LGBTQ+ History Month – Day 7
In 1984, the San Jose LGBTQ+ community was reeling from the 1980 repeal of city and county ordinances which would have given gays and lesbians protection in housing and employment. In a mean-spirited and homophobic campaign, the fundamentalists used such slogans as “Don’t let it spread,” “Vote no for the sake of our children,” and “Enough is enough” to sway voters not to support the ordinances. The defeat was undeniable: 75% of voters thought LGBTQ+ people should not have any civil protections.
It was in this political and moral wasteland that in1984 Ken Yeager and Wiggsy Sivertsen founded BAYMEC—the Bay Area Municipal Elections Committee—a political action committee (PAC). They knew no one was asking elected officials about LGBTQ+ issues, nor holding them accountable for their votes. Forming a political action committee that fought for the rights of queer folks would be the best way to create meaningful political change.