It wasn't until 2001 that the state of Minnesota officially decriminalized homosexuality. Minnesota Public Radio has been covering the long-running debate over the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in Minnesota for decades. From the end of the 19th century to this day, LGBT Midwesterners have received a warmer reception in the Twin Cities than in other parts of the state, and for this reason Minneapolis is often called “The San Francisco of the Midwest.”
May 6, 1975 - Steve Dean says we have to remember that the first time women got the human rights act they only got it under employment, the same with the disabled, and are only now getting included in public foundations and services. A lot of time it?s a step at a time, we?re dealing with political reality. Public accommodation section was dropped. Rather than let the basic things, the most important things, of employment and housing go down the drain thought it best to delete sections of public accommodations and public services. We don?t consider adoption and marriage the highest priority of gay rights at this time.
May 6, 1975 - Steve Dean says antics that have been going on with press conferences, restrooms, hunger fasts, transvestite parades just reinforce people?s ignorance and change what is a civil rights issue into a laughing matter. Protest have endangered the legislation. Several votes who previously supported the bill now say can?t support this three ring circus. Explain to legislators that have been active in politics for some time, have been active in the DFL. The DFL state party is strongest supporter of gay rights in the state, has sent letters urging passage. Bulk of support from DFL although number of strong supporters from Republican party.
June 7, 1975 - The Minnesota Libertarian Party holds state convention this weekend. Libertarian Party philosophy is that government must stay out of human affairs as much as possible. Robin Miller, Minnesota chairman: government must be restricted to definding property and rights or governmentt is immoral. Taxation is armed robbery of citizens, taxes should be eliminated. Kay Harroff, Ohio: those who wish to have government have right to do so. All problems in society result from govt regulation and interference and business subsidy. Best market system is laissez faire. Without govt unemployment would disappear, medical costs would drop, discrimination in employment would disappear because everyone would be needed, crime rate would drop. Example: Whoever wants to set up schools would create schools.
July 16, 1975 - MPR’s Greg Barron reports on differences between men and women in insurance industry policies. Betty Howard, director of Women's Division of Minnesota Department of Human Rights, discusses the disparity between women and men in terms of obtaining insurance, particulary in the case of the newly divorced.
July 16, 1975 - An audio clip of Betty Howard, director of Women's Division of Minnesota Department of Human Rights, on the disparity in coverage and access to insurance between women and men.
August 12, 1975 - Human Rights Commissioner talks about employment discrimination charge in the Human Rights Commission. He says it's dangerous to carve up Human Rights Commission into different minority territories as this models the kind segregated system that the dept is set up to address. It isn't the department's role to go out and look for discrimination. He says the department is enforcement agency, not a service agency. He says he'll ask for an outside conciliator.
August 12, 1975 - The Fond du Lac Band of Minnesota Chippewa are bringing formal discrimination charges against the state Human Rights Commissioner, (first name unknown) Wilson. The Band's claim states that the Commissioner has not only discriminated against hiring Native American's, but has also neglected to offer services for these populations.
October 10, 1975 - Dr. Christian Barnard, famous heart transplant surgeon, talks briefly about his novel whose protagonist is a heart surgeon. He says one point of the book was to bring out racial discrimination and segregation in medicine, petty-apartheid (petit-apartheid?), in South Africa. He talks about having received threats due to his challenging the white ideology in South Africa, where the white minority fears they?ll lose everything they?ve built there without the apartheid government structure. They?ve seen what has happened in other African countries. South Africa represents western civilization in Africa, and competition is based on your ability to compete in that environment, where it?s natural the white man would do better.
October 13, 1975 - Archie Holmes says equal educational opportunity changes the way people operate.
February 10, 1976 - MPR’s Kate Williams reports on the funeral of prominent African American Cecil Newman, who passed away on February 8th, 1976. Newman was both a local civil rights leader, active in numerous organizations, and a longtime editor/publisher. Segment includes interviews and remembrances.