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the council on religion and the homosexual

In 1964, under the direction of Reverend Ted McIlvenna of the Glide Urban Center, the Council on Religion and the Homosexual was formed. This group was formed following a retreat that brought together some of San Francisco’s Protestant clergy and LGBT activists. Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin, the founders of the Daughters of Bilitis, were some of the notable LGBT activists involved. The group also included Methodist, Lutheran, Episcopal, and United Church of Christ clergy. It was the first to create a space for dialogue between the homosexual and religious community. It served as a two way street, with the gay community educating religious leaders on homosexuality and the religious community providing support and assistance with legal and social reform. This relationship was an unlikely pairing, especially given that religious beliefs are often cited as a cause for anti-gay sentiment.

The CRH happened to have got caught up in an important turning point for the gay movement in San Francisco. On December 31st, 1965, a Mardi Gras ball was to be held at 625 Polk Street to raise funds for the CRH. Attendance required the purchase of a $5 ticket, but once inside, the LGBT community was open to socialize as they wished. Just like in gay bars or at other Pride events, socialization involved dancing, handholding, and kissing. The ball’s organizers had negotiated with police prior to the event in order to avoid harassment. However, police still showed up that night. To threaten partygoers, they took pictures of the guests entering. They demanded to be let in the building, but were blocked by the organization’s lawyers. In turn, resisters were arrested for resisting police. The conflict became known as the infamous New Years Day police raid.

This event propelled the CRH into the spotlight. The clergy used the newspaper to spread word of the police’s blatantly inappropriate behavior. Because of the media exposure generated from this event, public opinion began to shift regarding police discrimination against the LGBT community. Following the raid, police began to dial back on raids in gay spaces. The ACLU also brought a lawsuit for those arrested for police interference, which was actually the first time the ACLU joined the battle for gay rights. While the Stonewall Riots is often considered the start of the gay rights movement, the New Years Day raid was also a monumental moment in the fight against discrimination - and it occurred 4 years before Stonewall.

Importantly, this organization was the first to openly use homosexual in the title. In the past, LGBT organizations (like the Daughters of Bilitis) used veiled names in order to avoid detection. The use of the word homosexual, then, was a symbolic measure - it signified that LGBT issues no longer had to be whispered about, and that open and honest communication was important moving forward. This emphasis, as well as the interesting mixture of religious and homosexual leaders, attracted others beyond San Francisco. Councils on Religion and Homosexuality popped up across North America, in D.C., Ottawa, and even Hawaii.

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