In an effort to counter erasure of the LGBTQ history and existence, host Karen Raforth continues with the Know Your History series. This show reviews through living history participants’ perspectives of the attempts to include sexual orientation into Boulder’s Human Rights Ordinance from 1973-1987.
When asked in 1973, city council agreed to add sexual preference into the current ordinance. But the public was outraged and an election was held which then stripped it from the ordinance. Additionally, a recall election removed City Councilor Tim Fuller and nearly removed Boulder’s first and only Black mayor, Penfield Tate II. The mayor’s political career was never repaired and Tim moved away.
Panelists on Museum of Boulder’s Human Rights Ordinance, Dr. Glenda Russell, then City Councilor Karen Paget, and Penfield Tate’s daughter, Paula Tate, all recount what that era was like.
-
play_arrow
OutSources: Boulder’s Human Rights Ordinances 1973-1987 KGNU
Next, long-time resident and panelist Sue Larson recounts being part of the leadership who ran a citizen’s initiative in 1987 to get sexual orientation into the Human Rights Ordinance. That grassroots campaign led by CU student Kat Morgan joined by Sue, Marcia Munson and Casey Gardner with support from others was narrowly successful in making sexual orientation discrimination illegal in Boulder.
For details on noted pride events this month, see RMEquality.org or RMEquality.org.
For the exhibit and other LGBTQ panels see Museum of Boulder
Cris Williamson was the singer songwriter of Waterfall on the Changer and the Changed album celebrating her 50th year of success.
