homosexuals are deprived of access to such licensed public premises which are available to other people. - Page 7 9. In order to make a case against a licensed public place believed to serve homosexuals or persons presumed to be homosexuals, plainclothes investigators employ methods of enticement and entrapment to secure "evidence" which is often proved false or irrelevant. -Page 9 10. Private acts of unsuspecting persons which result from the deceitful enticement of undercover agents are used to suspend or revoke the license of public places, even though neither the enticement nor the private acts have ever been reported to the licensee. Page 9 Cover: The Wall of the Jefferson Memorial, Washington D.C. Page 4: Police harassment and denials of civil rights in San Francisco to persons presumed to be homosexual have raised issues of concern to all citizens. To bring this situation to the attention of the public, the Board of Trustees of The Council on Religion and the Homosexual, Inc., has prepared this Brief of Injustices. As a result of their involvement with the Council, many clergymen became aware of injustices which, until now, have been largely ignored by society. The clergy members of the Council's Board made their own investigation, and upon hearing their conclusions the Board of Trustees concurred. Consequently, this Brief is presented as the consensus of the Board. To place this Brief in proper perspective, we list the purposes of The Council on Religion and the Homosexual, which has as its objective the promotion of a "continuing dialogue between the religious community and homosexuals." 1. To orient members of religious communities (both lay persons and clergy) on aspects of homosexuality (i.e., physical, economic, legal, emotional, etc.) in accordance with homosexual testimony and available scientific data. 2. To encourage members of the religious communities to provide opportunities for homosexuals of both sexes to present their views of homosexuality to various religious organizations. 3. To open up channels of communication so that members of the religious communities may engage in dialogue with homosexuals in order to bring about new and deeper understandings of sexuality, morality, ethical behavior, and the life of religious faith. 4. To study systematically the deeper dynamics of authentic human relationships from biblical, theological and social science perspectives. 5. To engage in research which will further understanding of homosexuality within the larger framework of the present sexual revolution. 6. To enlist the aid of religious publications and other media in working toward a broadened editorial policy including more accurate and objective articles on homosexuality. 7. To provide an effective voice throughout the nation in matters of laws, policies and penal reforms governing adult sexual behavior. 8. To help professional people (clergymen, social workers, etc.) working in mental health and counseling fields to understand better their role in dealing with problems of human sexuality in our society with special reference to young people. 9. To encourage the formation of similar councils on religion and the homosexual in other areas of the nation and the world. We feel that these objectives can only be obtained through a thorough and objective consideration of human sexual behavior from all points of view and with a deep concern for the human beings and values involved in such sensitive, personal matters. The Council had its beginnings with a series of small group meetings which included homosexuals, members of the religious community, leaders of the homophile organizations, and other interested persons. After considering pertinent scientific and professional literature, we began a series of discussions with lawyers, doctors, psychiatrists, social workers,. and others knowledgeable in the field. With this background we held a consultation involving thirty people interested in the project. From this consultation there developed the idea of The Council on Religion and the Homosexual. Goals were established; the Council was formed, and later incorporated, and the major work began. Up to this point the results of our investigations were neither conclusive nor consistent. Therefore in order to understand better the ramifications of homosexual behavior, we began direct observation of the homosexual's relationships. The clergy started visiting so-called "gay bars," dances, discussion groups and other Page 5: social functions. Many of us spent time examining the little-publicized problem areas in the homosexual's existence: male prostitution, the aging homosexual, and the behavior which police and society consider undesirable. In the process we met homosexuals of every type, from every social and ethnic group, with every sort of religious and political outlook. From these investigations we derived a new sense of the difficulties we were to face. As time brought greater knowledge we discovered that a majority of homosexuals are productive members of society, doing excellent work in many fields of art, business, industry and the professions. Contrary to the conflicting theories of psychiatrists and other behavioral scientists, many of whom hold that homosexuals are abnormal, neurotic, dangerous people, we found that most of the persons we met and talked to were normal in appearance and fully capable of deep, lasting and moral relationships. Also contrary to popular misconceptions, we learned that homosexuals were not inherently more criminal either in intent or actions than their heterosexual counterparts. As with any group of people, we discovered elements which constitute social or legal problems. But by and large this group in the homosexual community, as in the larger community, seems to be small. In short, homosexuals turned out to be no better or worse than their heterosexual counterparts, differing from them primarily in the choice of a sexual partner. With this knowledge we were ready to act. The homophile organizations related to the Council volunteered to raise funds by sponsoring a benefit costume ball to be held January 1, 196 5. It was through this event that we experienced first hand the harassing tactics of the police. We had apprised the polic.e of the ball and the reasons for holding it, and