Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Issues
| 1967 | March - UU Committee on Goals published results of its survey on beliefs and attitudes within the denomination: 7.7% of UUs believed that homosexuality should be discouraged by law; 80.2% that it should be discouraged by education, not law; 12% that it should not be discouraged by law or education; .1% that it should be encouraged. |
| 1969 | September - LaForet, Colorado - The Rev. James L. Stoll publicly declares himself to be homosexual at Student Religious Liberals (SRL) Conference. |
| 1970 | 4 July - General Assembly General Resolution to end Discrimination against Homosexuals and Bisexuals. Called on congregations to develop sex education programs that promote healthy attitude toward all forms of sexuality. |
| 1971 | June - The Rev. Richard Nash and Elgin Blair co-founded UU Gay Caucus, to lobby for the creation of an Office of Gay Affairs. |
| 1971 | Creation of AYS (About Your Sexuality) curriculum, which attempted to teach a more positive attitude towards homosexuality and bisexuality. |
| 1972 | Creation of The Invisible Minority, adult curriculum about homosexuality. |
| 1973 | Invisible Minority wins an award from the National Coalition on Family Relations. |
| 1973 | June - General Assembly General Resolution to Create an Office of Gay Affairs that will be staffed by gay people and be a resource to the UUA. |
| 1974 | June - General Assembly voted funding for the Office of Gay Affairs. |
| 1975 | January - Arlie Scott hired as Director of Gay Affairs. |
| 1977 | June - General Assembly General Resolution to urge UUs to fight negative propaganda against gays. |
| 1977 | The Rev. Bob Wheatley becomes new Director of Office of Gay Concerns; starts BUUGL (Boston UU Gays and Lesbians), which met at the Arlington Street Church. |
| 1979 | Rev. Douglas Morgan Strong called to serve All Souls Church, Augusta ME thus becoming the first out gay man in the UU ministry to be called to serve a congregation. |
| 1979 | GALA (Gay and Lesbian Affirmed), founded by The Rev. Robert Wheatley and cosponsored by the Office of Gay Concerns and Ferry Beach Park Association. A one-week conference, including workshops, worship, fun, fellowship. Success prompted founding of Gay Men's Spirituality Weekend, and Sappho's Sisters conference. |
| 1980 | June - General Assembly Business Resolution urging UUs, the UUA and the UUMA to assist in the settlement of openly-gay ministers. |
| 1984 | June - General Assembly Business Resolution affirming the practice of UUA clergy performing Services of Union between same-gender couples, and requesting that the Department of Ministerial and Congregational Services develop and distribute supporting materials. |
| 1986 | June - General Assembly General Resolution that calls UUs to work to end AIDS discrimination through education and advocacy. |
| 1986 | The Rev. Jay Deacon becomes the Director of Office of Lesbian and Gay Concerns; UUA Board of Trustees appoints AIDS Advisory Panel, which recommends the formation of AIDS Action Working Group. |
| 1986 | UUA adds non-discrimination clause for employees who are HIV-positive to Personnel Manual. |
| 1987 | June - General Assembly General Resolution calls UUs to work to overturn legislation restricting rights of gays, lesbians and bisexuals, including boycotting products and services of organizations that have a policy of discrimination. |
| 1987 | The Rev. Mark Mosher DeWolfe, UU minister in Ontario, Canada, dies of AIDS. |
| 1989 | June - General Assembly Business Resolution to adopt The Welcoming Congregation program to combat homophobia in UU congregations and to educate individual UUs. |
| 1989 | June - General Assembly General Resolution passed opposing discriminatory practices towards people with AIDS/HIV, and urges fuller effort towards education and treatment, including institution of clean needle program. |
| 1989 | June - General Assembly Resolution of Immediate Witness passed condemning the Helms Amendment to restrict the travel rights of HIV-infected people into the US. |
| 1989 | The Rev. Scott Alexander becomes Director of Office of Lesbian and Gay Concerns. |
| 1990 | Fall - Publication of The Welcoming Congregation Handbook, edited by The Rev. Scott Alexander and Steve L'Heureux. Handbook to be used as resource material for implementing The Welcoming Congregation program. |
| 1991 | The Rev. Meg Riley becomes the Director of Office of Lesbian and Gay Concerns. |
| 1992 | Welcoming Congregation Trainers Conference held in Boston to train district leaders in conducting homophobia workshops. |
| 1992 | June - UUA Board of Trustees resolution expressing disapproval of the Boy Scouts of America's policy of discrimination against gay and atheist scouts and leaders. |
| 1992 | June - General Assembly Resolution of Immediate Witness opposing legalization of discrimination against gays, lesbians, and bisexuals. (Response to hate campaigns in OR and CO). |
| 1992 | June - General Assembly stages public protest against NC’s “crime against nature” laws. As required by GA 1987 resolution, UUA Board, staff, members and GA delegates participated in candlelight vigil and witnessing. |
| 1993 | UUA Board of Trustees votes unanimously to make Director of OLGC a full-time position; Office name changes to Office of Lesbian, Bisexual and Gay Concerns (OLBGC) to reflect commitment to the bisexual community. |
| 1993 | April 25 - UUA endorsed  the March on Washington for Lesbian,
Gay and Bisexual Equal Rights and Liberation. UUA Board of Trustees
adjourns its quarterly Boston meeting to reconvene in Washington DC
and attend the March. Opening service at All
Souls Unitarian Church. Closing worship at Sojourner Truth Congregation.
