OUR HISTORY
In 2000, Northeast Ohio’s LGBTQIA+ community was celebrating the first openly out Congressperson, working to repeal “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell,” grieving Matthew Shepard, and organizing for same-sex marriage. Our community saw the need for collective action that would identify, support, and advance pro-equality candidates and policies at all levels of office. As such, the Cleveland Stonewall Democrats (CSD) was born!
In the years since, CSD has become an active force to help connect and educate candidates to LGBTQIA+ issues and to advance legislation that benefits our community. CSD established an endorsement process and, through that process, has worked to elect hundreds of aligned candidates. CSD continues to support these candidates once in office, working to enact policies and laws to ensure equal protection for our community.
To financially support those candidates and issues that CSD members endorse each election cycle, CSD established the Freedom Fund PAC. Our annual CSD Freedom Fund Reception is held to honor those who have fought for equality and raise funds to support endorsed candidates. In total, the CSD has raised over $100,000 to support pro-equality candidates!
Timeline of CSD Accomplishments:
2000 – Established as a chapter of the National Stonewall Democrats
2002 – supported passage of domestic partner registry in Cleveland Heights
2004 – advocated for full Democratic opposition to Ohio Issue 1 (legislation against same-sex marriage) by Ohio Senate Democrats
2006 – worked to elect Gov. Ted Strickland, who signs executive order barring discrimination in state employment based on sexual orientation or gender identify
2008 – partnered with Shaker Heights to gather support for, and implement, Equal Employment Opportunity and equal housing policies that protect all community members from discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity
2008 – worked closely with Obama campaign to support his historic election
2010 – 10th Anniversary Celebration honors our founding president, Patrick Shepherd
2010 – supported the candidacy of Nickie Antonio to the Ohio House of Representatives, where she became the first openly LGBTQIA+ member
2011 – created the CSD Stephanie Tubbs Jones Freedom Award and the CSD Leadership Award
2012 – worked with City of East Cleveland to enact comprehensive human rights ordinance
2013 – partnered with Cuyahoga County to enact domestic partner benefits for county employees
2014 – worked with City of Cleveland Heights to enact comprehensive human rights ordinance
2015 – Our Freedom Fund Reception welcomed special guests and honorees Jim Obergefell & Senator Sherrod Brown
2016 – collaborated with the City of Lakewood to enact comprehensive human rights ordinance
2016 – partnered with the City of Cleveland to update existing nondiscrimination laws to protect transgender individuals from discrimination
2017 – worked with Olmsted Falls to enact comprehensive human rights ordinance
2017 – Pride in the CLE created by a coalition of northeast Ohio LGBTQIA+ community members, including CSD leaders and members
2018 – worked to elect Nickie Antonio to the Ohio Senate as first openly LGBTQIA+ member of that body
2018 – worked with the City of South Euclid to enact comprehensive human rights ordinance
2018 – worked with the City of Beachwood to enact comprehensive human rights ordinance
2018 – worked with Cuyahoga County Council and the County Executive to enact a countywide comprehensive human rights ordinance, the first in Ohio
2018 – created the first Dave Ream Standing OUT Award
“We must continue to overcome adversity and keep fighting to elect pro-equality candidates and shape public policy for our LGBTQIA+ community to make our community and world a better place in which to live.”
Patrick Shepherd, founding President of the Cleveland Stonewall Democrats
THE NAME “STONEWALL”
“Stonewall” refers to the Stonewall Inn – a bar in New York City. The Stonewall Inn is considered by many to be the birthplace of the modern movement for LGBTQIA+ equality. For most of the 20th century, laws forbade queer people from congregating. In many states, like New York, it was illegal to serve alcohol to homosexuals. Police conducted routine raids, and arrested individuals on a regular basis. With few legal places to meet, gays and lesbians often faced jailing if they chose to live their lives openly.
The Stonewall riots were a crucial, era-defining moment in the struggle for equality.
In the early hours of June 28 1969, a gay bar in the West Village of Manhattan became the epicenter of an event that changed the course of LGBT history.
The days of riots which followed the uprising against police brutality frequently targeting The Stonewall Inn along with other gay bars were momentous.
Led by prominent activists Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, who were trans women of color, the riots sparked an entire civil rights movement, and are the reason why we celebrate Pride Month in June.