had been led to believe the police would riot interfere- - but they did. Floodlights illuminated the entrance to the hall and police photographers took still and moving pictures of all persons entering and leaving. Police both plainclothes and uniformed, attempted to enter the hall--and did--following the arrest of three attorneys representing the Council and one woman member who was on duty at the door. Subsequently all four of those arrested pleaded not guilty to "interfering with police in the performance of their duty, " and at their jury trial were found not guilty. Now we are confronted with new and more serious problems. Can we continue what we have begun? Can we do anything constructive without provoking further hostile reactions from the police and perhaps even from the general community? Our answer: We know that we cannot accept quietly the unexpected pressures to which persons of homosexual orientation are being subjected. I During many discussions with lawyers, including those involved in the court cases which followed the dance, we have discovered that there is very little justice for the homosexual. The reasons for this are disturbing. For instance, we were surprised to discover that while it is not against the law to be homosexual, the law forbids specific sexual acts which are illegal whether performed by homosexuals, heterosexuals, or presumably even by children. We question whether such laws are either just or reasonable. Sexual acts are among the most private areas of human expression. As private acts, they should not be the subject of law. We also believe that law should sustain the right of each individual to engage in private sexual activity. Most sex laws are unjust, vague, unenforceable or unrealistic. Such laws serve best to open up avenues for blackmail, police brutality, and the violation of civil rights. The fact that the adult homosexual bears the brunt of a sporadic and prejudicial enforcement of such laws seems to be the choice of the law enforcement agencies themselves. In recent years there has been an increase in arrests for violations of these laws, but the enforcement has been directed almost exclusively against male homosexuals. If capricious enforcement of unjust laws continues, the day will Page 6: soon arrive when irritated or overzealous police officers may, at their own discretion, impose their own prejudices on some of the most intimate and private concerns of human life. This, then, is the first great injustice: Homosexuals are being prosecuted under laws which cannot be enforced equitably. II When we consider the effect of the moral standards of the community, we find that there are even greater inequities. In the Bay Area a sixteen year old boy attempted suicide arid subsequently it was discovered that. he was driven to this extreme by the brutal abuse of his schoolmates who found him to be bookish, a bit different, and therefore implicitly "queer." We have observed situations where parents have disowned their children when they discovered they were homosexuals. When a homosexual's sexual orientation is exposed the result usually is instant and overwhelming social condemnation, public shame and ridicule, the loss of employment, friends and church affiliation. As a result, dread of exposure has made many homosexuals fearful, guilt-ridden and secretive. Such citizens are easily intimidated by the public, the police, the courts and the unscrupulous lawyers to whom they sometimes have to turn. Lawyers who have represented homosexuals have told us that most homosexuals, even if not guilty, will not fight their cases through the courts. They decide it is better to plead guilty and hope for the court's mercy. They are so suspicious and fearful of exposure and publicity they usually prefer to forego trial by jury, feeling certain other citizens will consider them guilty despite all contrary evidence. While still in the hands of the police many homosexuals seem to be intimidated into making damaging admissions, often untrue, which are so incriminating that a merited defense becomes almost impossible. Hence, police statistics indicating the number of convictions may be more indicative of the fear and false guilt felt by the homosexual than of his actual guilt or innocence. Published police statistics which seek to prove that most homosexuals are criminals cannot withstand careful scrutiny from a scientific perspective. Basic prejudices and methods of enforcement preclude the scientific accuracy and importance of such data, This, then, is the second great injustice: Homosexuals are being socially ostracized to the extent that they are often unable to avail themselves of effective legal counsel and unwilling to risk fighting for their legitimate rights in courts. III We have learned much from our confrontations with the police. Before the dance some of us had two long meetings with members of the sex crimes detail of the San Francisco Police Department. What we heard astounded us. We had come to discuss the ball and the possibility of opening up avenues of communication. They were determined to examine our theological beliefs and why we had chosen to concern ourselves with people who committed what were to them sinful acts. During one discussion, we were informed that even masturbation was a crime against "God's Law." They seemed sure they were involved in enforcing "God's Law." It has become apparent that the police feel justified in doing whatever they want to do regardless of whether it is merited or not, wise, or even legal. We have also discovered that the word of some persons representing the police department is undependable; their attitudes tend to be rather big brotherish, and their actions tend to Page 7: be oppressive if not unjust. We fear this may set unparalleled precedents for, establishing a police state; where private fanaticism becomes public dogma, where eccentricity makes a man a felon, where suspicion invariably convicts, and where statutes come to mean whatever the police want them to mean. We were told; "Leave morals and law enforcement to us." In effect, they said return to the temple and pray. For us, however, God's action is not only in the temple but in the world confronting human need. This, then, is the third great injustice: Individuals who publicly assist