Grade Level: High School
Time: 1 class period

Standards:

• US.Civ.5.b. Evaluate the effectiveness of individuals, groups, and institutions in addressing issues of civil rights and justice in the post-World War II era (e.g., disability, education, environmental justice, LGBTQ+ rights, poverty, racial and gender equity, voting access) 

• US.Civ.5.c. Analyze the role of legislative and judicial decisions in expanding or limiting civil liberties (e.g., Hernandez v. Texas, Executive Order 10450, Loving v. Virginia, Civil Rights Act of 1964, Voting Rights Act of 1965, Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972, Roe v. Wade). 

• CG.Civ.13.a. Evaluate how a regulation or law can create or eliminate systemic inequalities involving race, gender and sexuality, ability, socio-economic status, belief systems, or access to resources (e.g., gerrymandering, 14th Amendment, Plessy v. Ferguson, poll taxes, Sheff v. O’Neill, Voting Rights Act of 1965, Rehabilitation Act). 

• CG.Civ.14.b. Analyze advocacy and activism in the United States related to a contemporary human rights issue using the United States Constitution and other historical sources (e.g., protestors, petitions, resistance). 

Learning Objective: 

Students will construct a timeline covering the period 1973–1991 to analyze the forces of perseverance and resistance involved in passing Connecticut’s first major LGBTQ+ civil rights law.

Essential Question: How does change happen—or fail to happen—in a democracy? 

Supporting Questions: 

• After 18 years of failed attempts, what specific events, people, and compromises finally enabled Connecticut to pass its first gay rights and anti-discrimination law? 

• How did sustained activism and key political shifts transform repeated legislative setbacks into an eventual victory? 

Teacher Background: 

On May 1, 1991, Connecticut Governor Lowell P. Weicker Jr. signed into law Public Act No. 91-58, “An Act Concerning Discrimination on the Basis of Sexual Orientation.” Known as the “gay-rights bill,” this legislation prohibited discrimination based on sexual orientation in housing, employment, and credit. It was one of the first LGBTQ+ civil rights laws in the state of Connecticut. The passage of the 1991 gay-rights law, however, was the culmination of years of persistent advocacy and failed legislation, starting in 1973. 

Click here for more information on this law.

Materials: 

• “Eighteen Years in the Making” print article 
• Highlighters
  
• Posterboard or whiteboard
• Markers

Introduction (10-15 minutes)

1. Teacher Prompt:

“Today we’re going to look at a specific piece of legislation in Connecticut to explore some bigger ideas: the struggle for civil rights, the power of civic engagement, and how change happens—or fails to happen—in a democracy. 

Connecticut passed Public Act No. 91-58 in 1991, which prohibited discrimination of Connecticut residents based on sexual orientation in housing, employment, and credit. In doing so, it became only the fourth state nationwide to enact such a civil rights protection. 

This victory didn’t happen overnight, though. It actually took 18 years for this bill to pass.” 

2. Class Discussion: 

As a class, discuss the definitions of “civil rights” and “civic engagement.”

Main Activity: Create a Timeline (25-30 minutes)

Students will read an article to gather information and populate a timeline. 

1. Hand out copies of “Eighteen Years in the Making” to students. Have them highlight important names and dates. (This article can also be distributed as a homework assignment the class before.)
2. Divide students into groups. On their posterboard or the whiteboard, each group will make their own timeline documenting the important dates and events involved in passing the law, starting in 1973 and ending in 1991. They can utilize two different colors to delineate between progress and setbacks.
3. After they complete their timelines, students should identify groups that either supported or opposed the law, noting the tactics they used. (Connecticut Coalition for Gay and Lesbian Rights lobbied legislators, organized protests and vigils; Connecticut Citizens for Decency took out advertisements in the Hartford Courant, testified while carrying Bibles)
4. Identify critical social events that motivated activists and created a sense of urgency for legislative protection. (murder of Richard Reihl, AIDS epidemic, Rep. Joseph Grabarz Jr.)

Opportunities for Assessment

1. Closing Reflection Questions (10 minutes): 
   • Why do you think it took so long for this law to pass?
   • What tactics were successful in getting it passed?
   • What does the passing of this bill tell us about how legislative change happens? 
   • Why is civic engagement necessary to create change? 
2. Homework: Have students write a 1–2 paragraph response to one of the following prompts. 
   • Option A: A True Victory?
     • Was the 1991 anti-discrimination law a true victory for equality, considering that activists had to accept exemptions and a clause stating the state does not ‘condone homosexuality’?
   • Option B: The Importance of Representation
     • In December 1990, state Rep. Joseph Grabarz Jr. (D-Bridgeport) publicly announced that he was gay, becoming the first openly homosexual state lawmaker in Connecticut. Why might his personal testimony have been so important in getting the law passed?
   • Option C: LGBTQ+ Rights Today
     • What other laws exist to protect LGBTQ+ individuals in Connecticut? Have there been any updates since 1991? Are there any laws that have been proposed but not yet approved by the General Assembly? 

Slides and Worksheets

“Eighteen Years in the Making” Article (PDF) (Doc)