Often the real mover and shakers from our glorious history live in the shadows of our legends like Harvey Milk or Elaine Noble. Many of them died during the AIDS epidemic and no one was left to tell their story. As we move forward this week making great progress on marriage and a host of other LGBT issues, let us not forget a silent hero from our past - Jim Foster.
Jim Foster, along with Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon, was one of the founders of the modern day LGBT political movement in San Francisco. He was so successful that the became a role model for many of us still struggling to come out of the closet. Foster was among the founders of the first LGBT political club in San Francisco. At first he worked through the Society for Individual Rights (SIR) where he was a major player in assisting a young Dianne Feinstein to be elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1969.
In 1972, as a McGovern delegate, he became the first openly gay man ever to speak to a national political convention. While speaking very late at night, his speech is still remembered by those of us who couldn't believe a gay man was speaking to the National Democratic Convention. His speech electrified the small activist LGBT community in 1972. Among the lines of his historic address were:
"We do not come to you begging your understanding or pleading your tolerance. We come to you affirming our pride in our lifestyle, affirming the validity of our right to seek and to maintain meaningful emotional relationships and affirming our right to participate in the life of this country on an equal basis with every citizen."
At that very same convention, it was the first time the LGBT community was able to maneuver and bring a 'gay rights plank' to the floor where it was voted down. Foster was the key force and floor leader in that battle.
One of the sad aspects of Foster's career is that he supported a liberal straight Democrat over Harvey Milk when Milk ran for Supervisor. It led to an intense rivalry in the city.
In 1980, Foster became a key supporter of Senator Edward Kennedy in his primary challenge to President Jimmy Carter. Foster used personal funds to keep the campaign running in San Francisco when money was short and earned the love and respect for the senator the rest of his life.
Foster died of HIV/AIDS in 1990. Like many who died in this epidemic whose contributions are unknown today, Foster left his mark for good and enabled us to make it this far.
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