The Lavender Pen

The San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus had its first performance at a candlelight vigil on the night of Harvey Milk's assassination in 1978. Harvey Milk was the first openly gay candidate elected to major office in the U.S In 1977, Supervisor Milk had sponsored a landmark gay civil rights bill. San Francisco Mayor George Moscone signed that bill into law with a lavender pen given to him by Milk. Nearly 40 years later, The Lavender Pen remains a symbol of the fight for equality for all. It's also the name of a recent tour by the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus through several southern US states which have harsh anti-LGBTQ legislation. On this episode of Relate, the story of an inspiring tour and the quest for equality.