Stonewall Democrats
Encyclopedia
The National Stonewall Democrats is an LGBT-rights
group based in Washington, D.C.
with a political affiliation to the Democratic Party
. The word "Stonewall" in its name refers to the 1969 Stonewall riots
, a pivotal event in the history of gay rights.
, an openly gay Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives who represents Massachusetts's 4th Congressional District. The organization brought together LGBT
Democratic clubs across the United States which were left unaffiliated after the 1987 dissolution of the National Association of Gay and Lesbian Democratic Clubs.
The group describes itself as "a grassroots force for social change within our movement and within our party." It has over 90 chapters throughout the United States which focus on a variety of equality issues. The national organization also operates a political action committee
(PAC) which coordinates campaign contributions and support from local chapters to endorse pro-equality Democrats in federal elections.
Michael Mitchell, the current Executive Director, has previously served as the marriage campaign manager for the ACLU's LGBT Project, the advocacy and planning specialist for the Equality Federation, and was the first Executive Director for Equality Utah. Previous leaders of the organization include Jo Wyrick, Eric Stern
, Michael Perez, Paul Yandura, Michael Colby, and Chad S. Johnson
.
In 2003, the University of Michigan
chapter of the Stonewall Democrats became the first of its kind on a college campus. It has worked towards open housing, lifting the ban on gay men who wish to donate blood, and statewide anti-bullying campaigns.
LGBT social movements
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender social movements share inter-related goals of social acceptance of sexual and gender minorities. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and their allies have a long history of campaigning for what is generally called LGBT rights, also called gay...
group based in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
with a political affiliation to the Democratic Party
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...
. The word "Stonewall" in its name refers to the 1969 Stonewall riots
Stonewall riots
The Stonewall riots were a series of spontaneous, violent demonstrations against a police raid that took place in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn, in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City...
, a pivotal event in the history of gay rights.
History
The National Stonewall Democrats was founded in 1999 by Barney FrankBarney Frank
Barney Frank is the U.S. Representative for . A member of the Democratic Party, he is the former chairman of the House Financial Services Committee and is considered the most prominent gay politician in the United States.Born and raised in New Jersey, Frank graduated from Harvard College and...
, an openly gay Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives who represents Massachusetts's 4th Congressional District. The organization brought together 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...
Democratic clubs across the United States which were left unaffiliated after the 1987 dissolution of the National Association of Gay and Lesbian Democratic Clubs.
The group describes itself as "a grassroots force for social change within our movement and within our party." It has over 90 chapters throughout the United States which focus on a variety of equality issues. The national organization also operates a political action committee
Political action committee
In the United States, a political action committee, or PAC, is the name commonly given to a private group, regardless of size, organized to elect political candidates or to advance the outcome of a political issue or legislation. Legally, what constitutes a "PAC" for purposes of regulation is a...
(PAC) which coordinates campaign contributions and support from local chapters to endorse pro-equality Democrats in federal elections.
Michael Mitchell, the current Executive Director, has previously served as the marriage campaign manager for the ACLU's LGBT Project, the advocacy and planning specialist for the Equality Federation, and was the first Executive Director for Equality Utah. Previous leaders of the organization include Jo Wyrick, Eric Stern
Eric Stern
Eric Stern is the Director of Operations for the Career Development Office at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law . Before re-locating to California, Stern worked at The George Washington School of Law. He is the former Executive Director of the National Stonewall Democrats. Eric...
, Michael Perez, Paul Yandura, Michael Colby, and Chad S. Johnson
Chad S. Johnson
Chad S. Johnson , a Harvard-educated attorney, served as the Executive Director of National Stonewall Democrats from October 2, 2001 to January 1, 2003...
.
In 2003, the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
chapter of the Stonewall Democrats became the first of its kind on a college campus. It has worked towards open housing, lifting the ban on gay men who wish to donate blood, and statewide anti-bullying campaigns.