Mission

We are devoted to advancing equal rights for all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

DSD supports the Democratic Party and Democratic candidates who support our mission. DSD draws its strength from a nationwide network of individuals and clubs composed of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Democrats who are working to realize the following goals:

  • To educate the LGBT community and people who are supportive of it about the vast differences that exist between the two major parties on the issues of concern to our community;

  • To lead our party to improve its record on issues of importance to our community, and to work for the nomination of Democratic candidates from the local to national level, including qualified openly LGBT candidates who will be fully supportive of our fight for equality;

  • To encourage our community to support and vote for Democratic candidates who are committed to defeating homophobia and prejudice; and

  • To work with local LGBT Democratic clubs and individuals to encourage and foster activism to achieve these goals.

History

Desert Stonewall Democrats

You may be wondering – How did Desert Stonewall Democrats come to be? This brief history of Democratic LGBTQ+ clubs, including DSD, in the U.S.A. provides some background. We hope you find it informative. You may find these newspaper clippings and photos from DSD’s earliest days of interest.

2019 was also the 50th anniversary of the June 28, 1969 Stonewall uprising and one year later on June 28, 1970, the first Gay Liberation marches took place in Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York commemorating the anniversary of the riots. Sadly, in 2020, the 50th anniversary celebration of those first “Pride” parades was limited by the COVID-19 pandemic.

LGBTQ+ Activism – Why Stonewall?

A question frequently asked at our Village Fest voter registration booth is “Why Stonewall?”  The short answer is, of course, that the Stonewall Inn uprising (or “riot”) that began on June 28, 1969 was the spark that ignited the gay liberation movement and the progress for LGBT civil rights in the last five decades. While that’s an easy, satisfying answer, it ignores the much longer history of LGBT activism and the struggle against oppression that preceded the Stonewall uprising. This “Short History of LGBT Activism in the USA” attempts to summarize the timeline and the many groups and organizations that were the predecessors for Stonewall.  We hope you find it informative.