LGBT history in North Dakota

In the 1970s some businesses tolerated gay customers in Fargo, North Dakota and Grand Forks, North Dakota. A bar in Fargo, North Dakota had a "gay section" and local Chinese restaurant transformed into a popular disco at night.

In the 1980s, the Fargo City Mayor, Jon Lindgren, caused some controversy when he publicly supported gay rights and supported the efforts of a local gay businessman to open up a gay bar, "My Place". The bar remained the only gay bar in North Dakota, until it closed down in 1989.

In 1981, North Dakota Governor Governor Allen Olson signed Executive Order Number 10, which the Governor has recently said, in interviews with the Fargo Forum Newspaper, was an attempt to protect State workers from anti-gay discrimination in employment, without expressly mentioning sexual orientation.

In 1982, University of North Dakota students, faculty and staff formed the Ten Percent Society. A chapter of the organization was subsequently setup in Fargo, North Dakota.

In 1985, the North Dakota Supreme Court ruled that because of society's prejudices, the sexual orientation of a parent would be the deciding factor in child custody cases. This ruling was subsequently reversed in 2003.[7]

In 1996, North Dakota lawmakers pass a State edition, "Defense of Marriage Act". The law bans legal recognition of same-sex marriage in North Dakota, including those marriages performed in other States.

In 1999, Equality North Dakota is formed to campaign for LGBT rights in North Dakota, especially the inclusion of sexual orientation and gender identity in the State civil right code. The chairman of the organization was Robert Uebel.

In 1999, a gay bar opens up in Moorhead, Minnesota, which is right across the river from Fargo, North Dakota. The bar attracts LGBT customers from all of North Dakota, as well as much of Western Minnesota.

In 2004, North Dakota voters ratified "Measure 1". The Constitutional Amendment banned legal recognition of same-sex marriage, as well as similar options, including civil unions. Public opposition to the ballot measure came from Equality North Dakota, as well as by the Democratic Governor candidate Joe Satrom and the Libertarian Party of North Dakota.

In 2009, the North Dakota legislature failed to pass a bill that would have protected LGBT people from discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations. The bill had passed in the State Senate, but did not have enough votes to pass in the State House.

In September 2012, North Dakota State School of Science football player Jamie Kuntz was dismissed from the team after it was discovered that he was gay. The coach and the college insist that that the decision was not motivated by Kuntz's sexual orientation, but because he had initially lied about it to his coach and had been seeing kissing his boyfriend.^[1]

In 2012, Joshua Boschee was elected to the North Dakota State legislature, representing District 44. He is the first openly gay person to win a legislative seat in North Dakota, possible the first openly gay person to hold any partisan, elected office in the state.

See also

• LGBT rights in North Dakota

References