persons perceived by others as homosexuals face attempted intimidation by police as well as other negative sanctions. IV As we have noted, the choice of the persons against whom the penalties of law are enforced seems to rest with the police department. As a result, some homosexuals suffer from the inequitable enforcement of law. But we have found our greatest source of concern in the specific police tactics used to make arrests and obtain convictions. We are convinced that the police use entrapment or enticement in order to make arrests, although they vehemently deny resorting to such practices. It is our understanding that such methods are illegal. For instance, we wonder about the legality and justice of having attractive young police officers in civilian clothes making themselves receptive targets for approach and solicitation. Can such officers be expected invariably to resist the temptation to lead the conversation into areas where an arrest is assured? The courts seem to believe the word of the police. But we wonder if the police always tell the truth. There may be many cases in which policemen color the truth or distort facts to get a conviction. And we suspect that there may be officers who spend time peeking through little holes into men's rooms or stationed behind vent screens. Others may stand at urinals inviting approach. As ministers, we have investigated many of the so-called "set-ups" used to make such arrests, and we can only wonder with what sort of men we are dealing. It has been suggested that the frequency of arrests and their nature could indicate the existence of a quota system based on the principle that minimum police efficiency demands at least so many arrests of a certain type by certain officers over a period of time. A more basic question is: Is solicitation with the intent to commit a sexual act of any kind justification for arrest and conviction? Is the discussion of possible sexual acts an adequate ground for considering that a person manifests sexual behavior presently against the law? If conversations about illegal matters are made equivalent to actual violation of law then we would have to incarcerate almost everyone. This, then, is the fourth great injustice: Enforcement officers use methods of enticement and entrapment to develop grounds for arrest and conviction of persons presumed to be homosexual. V It does not end here. We have learned that when a person is arrested he is fingerprinted, photographed, and a record is made of the charges against him. Even if the courts dismiss the case or find him not guilty, this record of arrest is retained by the police department. It can follow the person throughout his lifetime and be used much later to ruin him, particularly if the charges involve, homosexual acts, which many employers consider a risky credit for an employee. It is unfair for employers to subject such persons to severe penalties on the basis of a police record of arrests--especially as arrests are made as a means of intimidation when the arresting officers know they cannot make a case in court. It is especially unjust when prolonged unemployment results from less than legal arrests and less than just Page 8: court proceedings. But the police do not always stop at reporting the record. In many cases they tell the person's employer of the charges against him, or release this information to the press for publication, which has the same effect. The lawyers arrested at the ball were the victims of such practices by the police department which sent the San Francisco Bar Association a report that these attorneys had been arrested defending homosexuals. Fortunately, the ethics of the Bar Association are quite different from those of the police. The same might be said, but in another way in reference to the discriminatory policies adhered to by the military and governmental sectors of our society. Suspected homosexuals are ferreted out and discharged as quickly as possible. For instance, a majority of homosexuals have served honorably in the military services without being detected or demoralizing their companions. The unfortunates who are discovered are discharged on "other than honorable grounds." This becomes all the more lamentable since the younger ones often do not manifest behavior associated with homosexuality until they are in the armed services. Government employees often are pre-emptorily discharged after expensive investigations disclose grounds for "suspicion of homosexual behavior." Yet it has never been scientifically established that homosexuals are undesirable in public or military service because of their susceptibility to being blackmailed or because of innate characteristics which affect job performance. Returning to the private sector, many private employers discharge homosexual employees on grounds justified by little more than custom, prejudice and taboo. These attitudes encourage mass personnel inquisitions consuming thousands of dollars and countless man hours, and often result in irreparable loss of talent and productivity which our society cannot afford. This, then, is the fifth great injustice: Persons perceived to be homosexuals are subjected to unreasonable and unfair discriminatory practices in employment based on the unfounded belief of employers that homosexuals are unstable or untrustworthy. VI It is common knowledge that the police engage in other forms of harassment. Harassment of persons in bars, on streets, or in other public places seems predicated on the theory that although most people, even highly trained ones, cannot detect the average homosexual, the police are fully capable of making such fine distinctions. Persons are subjected to questioning based on suspicion alone without there being any proof that illegal sexual acts have been or ever will be performed by that individual. Because of dress, manner, place of assembly, choice of associates, or just because the officers detect a seeming difference from the norm, persons may be detained for questioning, have makeup cards filed on them, and in other ways be publicly embarrassed and forced to endure verbal abuse. Members of the Council and their wives have experienced such verbal abuse. In our encounter with the police, one said: "I never thought I'd see the day when ministers helped