Gay Rights Activism and Religion in 1960s San Francisco
In the 1960s, most mainline Protestants took for granted that homosexuality was pathological, but opportunities gradually grew for gay men and lesbians to vigorously contest this assumption. The prominence of organisations like the Council on Religion and the Homosexual, the ‘coming out’ of numerous clergyman, and protests against the Church’s attitude towards homosexuality were all important components of gay rights activism in the 1960s. Even before Stonewall, then, a small but significant group of clergymen in San Francisco had articulated their support for gay rights. In this context, Grace Cathedral, the site of Daller’s address, slowly extended support to activists.
For more on the Council on Religion and the Homosexual, see LGBTQ-RAN's earlier exhibition on the organisation.
