The Stage

1990s: Transgender, Intersex, & Bisexual Politics Crystallize

In 1992, Colorado passed a ballot initiative to prevent municipalities from banning discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Despite this one successful effort to block the extension of legal protections, throughout the decade, nine other states passed laws to ban such discrimination, including Hawaii in 1991.

In 1998, Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.) became the first person elected to federal office who was openly LGBT from the outset of her campaign. That same year, President Bill Clinton issued an executive order prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in civilian federal employment.

Transgender and intersex organizations and authors brought attention to gender identity and the experiences of transsexuals, intersex people, and people with alternative gender identities. In 1993, Minnesota became the first state to ban discrimination on the basis of gender identity or expression. Shown here is the book cover for the groundbreaking novel, Stone Butch Blues, by Leslie Feinberg, winner of a 1994 Lambda Literary Award and a 1994 American Library Association Lesbian/Gay Book Award for fiction.

In 1990, the first National Bisexual Conference took place in San Francisco. It led to the formation of BiNet USA, a group that combated biphobia throughout the decade.

HRC document related to the passage of a statewide employment non-discrimination law in Hawaii in 1991. HRC Records.
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Leslie Feinberg. Stone Butch Blues, first published by Firebrand Books in 1993. Firebrand Books Records.
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Announcement of 1990 Bisexual Conference in Bi Women: The Newsletter of the Boston Bisexual Women’s Network. Feb.-March 1990.
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Bisexual, transgender, and intersex activists encouraged lesbian and gay organizations to pay meaningful attention to their related issues and to include them in their agendas. In a major victory, the organizers of the 1993 March on Washington agreed to include bisexuals by name in the event title, and to include an openly bisexual speaker.

In this letter, BiNet USA’s Loraine Hutchins pushes NGLTF to go farther in addressing biphobia, pointing out that “You’re still talking about the Colorado Amendment without mentioning that bisexuals are now also outlawed in Colorado (and in 5 new proposed state initiatives as well.) Lou Sheldon has no trouble linking us together, why do some of you?!”

Letter from Loraine Hutchins of BiNet USA to NGLTF Board members following a September 1992 NGLTF Board meeting discussion on collaboration. January 11, 1993. NGLTF Records.
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Stone Butch Blues’ widespread impact is shown partly by its translation into Dutch, Slovenian, Chinese, and other languages. In depth files on this Leslie Feinberg book are found in the Firebrand Books records.

Cover, Chinese edition Leslie Feinberg. Stone Butch Blues. Firebrand Books Records.
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Cover, Dutch edition. Leslie Feinberg. Stone Butch Blues. Firebrand Books Records.
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