queers." One of the ministers was asked by a policeman in a condemning tone, "Would you want your son to be a homosexual?" Another question was asked, "What does your wife think of your helping homosexuals?" This, then, is the sixth great injustice: Persons presumed to be homosexuals, on suspicion alone, are being willfully, publicly, and illegally harassed by police in injurous ways. Page 9: Because homosexuals are subjected to the contempt of the public and the police, they become fair game for all forms of criminality. Fearful and distrustful of the police, the courts, and indeed of the public in general, homosexuals choose to submit to beatings, extortion and robbery by professional criminals. Many of the major crimes committed in San Francisco, such as murder, assault and battery, extortion and robbery, are perpetrated on homosexuals. Few of the perpetrators of these crimes ever seem to be caught. A whole underworld of traffic in male flesh is reported to flourish in San Francisco, yet it often seems that persons most subjected to harassment are the homosexuals who, for one reason or another, find it necessary to be clients of male prostitutes. We seriously question the advisability of the amount of police time and public money used to harass suspected homosexuals while many actual malefactors escape apprehension. We think members of the sex crimes detail now spending their time in latrines, in plainclothes standing on the street corners, or in gay bars seeking to entrap unsuspecting citizens, could better protect our community by concentrating on major areas of crime. It appears to us that disorganized and prejudicial law enforcement is almost as much of a problem as organized crime. This, then, is the seventh great injustice: Criminals who attack citizens often go free because too much police manpower is used to harass, entice and entrap suspected homosexuals. VIII Our investigation into the homosexual's behavior and his relationships to his society led us to consider the so-called "gay bars." For the harassed homosexual there hardly seems to be any place other then the gay bar in which he may freely associate without baleful scrutiny and the need to wear a mask. We investigated heterosexual bars and gay bars impartially, and at no time did we observe in gay bars any actions we might deem shocking or immoral. In most cases our arrival was not particularly noticed. We doubt that the patrons in the bars could have known that we were ministers. It can be said that in appearance, atmosphere, deportment of clientele, and the nature of any sexuality which might inadvertently find expression, the average gay bar is forced to be well above its heterosexual counterpart. After a thorough investigation of bars we met with various bartenders, managers and others who were, familiar with the problems faced by the bar owner and his patrons. This led to a confrontation with the Alcoholic Beverage Control in a meeting we held with its regional director. Unsatisfied with what we had been told there, we examined court records of such famous litigation as "Stoumen vs. Reilly," or what is popularly known as "The Black Cat Case;" "Mary's First and Last Chance," a bar which was located in Oakland; and some more recent closures affecting "Jack's Waterfront," "The D'Oak Room" and "The Jumpin' Frog" bars which we had inspected prior to their closing. Legal matters were reviewed with several lawyers, and in some cases we talked with some of the patrons who had been arrested by ABC agents or city police in attempts to gather sufficient evidence to justify closing the bars. At first we did not realize the full implications of our investigations. Basically what we found was that an agency of government, in this case the ABC, was using prejudicial enforcement of a questionable law to justify the closing of homosexual bars under legal provisions it used much less frequently in cases involving heterosexual bars. Since the average life span of a gay bar seems to be something short of two years, while heterosexual bars usually remain open almost indefinitely, it Page 10: appears that the degree of scrutiny which homosexual bars receive may greatly exceed that accorded heterosexual bars. Apparently they are usually closed on several grounds which may be summed up in this way: the licensee is running a dis.orderly house injurious to the public decency or morals, because within the premises and with his full knowledge he permitted lewd or lascivious acts, a public display or manifestation of aberrant sexual urges or desires, verbal solicitations. indicating the intent to perform such acts, or that he allowed his bar to become a resort for dope pushers or addicts, prostitutes, pimps, panderers or sexual perverts. It is very misleading to consider sexual pervert and homosexual as synonymous. For instance, some authorities consider the use of contraceptives as a practice of sexual perversion- -the perverting of sexual intimacies from the intended purpose of procreation. The disagreements which exist between scientists, sociologists, physicians, lawyers and even the clergy about the etiology of homosexuality, its nature and manifestations, preclude such a. connection between homosexuality and sexual perversion. In addition, persons with homosexual inclinations have not been scientifically proven to be ipso facto criminals, intrinsically detrimental to civilization or infected with disease. Neither do they comprise a small element in the population which can be isolated, incarcerated or eradicated by repressive measures. Therefore, to close bars just because they are patronized by homosexuals, on the basis of the incorrect belief that homosexuals are sexual perverts, is incoherent reasoning. In fact, we are told by people knowledgeable in the field that even if this spurious contention were valid there is no way to determine with any certainty what persons or groups of persons in a bar are homosexual. Therefore, as written, justice and equity in applying this law are almost impossible. There are more basic issues. Charges drawn up against gay bars are an itemization either of verbal solicitations or of acts tending to the public display or manifestation of aberrant sexual urges or desires, which are directed to, or seen by, specific ABC undercover agents whose