November 7 California Proposition 6 […]

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When

1978-11-07

Description

November 7 California Proposition 6 (The Briggs Initiative), a state-wide referendum calling for the dismissal of gay or gay-positive teachers from the public school system, was defeated by a margin of 58 to 42 percent. A broad-based grassroots movement to oppose this right-wing offensive politicized thousands of gay people. Organizers were able to elicit "No on 6" public endorsements from President Jimmy Carter, former president Gerald Ford, governor of California Jerry Brown, and former governor of California Ronald Reagan. The defeat of Proposition 6 was one of the greatest victories for the American gay movement in the 1970s, and generated international interest.

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California

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Ronald Reagan Jerry Brown Gerald Ford Jimmy Carter

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The Briggs Initiative

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"Victory on Proposition 6," Metro Community News 6 (8 December 1978): 1."Victories," Gay Saskatchewan (Saskatoon), 1, no. 11 (December 1978): (5)"'Stop Briggs!'" After Stonewall, no. 7 (Fall 1978), pp. 3–4 Michael Merrill, "No on 6: The Battle for California," Body Politic, no. 47 (1978), pp. 24–29 Michael Merrill, "The Battle for California: A Right-wing Politician Declares War on Gay Teachers," Georgia Straight, 3–10 November 1978, pp. 12–14 Ann Menasche, "Gay Rights Victory!: Briggs Defeated," Socialist Voice, 11 December 1978, p. 10 "Gays Win Landslide Victory: Voters Dump Both 13 and 6. Briggs and SOME Vow to Return," Body Politic, no. 49 (1978–79), p. 16 Alain-Emmanuel Dreuilhe, "Victoire gaie en Californie," Gai(e)s du Québec: Journal, 1, no. 4 (December 1978–January 1979): 1, 10 Jim Dougan, "No on 6: Briggs Initiative Flops," OUT!, 1, no. 2 (December 1978): 2–3 "Double Victory: California-Seattle," Gay Tide, no. 21 (December 1978), p. 1 "The Corner Turned," After Stonewall, no. 8 (Winter 1979), pp. 8–9

Graph Legend

Ronald Reagan

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