THE HUFFINGTON POST
By Jaweed Kaleem
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| Bay Area Methodist, Lutheran, Episcopal and United Church of Christ clergy and gay activists had formed the Council on Religion and the Homosexual to promote the "need for a better understanding of human sexuality" and its "broad variations and manifestations." |
On New Year's Day 1965, hundreds of gay San Franciscans arrived at 625 Polk Street in the city's Tenderloin district for a much-anticipated "Mardi Gras Ball." Perhaps the most striking aspect of the San Francisco ball, however, was its purpose beyond merriment: It was held as a fundraiser for pro-gay clergy. Today, although Americans for and against gay rights cite their religious beliefs, those who oppose same-sex marriage and other civil rights for LGBT individuals have been especially vocal in declaring that God is on their side. That's not always been the expectation about the faithful. In the mid-1960s, LGBT activists often looked to men of the cloth as allies in their fight for justice and human rights, according to historians. [
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| The first issue of Affirmation, a newsletter for gay and lesbian Mormons, was printed in 1980. |
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On Dec. 7, 1964, a front-page article in the San Francisco Chronicle
announced the launch of the Council on Religion and the Homosexual. |
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| A mid-1970s fact sheet and flyer for New York's Congregation Beit Simchat Torah. |