entry into and departure from the bar are unknown to its owner. In such a sense, the act of a man placing his arm loosely around the waist of another man, in a gay bar, within the view of such an agent, indicates that the man is a homosexual publicly expressing sexual urges or desires, or the intent thereto, which are clearly against the present statutes. This sort of evidence is used to establish that the bar owner is keeping a disorderly house. To establish that a disorderly house exists does not require that a person named in a charge must actually commit an illegal sex act, so any interpretation of intent to commit such acts on the basis that a person is presumed to be a homosexual is unjustified and irrational. Most intelligent people would never sanction branding citizens as homosexuals solely on the basis that their thoughts, speech, mannerisms, conversations, attitudes, tendencies or psychological responses are in some manner or to some degree, unconventional. Neither would they expect lay authorities such as the police, the ABC, or even the courts to be able to determine from simple aspects of non-sexual behavior whether persons were homosexual. Because there is a difference between the acts themselves and the mere intent to perform them, there is no substantial connection between gestures or conversations and the specific sexual acts which are against the law. Therefore, justice itself would preclude confounding intent to perform with performance when the actual performance itself is substantially lacking. Clearly, the manner of application and enforcement of these statutes depends upon the personal opinions and prejudices of the ABC and its agents, a type of enforcement which fosters oppression, blackmail and discrimination. We hardly think it prudent to invest the ABC with the exclusive, unlimited and unrestrained authority to suppress or regulate the behavior of bar patrons through its right to suspend or revoke licenses. Thus ABC becomes what it should not become, the keeper of morals for bar patrons in general and for homosexuals in particular. Page 11: This, then, is the eighth great injustice: Licensed public premises, such as bars are subject to prosecution because they provide services to homosexuals or persons presumed to be homosexuals. Conversely, homosexuals and persons presumed to be homosexuals are deprived of access to such licensed public premises which are available to other people. IX The methods used by the ABC to gather evidence against bars are not unlike those used by the plainclothes agents of the police department. Through deceit and inducement, lure and suggestion, both police and ABC undercover agents encourage solicitations for sexual acts. Such solicitations are not reported to the licensee until months or years later when they are published in the charges used to suspend or revoke the license. In reading the charges filed against several of the bars, we concluded that almost any act or conversation in a gay bar is sufficient for arrest and for use as data in revoking the license. There is also the question of the strict legality of ruses and ploys employed by these agents in their efforts to make a case against the gay bar. We ask: In playing their part in an endless crusade to enforce the so-called moral code of society, are these agents free from disposition toward prejudice or a tendency to deliberately distort and alter the facts just to get sufficient evidence to close the bar? This, then, is the ninth great ,injustice: In order to make a case against a licensed public place believed to serve homosexuals or persons presumed to be homosexuals, plainclothes investigators employ methods of enticement and entrapment to secure "evidence" which is often proved false or irrelevant. X Although the ABC has repeatedly denied that it keeps files of charges on gay bars, or that such charges are being gathered against all the gay bars in San Francisco, logic indicates that the entire truth is not being told. Somewhere a closed file, or its equivalent, unavailable for public or legal scrutiny, must be in the process of being assembled, for in many cases the dates of actual incidents used as evidence to suspend a license date far back into the bar's history. As we have stated, from our observation the standards of behavior in gay bars are equal to, if not higher than, those in most heterosexual bars; therefore unless we assume that carefully assembled files of charges are kept on such bars we are at a loss to explain the fact that almost all gay bars are eventually closed. Since the files remain secret, since the undercover agents never report arrests to the bar owner, and since the ABC never publishes the charges until action is taken to suspend or revoke the license, the owner of the bar is required to defend himself against accusations concerning acts which may have occurred months or even years earlier. Proper defense against such charges is then almost impossible. Indeed, in criminal court the charges against the person arrested and named in the ABC action are often dismissed for lack of evidence, but the arrest is still held against the bar. Such accusations, traditionally of dubious merit, are used at a cut-and-dried proforma hearing where, almost without exception, they form the basis for the suspension of the license pending appeal. Appeals through the ABC almost always fail, and since actions on the constitutional issues in the civil courts are prohibitively expensive, most bars whose licenses are suspended are financially unable to fight for justice. Therefore they have no alternative but to go out of business. The whole idea of suspending a license pending appeal seems to be a denial of due process. Unable to properly defend himself against vague and often uncorroborated charges of which he is unaware until his license is suspended, the licensee is found sufficiently guilty by the ABC to justify suspending the license, leaving him the Page 12: almost impossible task of proving that he is innocent when in effect he has already been convicted. When we examined the actual court cases, the hearings and the appeals, we noticed that gay bars never seem to win reversals of any sort. As we have seen in the Black Ca.t case, those few that do fight their cases through the courts only achieve