Thousands of UUs attended. |
| 1993 | June - General Assembly Resolution of Immediate Witness protesting the Ban of openly Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Persons in the Military. |
| 1994 | June - General Assembly Resolution of Immediate Witness regarding Sexuality Education in Public Schools; (sponsored by the Youth Caucus) urged that public sexuality education be comprehensive, unbiased, up-to-date, and inclusive of all sexual orientations. |
| 1996 | Keith Kron becomes Director of Office of Lesbian, Bisexual, and Gay Concerns. |
| 1996 | UUA Board of Trustees passes resolution in support of Same-Gender Marriage. |
| 1996 | April - Office name changes to: Office of Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Concerns (OBGLTC) to reflect commitment to the transgender community. |
| 1996 | June - General Assembly Resolution of Immediate Witness passed In Support of the Right to Marry for Same-Sex Couples. |
| 1997 | February, San Diego, CA - OBGLTC holds workshop about revisions to The Welcoming Congregation program prior to Interweave Convocation. |
| 1997 | June - General Assembly Action of Immediate Witness passed in Support for Non-discriminatory Corporate and Other Business Policies. |
| 1997 | June - General Assembly stages Sodomy Law Protest in form of an educational panel in Pheonix, AZ. |
| 1997 | October - OBGLTC sponsors training on transgender issues for UUA's Ministerial Fellowship Committee, Ministry Department and Faith in Action Department. |
| 1998 | February, Orlando, FL - OBGLTC holds 2nd workshop about revisions to The Welcoming Congregation program prior to Interweave Convocation. |
| 1999 | April - OBGLTC provides training on transgender issues for the UUA's Religious Education Department. |
| 1999 | April - Welcoming Congregation Handbook, 2nd edition released. |
| 1999 | May - Montana becomes first state where all Unitarian Universalist congregations are Welcoming Congregations. |
| 2000 | April - OBGLTC provides training on transgender issues for the UUA’s Congregational, District and Extension Services Department. |
| 2000 | April - UUA staff attended the Millennium March on Washington for B/G/L/T equality. |
| 2000 | May - Challenging the Religious “Right” information packet completed |
| 2000 | June - 25% of all UUA Congregations are Welcoming Congregations. |
| 2000 | June - Liberal Religious Educators Association (LREDA) becomes first Welcoming Organization. |
| 2001 | March - OBGLTC presents workshop on transgender issues at UU Urban Church Conference. |
| 2002 | April - The Welcoming Congregation Handbook is revised to include gender-neutral pronouns throughout the book. |
| 2002 | May 12 - Rev. Sean Dennison called to serve South Valley UU congregation of Salt Lake City, UT thus becoming the first out transgender person in the UU ministry to be called to serve a congregation as a parish minister. |
| 2002 | May 19 - Rev. Laurie J. Auffant called to serve Follen Church Society of Lexington, MA, thus becoming the first out transgender person in the UU ministry to be called to serve a congregation as a minister of religious education. |
| 2004 | February - UUA President’s Freedom to Marry Fund is launched. |
| 2004 | May 17 - UUA President Rev. William G. Sinkford legally marries Hillary and Julie Goodridge, lead plaintiffs in Goodridge v. MA Dept. of Public Health in Eliot Hall at the Unitarian Universalist Association. |
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