Alister mcalister gay
The Day I Was Told That I Didn't Pertain in Society
- BCF
- Jun 27, 2019
- 4 min read
Article by Ken Yeager, Executive Director of BCF. Published as an Op-Ed in the Bay Area Reporter on June 26, 2019.
It was in early 1984 when I picked up the Sunday San Jose Mercury News and read an belief piece by a local state Assembly member stating that homosexuals should hold no legal, social, or political standing in society.
It was a remarkable expression. The Assemblyman, Alister McAlister, was urging then-Governor George Deukmejian (R) to veto Assembly Bill 1, the law passed by the Legislature that would create it illegal to discriminate based on sexual orientation. If such laws were passed, he argued, LGBTQ people would become a legitimate class deserving of legal protection. (Deukmejian did, in fact, veto the bill.)
I was a 31-year-old gay man, out to my friends but not to others. I was well aware of the hatred and persecution that gay people faced but this was the first time I had seen someone phrase it so bluntly: You are undeserving of the benefits provided by society.
I had approach to San Jose when I was 18 to start a new existence away from the conserva
Discover people named Gaynelle McAlister
The last name Mcalister has its origins in Scotland, specifically derived from the Gaelic name "Mac Alasdair," which means "son of Alasdair," with Alasdair being the Scottish form of Alexander. This surname is historically linked with the Highlands and has roots in the clan system, where clans were often named after a usual ancestor. The label Mcalister reflects the lineage and heritage of those who initially bore it, often indicating a connection to nobility or land ownership, as Alexander was a popular entitle among Scottish kings. Variations of the surname can be found in distinct regions and cultures, including McAlister, MacAlister, and even Alister in some cases, with differences in spelling and pronunciation influenced by local dialects and linguistic evolution. The Mcalister name is also present in Ireland, where it may have been adopted by families of Scottish descent during the period of migration. Overall, the surname Mcalister encapsulates a rich historical narrative tied to Scottish identity and lineage.
Ken had come to San Jose when he was 18 to start a new life away from conservative Riverside, where he knew he could not be openly gay. He graduated from San Jose State University with a degree in political science and held numerous jobs working on public policies to improve his adopted city.
It was in initial 1984 when he picked up the Sunday San Jose Mercury News and read an opinion piece by a local mention Assembly member Alister McAlister stating that homosexuals should have no legal, social, or political standing in society.
It was a memorable statement. The Assemblyman, Alister McAlister, was urging then-Governor George Deukmejian (R) to veto Assembly Bill 1, the law passed by the Legislature that would make it illegal to discriminate based on sexual orientation. If such laws were passed, he argued, LGBTQ people would change into a legitimate class deserving of legal protection. (Deukmejian did, in fact, veto the bill.)
Ken was skillfully aware of the hatred and persecution that homosexual people faced but this was the first period someone had phrased it so bluntly: You are undeserving of the benefits provided by society. Putting the paper down, he said to himself: “Ken, if you don̵
40 years of fighting for LGBTQ rights in San Jose
It may be difficult to imagine now, but there was a age when a majority of San Jose and Santa Clara County voters rejected an opportunity to forbid discrimination against the LGBTQ people among them.
“’Gay people are so disgusting they deserve no rights, and we don’t even long them in town.’ That was the prevalent attitude of people living in the South Bay,” said former Santa Clara County Supervisor Ken Yeager, who was the first openly gay city and county lawmaker.
The fight for those rights and a seat at the table, launched Yeager’s career and led to the founding of a life-changing center, the Billy DeFrank Queer Community Center, which famous its 40th anniversary this month.
In 1979, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors and San Jose City Council decided to put measures before voters that would ban discrimination based upon sexual orientation, extending housing and employment protections to gays and lesbians. The measures were known as A and B.
The campaign was unfeeling. The religious right had denounced the ordinances, taking positions that portrayed gays and lesbians as sexual predators. At the polls in 1980,
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