a temporary stay of execution. ABC pressure continues until something is found which will justify a revocation of the license. We feel the ABC is well aware that without funds the licensee cannot afford the great cost of taking the case into the courts where reversal might be possible. We suspect that both the hearing and the appeal boards of the ABC are inclined to follow the basic dictum of the entire agency; that all homosexual bars must be closed. This arrangement is a prime example of the vicious circle in exercising unlimited power to try to convict. The ABC is the investigator through its undercover agents, the accuser through its list of secret and vague charges, the prosecutor through its published charges, the judge through its boards of hearing and appeal, and the punisher through its right to suspend a license pending appeal. Such policies and actions lead us to believe that a highly prejudiced concern with a moral function exists which does not properly fall within the purview of the ABC. If they are disorderly, bars should be closed. But such treatment should be equitable, and should be based on investigations and charges which apply uniformly and which do not violate due process. Gay bars per se are not hotbeds of unspeakable acts, or the scenes of wild orgies. Just because homosexuals gather together there is no automatic offense to public morals and decency. We ministers have been in and out of all these bars often enough to reach this conclusion. This, then, is the tenth great injustice: Private acts of unsuspecting persons which result from the deceitful enticement of undercover agents are used to suspend or revoke the license of public places; even though neither the enticement nor the private acts have ever been reported to the licensee. Our police department, ever alert in rooting out crime in our community, does its small part to intimidate the patrons of gay bars. Besides the use of entrapment and enticement inside the bars they also harass people as they enter or leave. Indeed, as we have discovered, in the last ten years arrests in and out of bars has increased sharply. We wonder if these statistics do not suggest that in many cases arrests of homosexuals are like parking tickets, an effective and socially acceptable way of showing that the police are doing the job of enforcing "God's Law." Such indications provide little comfort when we read about murders and robbery on streets and in parks, or in one case, at the benefit ball, we observed over 35 policemen standing on the sidewalks. As ministers, we are discouraged when we realize that some of these social problems stem in part from misconceptions about theology and the interpretation of the Bible. The churches cannot escape their own participation in the perpetuation of these injustices. Selection of scriptural references, for instance, contribute to the attitudes of parishioners. One may read the Ten Commandments, wherein homosexuality is not mentioned at all, or one may use the oft-quoted Sodom and Gomorrah passage to justify the extermination of all homosexual behavior. We as churchmen cannot separate ourselves from our participation in the society which now perpetrates the injustices which we have described. At the same time we want to align ourselves with the causes which uphold the rights of persons, and against institutions which treat any person as less than a human and a child of God. In drawing up this Brief of Injustices we feel we are helping to expose a pattern of social, legal and economic oppression of a minority group, based not on fact and scientific analysis but rather on taboo and fear. No amount of condemnation, intimidation or incarceration in penal or mental institutions can alter the fact that a large minority of American citizens has, according to existing laws, at least upon occasion been guilty of committing homosexual acts. Further, the unreasonable Page 13: discrimination against homosexuals is demonstrated by the existence of a vast schism between the actual sexual activities of the entire population and those theoretically ideal standards which legal codes seek to uphold. Thus that a few are caught and punished is even more reprehensible. In sexual matters the law should be concerned with the protection of youth and the guarding of the public against force or predatory conduct. Other sexual behavior should be rooted in personal liberty and should be legally protected. Closely related, the right to peacefully meet in places open to the public is no more than the right of assembly granted to all citizens and should not be denied to the homosexual. It seems to us the first duty of the police is to prevent crime, not to provoke it for the sole purpose of its prosecution and punishment. Surely the utilization of plainclothesmen to try to induce citizens to perform homosexual acts for the purpose of arresting them is neither the best use of our police force nor an act of public justice. We also believe that Americans should reject any custom or law which would make any public authority the judge of private, personal moral convictions. Certainly such an authority should not permit a civil right to be whittled away indirectly any more than it should be allowed to be destroyed directly. We feel that the test of a democratic society is in the extent to which it suppresses individual thought and action. For some time there has been a demand for regulation of every aspect of human behavior and the repression of more and more conduct that is supposedly different from the so-called norm. This in itself is an expression of a growing tendency to employ broad standards and vaguely worded laws which seem to equate sin with crime, and which are used by the police to scoop up possible violators as they see fit. The excessive concern of some Americans over what are essentially areas of personal expression in sexual behavior, exercised between adults in private, can result in our becoming a nation of professional snoopers and privacy invaders, a society of voyeurs seeking to expose the scandals and defects in others which we refuse to recognize in ourselves. Laws based on such whims are a step backward. Such tendencies are. diametrically opposed to the principles of equality we profess to maintain, reducing suspected homosexuals