Steve Endean

Stephen Robert "Steve" Endean (August 6, 1948 – August 4, 1993)[1] was an American gay rights activist, first in Minnesota, then nationally.

Steve Endean
Born
Steven Robert Endean

August 6, 1948
DiedAugust 4, 1993 (aged 44)
Alma materUniversity of Michigan
OccupationGay rights activist

Early life

He was born in Davenport, Iowa, and came to Minnesota to attend the University of Minnesota from 1968 to 1972, majoring in political science.[2]

Career

In 1971, Endean founded the Minnesota Committee for Gay Rights (later Gay Rights Legislative Committee), and became the first gay and lesbian rights lobbyist in Minnesota a year later.[1]

In 1973, Endean started lobbying the Minneapolis City Council to include protection for gay rights in the Minneapolis[3] anti-discrimination ordinance working out of the office of then 6th Ward Alderman, Earl Netwal. Endean's persistent efforts eventually lead to a 12–0 vote as Minneapolis became the first major United States city to pass a gay rights Ordinance. (The vote was scheduled on a day when the one opposed alderman was away.)

Along with the Minnesota Committee for Gay Rights and Democratic legislators, Endean opposed trans-inclusion and public accommodations in a statewide gay rights bill, giving as their reason the belief that the bill would not pass with such inclusion.[4] In the 1970s, he served as co-chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Gay Task Force (later NGLTF).[1] In 1978, he became the director of the Gay Rights National Lobby.[1][5] In 1980, he started the Human Rights Campaign Fund[6] (later just HRC), and served as its first executive director.[7]

In 1991, he created the National Endorsement Campaign, an effort to get straight political leaders and media figures to endorse LGBT rights. Also in 1991, he published his memoir, Into the Mainstream.[7] In 1993, he was present (in a wheelchair) at the Minnesota State Capitol when the Legislature passed the Minnesota Human Rights Act, which banned LGBT discrimination in housing, employment, and education.[8] (This law did include coverage for Trans people; the first such state inclusion in the country.)

Personal life

In 1985, Endean was diagnosed with AIDS.[7] After this, increasing health problems led to semi-retirement. He died of AIDS-related complications on August 4, 1993.[7]

He was a member of the Metropolitan Community Church.[9]

References
  1. Eaklor, Vicki; Meek, Robert R.; Bullough, Vern L. (2012-11-12). Bringing Lesbian and Gay Rights Into the Mainstream: Twenty Years of Progress. Routledge. ISBN 9781136574115.
  2. "Endean, Steve (1948-1993)" (PDF). glbtq.com. Retrieved 2019-03-05.
  3. "How Minneapolis became the first city in the country to pass trans protections". MSNBC. 2016-06-03. Retrieved 2020-02-12.
  4. Carl Griffin, Jr. "'No Compromise' Gay Coalition May Sink Rights Bill, The Advocate, May 7, 1975, p. 4
  5. Lambert, Bruce (1993-08-06). "Stephen R. Endean, 44, Founder Of Largest Gay Political Group". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-04-23.
  6. Campaign, Human Rights. "About Us". Human Rights Campaign. Retrieved 2019-04-23.
  7. Eaklor, Vicki L. "Endean, Steve (1948-1993)" (PDF). glbtqarchive.com. Retrieved 2019-04-23.
  8. Preston, Joshua. "Allan Spear and the Minnesota Human Rights Act." Minnesota History 65 (2016): 76-87.
  9. "STEPHEN ENDEAN DIES". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C. 1993-08-06. ISSN 0190-8286. OCLC 1330888409.
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