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LGBTQ+ History in Portland
The Rose City has a long history of gay rights activism and LGBTQ+ inclusiveness.
PQ Monthly
Note: This section was produced in collaboration with ProudQueer.com, formerly known as PQ Monthly.
Portland’s LGBTQ+ history likely goes back to the first human inhabitants of the area. According to the First Nations Two-Spirit Collective, native people have celebrated gender and sexual minorities for millennia. Explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark noted a number of encounters with such individuals in Oregon. While some tribes have struggled to keep these traditions alive in the face of colonial influences, the Portland Two-Spirit Society is evidence of the resurgence of Two-Spirit pride.
Portland’s gay communities first found widespread visibility, and later organization, through the local media. In 1970, not long after the riots at Stonewall, John Wilkinson and Holly Hart wrote about Portland’s queer community in the Willamette Bridge. They called for gays and lesbians to organize, and the Portland Gay Liberation Front (PGLF) was born.
After the formation of the PGLF, advances in gay rights began to mount. Two years later, in 1972, Oregon became the fourth state to repeal its sodomy laws (enacted in 1853). By 1973, Rep. Vera Katz (who later became Portland’s mayor) had introduced the state’s first gay rights bill, which failed to pass by just two votes. There were even enough gay rights groups to hold an Oregon Gay Political Caucus. The following year, the Portland City Council adopted a resolution barring employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
Portland’s first gay pride celebration took the form of indoor events such as dances, sponsored by The Second Foundation. The first outdoor public pride festival was held in 1975.
Portland saw its first AIDS-related death in 1982, and by 1983, Cascade AIDS Project and PALS (Personal Active Listeners) were formed. The 1980s also saw the beginnings of still-vibrant community institutions such as Esther’s Pantry, Portland Gay Men’s Chorus, Portland Lesbian Choir and Equity Foundation.
In 1988, the Oregon LGBTQ+ community met a foe that would provide the impetus for the next decade of activism. The Oregon Citizens Alliance (OCA), a conservative Christian group, sponsored Measure 8, which ultimately succeeded in repealing Gov. Goldschmidt’s executive order prohibiting the executive branch from discriminating based on sexual orientation in employment. The measure was overruled by the Oregon Supreme Court in 1992.
The OCA continued to fight against gay rights with 1992’s Measure 9, which sought to prevent “special rights” for gay, lesbian and bisexual people. This became a galvanizing battle for the community and led to the creation of the state’s primary LGBTQ+ rights organization, Basic Rights Oregon in 1996.
In 2006, Q Center — Portland’s first new LGBTQ+ community center since 1978 — opened its doors. The following year, the Oregon legislature passed bills banning discrimination based on sexual orientation in housing, public accommodations and employment based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Portland voters took that sentiment to heart in 2008 when they elected Sam Adams, the first openly gay mayor of a major U.S. city.
Adams led the Portland City Council in 2011 to unanimously make the health insurance policy for city employees transgender-inclusive. The state continues to be a leader in healthcare for transgender people.
In 2014, a U.S. District Court judge made marriage legal for all couples in the state after overturning Oregon’s ban on same-sex marriages. The Oregon district attorney declined to defend the law when it was challenged in a federal lawsuit, and the decision went into effect immediately. This was ten years after Multnomah County attempted to issue some of the first gay marriage licenses in the country in 2004.
In February 2015, Oregon Secretary of State Kate Brown made history as the nation’s first openly bisexual governor when she was appointed to the position following then-Governor John Kitzhaber’s resignation. Brown, the 37th governor of Oregon, has long been a vocal advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and organizations throughout the state.
For more on Portland’s rich LGBTQ+ history, visit the Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest (GLAPN). Trace the footsteps of Portland’s queer community with their self-guided walking tour.
Learn More About Portland’s Queer Community – Past and Present
When was gay marriage legalized in Portland?
Legislation passed in 2007 gave same-sex couples access to domestic partnerships, but not marriage. Gay marriage became legal in Portland (and the rest of Oregon) on May 20, 2014.
Where can I learn more about the history of gay rights activism in Portland?
How can I support LGBTQ+ businesses in Portland?
Oregon Pride in Business (ORPIB) serves as the LGBTQ+ chamber of commerce for businesses in Oregon and Southwest Washington. The organization hosts networking events at LGBTQ+-owned businesses in the greater Portland area.
