Basic Rights Oregon
Encyclopedia
Basic Rights Oregon is an American nonprofit
gay rights
organization based in Portland
, Oregon. It is the largest advocacy, education, and political organization working in Oregon
to end discrimination based on sexual orientation
and gender identity
. BRO has twelve full-time staff, a contract lobbyist, three offices statewide, more than 10,000 contributors, and 5,000 volunteers. It is a 501(c)(4) organization that maintains a 501(c)(3) education fund, a state candidate PAC
and a ballot measure PAC, with a combined annual budget of nearly $1 million.
, an organization that opposed gay rights. After an anti-gay ballot measure passed in 1988, Oregonians organized to protect gay rights, raising over $2 million in 1992 for a successful campaign to defeat the OCA's next anti-gay effort, Ballot Measure 9
, which would have prohibited "encouragement" of homosexual lifestyles in public schools. As the OCA continued to field city and county measures and promised to return to the statewide ballot in 1994, activists pressured for a stable political organization. Support Our Communities-PAC (SOC-PAC) was formed in 1983, leading to the defeat of the OCA's Measure 13 in 1994, and the creation of what is now known as Basic Rights Oregon.
, and Multnomah County
joined as plaintiffs against the State of Oregon, the Governor
, the Attorney General
, the Director of the Department of Human Services
, and the State Registrar in a suit in the Oregon Supreme Court
seeking a declaration that the statutes (ORS chapter 106) prohibiting same-sex couples from marrying on the same terms as opposite-sex couples violated the Oregon Constitution.
, which amended the Oregon Constitution
to prohibit gay marriage. Prior to Oregon's Measure 36, Oregon statutes
(ORS) provided that marriage is a civil contract entered into in person between individuals of the opposite sex, that is, between males and females at least 17 years of age who solemnize the marriage by declaring "they take each other to be husband and wife." Before Measure 36, the Oregon Constitution contained no provision governing marriage. Currently, the State of Oregon
recognizes out-of-state marriages that are valid in the state where performed, unless the marriage violates a strong public policy of Oregon. The measure adds to the Oregon Constitution a declaration that the policy of the State of Oregon and its political subdivisions is that "only a marriage between one man and one woman shall be valid or legally recognized as a marriage."
Although Basic Rights Oregon raised nearly $3 million to fight the measure, it passed with 57% in favor and 43% opposed.
, the Oregon farmworkers' union, and also the state's largest Latino organization, to offer its support in the fight against discrimination.
Nonprofit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
gay rights
LGBT social movements
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender social movements share inter-related goals of social acceptance of sexual and gender minorities. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and their allies have a long history of campaigning for what is generally called LGBT rights, also called gay...
organization based in Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, Oregon. It is the largest advocacy, education, and political organization working in Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
to end discrimination based on sexual orientation
Sexual orientation
Sexual orientation describes a pattern of emotional, romantic, or sexual attractions to the opposite sex, the same sex, both, or neither, and the genders that accompany them. By the convention of organized researchers, these attractions are subsumed under heterosexuality, homosexuality,...
and gender identity
Gender identity
A gender identity is the way in which an individual self-identifies with a gender category, for example, as being either a man or a woman, or in some cases being neither, which can be distinct from biological sex. Basic gender identity is usually formed by age three and is extremely difficult to...
. BRO has twelve full-time staff, a contract lobbyist, three offices statewide, more than 10,000 contributors, and 5,000 volunteers. It is a 501(c)(4) organization that maintains a 501(c)(3) education fund, a state candidate PAC
Political action committee
In the United States, a political action committee, or PAC, is the name commonly given to a private group, regardless of size, organized to elect political candidates or to advance the outcome of a political issue or legislation. Legally, what constitutes a "PAC" for purposes of regulation is a...
and a ballot measure PAC, with a combined annual budget of nearly $1 million.
History
Basic Rights Oregon was created in 1988 as a response to the Oregon Citizens AllianceOregon Citizens Alliance
The Oregon Citizens Alliance was a conservative Christian political activist organization, founded by Lon Mabon in the U.S. state of Oregon. It was founded in 1986 as a vehicle to challenge then–U.S...
, an organization that opposed gay rights. After an anti-gay ballot measure passed in 1988, Oregonians organized to protect gay rights, raising over $2 million in 1992 for a successful campaign to defeat the OCA's next anti-gay effort, Ballot Measure 9
Oregon Ballot Measure 9 (1992)
Ballot Measure 9 was a ballot measure in the U.S. state of Oregon in 1992, concerning gay rights and public education, that drew widespread national attention.Measure 9 would have added the following text to the Oregon Constitution:...