to the status of second grade citizens and inferior human beings. In addition, it is our firm belief that any law which is unenforceable is worse than no law at all. Besides the violations of civil and human rights which these injustices imply, there are issues which reflect concern for human tragedy and waste of potential contributions to the growth of our society. The expenditures of public monies on witch hunts is only the smallest part of such waste. Greater losses occur in the reduced capacity of the individual to produce either for himself or his society. The dispersal of energies in countless small, yet terrible tragedies, seems unnecessary. We feel the chief goal in dealing with homosexuals should not be to try to reorient their sexual propensities through punishment and intimidation but rather to help them attain a satisfactory self-image and a meaningful relationship to society. Indeed, no one should be forced to suffer in silence or live in fear. We believe that only sensible criteria for judging human relationships is the maturity, necessity and justice inherent in•each relationship. Social and legal justice is essential. Society must not suffer from cheap harassment perpetrated in the name of virtue when, in fact, it is the terrible vice. Reacting to these pressures, the persecuted minority is forced into ghetto-like in-groupisms and secrecies which lead the homosexual to perpetrate on himself insults and degradations far beyond those imposed by the oppressive and hostile society in which he lives. So the homosexual is forced to perpetrate the last great injustice upon himself, that of failing to realize the best in himself and his part in cultivating the best in his society. There is an old Chinese proverb which says, "It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness." This is what we have tried to do. We are convinced that to change these constantly reinforced patterns of injustice, existing barriers to the ex- Page 14: change of knowledge must be destroyed. We of The Council on Religion and the Homosexual must find ways to establish communication between the homosexual and his society. Our work.is not aided by police who harass us, by politicians who are fearful of talking with us, by segments of the press which prefer either sensationalism or silence, by portions of the religious community which prefer to condemn rather than to understand, and by homosexuals who reject any effort to approach them. Fear will never set man free, and fear itself is perhaps the greatest obstacle which man must overcome. In our efforts to become free men we must be guided by the central ethical command of our Judeo-Christian tradition: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself." Signed by the Board of Trustees of The Council on Religion and the Homosexual, Inc., June, 1965 The Rev. Ted Mcllvenna, President Mr. Donald S. Lucas, Vice-President Mrs. Del Martin, Secretary Mr. Robert Walker, Treasurer Mr. William Beardemphl Mr. Harold L. Call The Rev. Dr. Clarence A. Colwell The Rev. Canon Robert W. Cromey Mr. Mark Forrester Mr. Darryl Glied Miss Phyllis Leon The Rev. Charles Lewis The Rev. Jan Marinissen Mr. Guy Strait The Rev. A. Cecil Williams Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource <i>Brief of Injustices</i> Published by CRH in September, 1965 (14 pages) Description An account of the resource Phyllis Lyon & Del Martin Papers. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Repository: <a href="http://www.glbthistory.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GLBT Historical Society</a> https://www.exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/8ec5fd256eb6375740053c1c08495371.pdf d4f91fe607386c2fa128203e5ed71e6d Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document California Hall A Night to Remember At its January 21st meeting, the San Francisco Bay Area Gay and Lesbian Historical Society will be remembering the infamous 1965 California Hall confrontation between the San Francisco Police Department and the gay community. For a generation of lesbian and gay San Franciscans, this incident marked a watershed in the City's gay history. In their book Lesbian/Woman, long-time gay activists Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon proclaim that California Hall ''will long be remembered in the history of the homophile movement.'' What happened at California Hall on the night of January 1st, 1965? Why is it so important? For the majority of lesbian and gay men, San Francisco gay life in the early 1960's was far from easy. Gay bars like the Black Cat and the Jumping Frog were frequently raided. Police harassment on the streets was common. Many gay bars were forced to make payoffs to the Vice Squad to avoid persecution. Early homophile groups like the Mattachine Society and the Daughters of Bilitis lacked the political power to fight this oppression. It was often scary and dangerous to be gay. In 1962 Ted McIlvenna, a young minister and social worker from Kansas City, arrived at Glide Memorial Methodist Church. From talking with gay members of his Tenderloin congregation, McIlvenna developed an understanding of the problems facing San Francisco's gay community. He began to organize meetings between local church leaders and members of the homophile movement. As a result, in December 1964 the Council on Religion and the Homosexual was formed. The initial fundraising event for the new organization was to be a New Year's Eve dance. Scheduled for the California Hall on Polk Street, the dance was sponsored by six San Francisco gay organizations. The entire gay community was invited, as well as interested clergy and their families. The San Francisco Police Department viewed these plans as deliberate provocation. On the evening of the dance over fifty police officers descended on California Hall. They harassed and intimidated the guests, photographing all who entered. They eventually arrested four people: three attorneys and a ticket-taker. Yet over five hundred lesbians and gay men braved harassment and arrest, and crossed the police line to enter. The Police Department had won a victory that evening but it was short-lived. Shocked at the incident they had witnessed, concerned clergy from the Council on Religion and the Homosexual called a press conference