Jean Harris (activist)
Encyclopedia
Jean Harris born Kathie Jean Harris, was an American Democratic
and LGBT
rights activist. A longtime force in San Francisco politics, Harris served as chief of staff to former San Francisco Supervisor Harry Britt
, who was appointed to the board in 1978 following the assassination of Supervisor Harvey Milk
. She went on to the post of deputy mayor under Frank Jordan
when he took office in 1992. She also served as the chair of the California Democratic Party's Lesbian and Gay Caucus and as the president of the Harvey Milk Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Democratic Club
.
Harris was heavily involved in LGBT causes, including serving as the founding director of Basic Rights Oregon
. In that position she helped organize the defeat of a 2000 ballot initiative that would have barred schools from "'encouraging, promoting or sanctioning' homosexual or bisexual behaviors". Following her time in Oregon, Harris returned to California to assume the executive directorship of the California Alliance for Pride and Equality, today known as Equality California
. During her tenure she worked to secure passage of a 2001 law to secure for same-sex domestic partners many of the rights formerly reserved to married couples.
Harris campaigned for Howard Dean
during his unsuccessful 2004 bid for the Democratic presidential nomination.
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
and LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
rights activist. A longtime force in San Francisco politics, Harris served as chief of staff to former San Francisco Supervisor Harry Britt
Harry Britt
Harry Britt is a political activist and former Supervisor for San Francisco, California. Britt was involved during the late 1960s in the civil rights movement when he was a Methodist minister in Chicago...
, who was appointed to the board in 1978 following the assassination of Supervisor Harvey Milk
Harvey Milk
Harvey Bernard Milk was an American politician who became the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California when he won a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors...
. She went on to the post of deputy mayor under Frank Jordan
Frank Jordan
Francis M. “Frank” Jordan is a U.S. politician, foundation executive and former Chief of Police.Jordan was born in San Francisco in 1935 and graduated from Sacred Heart High School in 1953...
when he took office in 1992. She also served as the chair of the California Democratic Party's Lesbian and Gay Caucus and as the president of the Harvey Milk Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Democratic Club
Harvey Milk Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Democratic Club
Based in San Francisco, California, the Harvey Milk Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Democratic Club is a chapter of the Stonewall Democrats, named after LGBT politician and activist Harvey Milk. Believing that the existing Alice B...
.
Harris was heavily involved in LGBT causes, including serving as the founding director of Basic Rights Oregon
Basic Rights Oregon
Basic Rights Oregon is an American nonprofit gay rights organization based in Portland, Oregon. It is the largest advocacy, education, and political organization working in Oregon to end discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. BRO has twelve full-time staff, a contract...
. In that position she helped organize the defeat of a 2000 ballot initiative that would have barred schools from "'encouraging, promoting or sanctioning' homosexual or bisexual behaviors". Following her time in Oregon, Harris returned to California to assume the executive directorship of the California Alliance for Pride and Equality, today known as Equality California
Equality California
Equality California or EQCA is a non-profit civil rights organization that advocates for the rights of LGBT people in California.-Early history:...
. During her tenure she worked to secure passage of a 2001 law to secure for same-sex domestic partners many of the rights formerly reserved to married couples.
Harris campaigned for Howard Dean
Howard Dean
Howard Brush Dean III is an American politician and physician from Vermont. He served six terms as the 79th Governor of Vermont and ran unsuccessfully for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination. He was chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2005 to 2009. Although his U.S...
during his unsuccessful 2004 bid for the Democratic presidential nomination.