, which would have prohibited "encouragement" of homosexual lifestyles in public schools. As the OCA continued to field city and county measures and promised to return to the statewide ballot in 1994, activists pressured for a stable political organization. Support Our Communities-PAC (SOC-PAC) was formed in 1983, leading to the defeat of the OCA's Measure 13 in 1994, and the creation of what is now known as Basic Rights Oregon.
Li vs. State
In 2004, BRO, nine same-sex couples, the American Civil Liberties UnionAmerican Civil Liberties Union
The American Civil Liberties Union is a U.S. non-profit organization whose stated mission is "to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States." It works through litigation, legislation, and...
, and Multnomah County
Multnomah County, Oregon
Multnomah County is one of 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. Though smallest in area, it is the most populous as its county seat, Portland, is the state's largest city...
joined as plaintiffs against the State of Oregon, the Governor
Governor of Oregon
The Governor of Oregon is the top executive of the government of the U.S. state of Oregon. The title of governor was also applied to the office of Oregon's chief executive during the provisional and U.S. territorial governments....
, the Attorney General
Oregon Attorney General
The Oregon Attorney General is a statutory office within the executive branch of the state of Oregon, and serves as the chief legal officer of the state, heading its Department of Justice with its six operating divisions. The Attorney General is chosen by statewide partisan election to serve a term...
, the Director of the Department of Human Services
Oregon Department of Human Services
The Oregon Department of Human Services is the primary health and human services agency of the government of the U.S. state of Oregon. The ODHS was established in 1971 as the Oregon Department of Human Resources but renamed in 1999...
, and the State Registrar in a suit in the Oregon Supreme Court
Oregon Supreme Court
The Oregon Supreme Court is the highest state court in the U.S. state of Oregon. The only court that may reverse or modify a decision of the Oregon Supreme Court is the Supreme Court of the United States. The OSC holds court at the Oregon Supreme Court Building in Salem, Oregon, near the capitol...
seeking a declaration that the statutes (ORS chapter 106) prohibiting same-sex couples from marrying on the same terms as opposite-sex couples violated the Oregon Constitution.
Measure 36
In 2004, Basic Rights Oregon led the fight against Ballot Measure 36Oregon Ballot Measure 36 (2004)
Ballot Measure 36 was a 2004 initiative in the U.S. state of Oregon. It amended the Oregon Constitution to define marriage as a union of one man and one woman. The initiative passed with 1,028,546 votes in favor, and 787,556 votes against in the November 2, 2004 general election.It is one of a...
, which amended the Oregon Constitution
Oregon Constitution
The Oregon Constitution is the governing document of the U.S. state of Oregon, originally enacted in 1857. As amended the current state constitution contains eighteen sections, beginning with a bill of rights. This contains most of the rights and privileges granted in the United States Bill of...
to prohibit gay marriage. Prior to Oregon's Measure 36, Oregon statutes
Oregon Revised Statutes
The Oregon Revised Statutes is the codified body of statutory law governing the U.S. state of Oregon, as enacted by the Oregon Legislative Assembly, and occasionally by citizen initiative...
(ORS) provided that marriage is a civil contract entered into in person between individuals of the opposite sex, that is, between males and females at least 17 years of age who solemnize the marriage by declaring "they take each other to be husband and wife." Before Measure 36, the Oregon Constitution contained no provision governing marriage. Currently, the State of Oregon
Government of Oregon
The government of the U.S. state of Oregon, as prescribed by the Oregon Constitution, is composed of three government branches: the executive, the legislative, and the judicial...
recognizes out-of-state marriages that are valid in the state where performed, unless the marriage violates a strong public policy of Oregon. The measure adds to the Oregon Constitution a declaration that the policy of the State of Oregon and its political subdivisions is that "only a marriage between one man and one woman shall be valid or legally recognized as a marriage."
Although Basic Rights Oregon raised nearly $3 million to fight the measure, it passed with 57% in favor and 43% opposed.
College and youth organizing
Basic Rights Oregon is currently teaming up with the Oregon Student Equal Rights Alliance to organize queer students at Oregon's colleges and universities. Basic Rights Oregon has also begun a LGBTQ youth coalition known as QPOWER. Working together the two collectives helped win two major victories this legislative session: the passage of the Oregon Equality Act, which prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and the Oregon Family Fairness Act, which grants domestic partnerships rights to same-sex couples.Outreach to other communities
When anti-immigration legislation in California appeared to be inspiring similar efforts in Oregon, BRO reached out to PCUNPCUN
Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste , more commonly known by the acronym PCUN, is the largest Latino union in the state of Oregon. PCUN is located in Woodburn, Oregon...
, the Oregon farmworkers' union, and also the state's largest Latino organization, to offer its support in the fight against discrimination.