Queer Community Events
Portland Gay Men’s Chorus
Portland Gay Men’s Chorus presents: Light the Way Home Join the Portland Gay Men’s Chorus as they ring in this festive season with an evening of choral magic. In the midst of a chaotic world, PGMC celebrates the quirky and joyous importance of those we choose to call family. Expect holiday classics, new favorites, and…
Gay Skate
Roll out with your friends and loved ones to our monthly Gay Skate Session, held the 3rd Monday night of the month from 7-9 PM. Everyone is welcome at this all-ages event at Oaks Bottom. Admission tickets allow access to the Oaks Park Roller Rink for the selected Gay Skate Session date/time. Includes conventional skate…
Our Town
Fuse Theatre Ensemble presents Our Town, a metatheatrical three-act play that won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1938. The play tells the story of the fictional American small town of Grover’s Corners between 1901 and 1913 through the everyday lives of its citizens. An American theater classic, Our Town investigates the nature of life,…
THE BELLE SUPPER CLUB: A Burlesque Dinner Cabaret
Taste the luscious charms and delectable cheekiness of Vintage Portland nightlife as Lacy Productions presents: THE BELLE SUPPER CLUB: A Burlesque Dinner Cabaret at the Victorian Belle Mansion in Portland. Escape the everyday and delve into cabaret dreams at THE BELLE SUPPER CLUB (located inside the enclosed and heated garden space) while enjoying dinner, cocktails,…
The Queen's Keys
Drag artists Saint Syndrome and Nicole Onoscopi bring you live vocals and piano, mixed with comedy and storytelling. A perfect event for date night or a family night out. (All ages are welcome.)
Jonathan Van Ness
Jonathan Van Ness is an Emmy-nominated television personality, New York Times best-selling author, podcaster, and hairstylist to the stars. He stars in Netflix’s Emmy Award-winning reboot series “Queer Eye,” where he shines as the hair guru and self-care advocate. He was a 2020 Primetime Emmy nominee for ‘Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program’…
Picture Day
Celebrated photographer Elle Hygge offers professional portraits and headshots that celebrate the diversity of Portland at an 80% discount. LGBTQIA2S+ friendly and support animals welcome. This is an event sponsored by the gallery and the urban art hike to encourage everyone to come to the gallery and take pictures with art. pay the gallery @GalleryGoGoGo…
Burlynomicon – A Darkly Decadent Burlesque Revue
Imagine a lush, decadent, special speakeasy that you enter through a hushed bar. You descend the staircase to be greeted with resplendently eerie surroundings, vendors with wares to delight your senses, libations of the most glorious, food to nourish your weary soul, and a reader that will tell you of your fortune. In the next…
Booklover’s Burlesque
BOOKLOVER’S BURLESQUE: The Holiday Edition A Booklover’s Burlesque special edition at The Alberta Rose Theatre just in time for a most festive and flirty holiday season. Booklover’s Burlesque is the world’s sexiest literary salon which matches titillating, inspiring, and empowering book readings with burlesque, boylesque, and draglesque performances all in one show. Professional readers, actors,…
Everything in Between w/ Danelle Porter
A femme-focused standup comedy showcase featuring a lineup of Portland’s finest and funniest comics that are NOT straight white guys. Can men even really BE funny? We’re not so convinced. Tickets are $10 and are available at the door only.
Spectrum Holigay Art Market
Join in for the first market of the winter series, which features 15 LGBTQ2SIA+ artists from the Portland Metro area and resident ADX artists. You will find print art, jewelry, accessories, apparel, ceramics, and so much more. Free to the public Masks are required Follow Spectrum Art Market on Instagram to learn more about the…
Holiday Concert
Rose City Wind Symphony presents, “The Holiday Gift of Music.” Join Rose City Wind Symphony in celebrating the holiday season through music. The program will contain some of your holiday favorites. This concert is free to the public with donations gladly accepted.
Poison Waters + Friends Holiday Cocktail Party
Celebrate the season at Hotel Vance while supporting Camp KC. Camp KC (Kids Connection) is a fun and safe summer camp experience for children ages 5-15 living with and/or affected by HIV/AIDS. Camp KC is a free, weeklong overnight camp located on the Oregon Coast that is supported by donations, grants, and approximately 50 volunteers….
My Perfectly Valid Objections
Salt and Sage Productions is proud to present the World Premiere of playwright Mikki Gillette’s My Perfectly Valid Objections. A feminist comedy about “dating while trans,” Gillette’s play depicts a group of trans women navigating the minefield of heterosexual dating. The tart, queer comedy lays out all the arguments against love – both during the…
Barefoot Fusion
Barefoot is a structured, weekly fusion dance event that remains a creative dance community at its heart. All dance levels are welcome, and no prior dance experience is required. At Barefoot, every Friday, you’ll see everything from Traditional Blues dancing to “Fusion dancing,” which combines two or more dance styles danced to non-traditional music. For…
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