the next day at Glide to publicly protest. The ACLU took up the cases of the four arrested, and all were eventually found not guilty. The well-publicized court cases gave the gay community its first taste of power and radically redefined its relationship with the police. No longer would it tolerate police harassment. We owe a great deal to the lesbians and gay men who passed the police cameras and risked arrest to demand their civil rights. They were our community's early freedom fighters. Please join the Historical Society in honoring these San Francisco heroes on January 21st. Eric Garber Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource <i>California Hall: A Night to Remember</i> by Eric Garber Description An account of the resource Published in San Francisco Bay Area Gay & Lesbian Historical Society Newsletter, volume 1, number 2, December 1985. From research papers of James Waller. https://www.exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/0c92a23f257146bd8009b32cbca1e946.pdf c228142da864c802573dbac8a551174e Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document ACLU Joins Homosexual Dance Case The American Civil Liberties Union announced here yesterday it will defend three lawyers arrested at a homosexual benefit ball when they objected to the police moving in. Flanked by the attorneys involved, ACLU lawyer Marshall Krause told a press conference the three were victims of "police harassment." Charged with obstructing police officers at California Hall the night of January 1 were attorneys Evander Smith, Herbert Donaldson and Elliot Leighton. The police made the arrests, Krause said, in an effort "to intimidate attorneys who represent unpopular groups." The three lawyers said they were hustled away by uniformed police on the instructions of plainclothes inspectors when they said police needed either a warrant or information that a crime was being committed to enter the premises. The benefit ball was organized by the Council for Religion and Homosexuality, a group established by Episcopal, Methodist, Lutheran and United Church of Christ leaders to try to integrate homosexuals into the community. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource <i>Chronicle</i> Reports ACLU Press Conference with Arrested Lawyers Description An account of the resource <i>San Francisco Chronicle</i>, January 6, 1965, page 7. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Repository: <a href="http://www.glbthistory.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GLBT Historical Society</a> https://www.exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/f6de02f9c75f632a1021ecb6cbd86604.pdf 969af664dfdbbdd3f412637f5890150f Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document Homosexual Dance Trial Halted on Technicality Municipal Judge Leo Friedman directed a jury of eight men and four women yesterday to return a not guilty verdict against three lawyers and a woman ticket taker, charged with blocking the entry of police at a homosexual ball New Year's eve. Complaining officers sat with mouths agape as Judge Friedman halted the trial at conclusion of the State's case and snapped: "It's useless to waste everybody's time following this to its finale." The judge ordered the not guilty verdict, he said later, because police had claimed they were halted when they sought to enter California Hall, scene of the function. "You can't charge people with one thing and prove another," Judge Friedman said. "All the officers—and there were 15 of them—entered the hall without anyone's trying to stop them." The interference came later, when police sought to enter the ballroom where the party was under way, but this was not charged in the complaint. Judge Friedman said police had a legal right to inspect the hall for proper permits for the hall, but interference with their function in this regard was not charged, either. The technical victory for Attorneys Herbert Donaldson, 37, Evander Smith, 42, and Eliot Leighton, 34, and for ticket taker Nancy May, 28, was won by Marshall Krause of the American Civil Liberties Union. The New Year's function was sponsored by the Council for Religion and the Homosexual. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource <i>Chronicle</i> Reports Not Guilty Verdict in Trial Description An account of the resource <i>San Francisco Chronicle</i>, February 12, 1965, page 3. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Repository: <a href="http://sfpl.org/librarylocations/sfhistory/sfhistory.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">San Francisco Public Library</a> https://www.exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/c559035d390b1894a22ae6177e438589.pdf 79b3eb2e03bee890cbf07566e97f2cb6 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document Witness Breaks Up a Courtroom Inspector Rudy Nieto of the Police Sex Detail got a big laugh yesterday at the trial of three lawyers and a ticket-taker who are charged with interfering with police at a January 1 homosexual benefit ball. He said 14 officers, one policewoman and two police photographers accompanied him to the scene of the ball at California Hall, Polk street and Golden Gate. Curious. Municipal Judge Leo Friedman asked why it took so many. "We went," said the officer, "just to inspect the premises." The audience, including half a dozen ministers and their wives from the Council for Religion and the Homosexual—which sponsored the ball—thought that was hilarious. Nieto denied that police went to the ball to harass homosexuals, but dropped one other mysterious comment. Asked why police photographers took pictures of the arriving guests, Nieto said the department "wanted pictures of these people because some of them might be connected to national security..." Defense attorney Marshall Krause of the American Civil Liberties Union, did not pursue the point. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource <i>Chronicle</i> Reports Police Inspector’s Testimony During Trial Description An account of the resource <i>San Francisco Chronicle</i>, February 11, 1965, page 2. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Repository: <a href="http://sfpl.org/librarylocations/sfhistory/sfhistory.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">San Francisco Public Library</a>