Massachusetts Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus records

The Massachusetts Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus (the Caucus) was founded in 1973 to fight for social equality for the gay and lesbian community in Massachusetts. Originally titled the Boston Advocates for Human Rights, the organization changed its name to Massachusetts Caucus for Gay Legislation in 1976 to reflect its focus on statewide legislation. The organization adopted its current name in 1987. The Caucus was the first group within the gay and lesbian community to employ a lobbyist to work full-time on equal rights for gay men and lesbians. Since its creation, the Caucus has worked toward creating and promoting legislation that benefits gay men and lesbians. Initially, the Caucus focused on three statewide bills: to prohibit discrimination based on sexual preference in state employment, to prohibit discrimination statewide, and to amend the criminal code in regards to sexual conduct between consenting adults. The Caucus's focus has since grown to include issues such as same-sex marriage and parenthood. On November 15, 1989, the Caucus achieved a major victory when Governor Michael Dukakis signed the Gay and Lesbian Civil Rights Bill into law. More recent successes included the passage of the Domestic Partner Benefits Bill in 2001 and the Freedom to Marry Act in 2004. The Caucus continues to monitor these issues to ensure the laws remain in effect. The Caucus promotes participation from supporters of these issues by hosting annual lobbying events such as the Constituent Lobby Day, sending candidate and legislation endorsement letters, and collaborating with other local, state, and national gay and lesbian organizations.