NYT:
Mr. [Arthur] Evans was not at the Stonewall disturbances, but they fueled in him a militant fervor and inspired him to join the Gay Liberation Front, an organization started during the wave of gay assertiveness that followed.
For Mr. Evans and other militants, however, the group was not assertive enough. They worried that it was diluting its effectiveness by taking stands on issues beyond gay rights — opposing the Vietnam War and racial discrimination, for example. So in December 1969 they split off to found the Gay Activists Alliance, choosing a name to suggest more aggressive tactics.I love love love the way the obit closes:
Based in New York, the alliance became a model for gay rights organizations nationwide, pushing in New York for legislation to ban discrimination against gay men and lesbians in employment, housing and other areas.
Growing up, Mr. Evans had hid his sexual orientation, though he himself was aware of it at 10, he said. By November 1970, when he was scheduled to appear on “The Dick Cavett Show” with other gay leaders, he had still not told his parents that he was gay. But, by his account, he did tell them he was going to be on national television. Thrilled, they told friends and neighbors to tune in.Reminds me of the time, back in the late 1990s, I warned my mom, who I was already out to, that I was working on some high profile gay rights advocacy case (one of my freelancing campaigns) and she should be prepared for the relatives to find out that I was gay. I remember her response, which still makes me laugh:
Mr. Evans later said he regretted his handling of the matter.
Well, it's not like you're going to be on TV or anything.Uh, well, actually...
