In the year leading up to the 1987 Pride weekend, Lambda Pride meetings were heavily occupied with issues including lawsuits, debts and organizational upheaval. As a result, a “New Lambda Pride” was formed with the goal of producing an excellent event and paying off the debts of the previous year. The new board selected “Making… Continue reading 1987: “Making History”
Tag: homophobia
1979: “Remember Stonewall”
After nearly a decade of activism with a handful of victories, 1979 was a tumultuous year for the San Diego gay community. In February, five officers from the San Diego Police Department raided the Fourth Avenue Club and charged twenty-three patrons with lewd conduct. In response, lobbyist George Raya and activist Fred Scholl organized a… Continue reading 1979: “Remember Stonewall”
1978: “No More Lies, Never Again!”
As with the previous year, defending homosexuality in education took the spotlight of the 1978 Pride event, which was held on June 25th. California voters faced Proposition 6, which would prohibit gays and lesbians from teaching in public schools and prohibit the use of curricula that presented homosexuality positively. Prop 6 was fueled by Anita… Continue reading 1978: “No More Lies, Never Again!”
1977: “Unity (A Day With Human Rights Is Like A Day Without Sunshine) / No More Miamis”
Despite the infighting and dispersion of niche interest groups that occurred the previous year, participation in the 1977 Pride march increased. That year, former Miss America runner-up Anita Bryant began crusading against gay rights and was involved in overturning a Florida ordinance prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation. Bryant then pushed a Christian fundamentalist-backed national… Continue reading 1977: “Unity (A Day With Human Rights Is Like A Day Without Sunshine) / No More Miamis”
1974: Gay Pride Week and the First March
The Center for Social Services (CSS) established committees to provide a variety of services for the gay and lesbian community and veterans.* In June, CSS held another Gay Pride Week that included a yard sale and a potluck to celebrate the anniversary of Stonewall. This event was followed by an impromptu, unpermitted march along the… Continue reading 1974: Gay Pride Week and the First March
Pre-1969: Before Stonewall
To truly appreciate the significance of the Pride phenomenon in San Diego and all over the world, it is essential to understand the historical and social contexts from which it has emerged. Prior to the Stonewall Riots and the birth of the modern gay rights movement in the 1970s, LGBTQ+ people in San Diego had… Continue reading Pre-1969: Before Stonewall