National Coming Out Day Breakfast
Name:
National Coming Out Day Breakfast
Date:
October 11, 2016
Time:
7:30 AM - 9:00 AM CDT
Website:
Buy Your Ticket
Event Description:
R. Richard Wagner is one of Wisconsin’s preeminent scholars on LGBT history. He came to Wisconsin in 1965 to attend graduate school in American History at the University of Wisconsin-Madison after receiving his B.A. from the University of Dayton. In 1974, he ran for alder in Madison on a platform that the City should adopt a non-discrimination ordinance protecting gays and lesbians. Though he lost the election, in 1975 the City of Madison passed such an ordinance.
In 1983, Wagner was appointed by Governor Anthony Earl to Co-Chair the first in the nation Governor’s Council on Lesbian and Gay Issues. The Council held hearings around the state regarding the status of government services for gays and lesbians. They educated the Wisconsin press on gay issues. They successfully obtained the cooperation of the State Medical Society to prevent an AIDS panic as the disease made itself known in Wisconsin.
In 1988, Wagner became the Dane County Board Chairperson, at that time the highest office any gay person had held in the state. In 2005, he joined the Board of Fair Wisconsin to fight the constitutional amendment against marriage equality.
Wagner has also served or serves on the Wisconsin Arts Board, the Wisconsin Humanities Committee, the Board of Downtown Madison Inc., the Madison Plan Commission, the Madison Urban Design Commission, the Madison Landmarks Commission, Historic Madison, the Madison Trust for Historic Preservation, the Board of the Olbrich Botanical Gardens, and the Board of the Friends of UW Libraries.
Since retiring in 2005, he has been researching and presenting on Wisconsin Gay History including bimonthly articles in Our Lives magazine. He hopes there’s a book there someday.
In 1983, Wagner was appointed by Governor Anthony Earl to Co-Chair the first in the nation Governor’s Council on Lesbian and Gay Issues. The Council held hearings around the state regarding the status of government services for gays and lesbians. They educated the Wisconsin press on gay issues. They successfully obtained the cooperation of the State Medical Society to prevent an AIDS panic as the disease made itself known in Wisconsin.
In 1988, Wagner became the Dane County Board Chairperson, at that time the highest office any gay person had held in the state. In 2005, he joined the Board of Fair Wisconsin to fight the constitutional amendment against marriage equality.
Wagner has also served or serves on the Wisconsin Arts Board, the Wisconsin Humanities Committee, the Board of Downtown Madison Inc., the Madison Plan Commission, the Madison Urban Design Commission, the Madison Landmarks Commission, Historic Madison, the Madison Trust for Historic Preservation, the Board of the Olbrich Botanical Gardens, and the Board of the Friends of UW Libraries.
Since retiring in 2005, he has been researching and presenting on Wisconsin Gay History including bimonthly articles in Our Lives magazine. He hopes there’s a book there someday.
