Slow Burn – Season 9 Trailer: “Gays Against Briggs”

Release Date: May 9, 2024
Host: Slate Podcasts
Theme: Turning Points in LGBTQ+ Rights: The Briggs Initiative

Episode Overview

Season 9 of Slow Burn, titled "Gays Against Briggs," explores the story behind California’s Proposition 6—commonly known as the Briggs Initiative—a 1978 ballot measure that sought to ban openly gay and lesbian teachers (and their supporters) from public schools. This season promises to uncover the climate of nationwide backlash against LGBTQ+ rights, the rise of activist leaders, and the high-stakes grassroots campaign that would define a generation and the future of civil rights in America.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Anti-Gay Backlash of the Late 1970s

• Dade County Precedent:
  Timestamps: 00:03–00:17
  • Rise in anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment began with voters in Dade County, Miami, repealing gay civil rights ordinances by a dramatic 2-to-1 margin.
  • "Cities around the country began rolling back anti-discrimination laws that protected gay people." – (A, 00:09)
  • This repeal set off a national trend: “Wichita, St. Paul, Eugene. Successful campaigns against a gay community which shocked us all.” – (B, 00:17)

2. The Emergence of John Briggs

Timestamp: 00:25–00:41

• California State Senator John Briggs observed the rise in anti-gay activism and saw a political opportunity.
• Briggs is quoted directly: "Homosexuality is the most repulsive lifestyle." – (B, 00:30)
• He aimed to bring the movement to its biggest stage: California.

3. The Briggs Initiative (Proposition 6)

Timestamp: 00:46–01:10

• The measure, known as Proposition 6, proposed firing California teachers for being (or supporting) homosexuality.
• “Your life as you knew it would be destroyed. We've got to fight back. We can't let this happen.” – (B, 00:56)
• This would be the first statewide public vote targeting gay rights in American history.

4. Activation of a Movement

Timestamp: 01:18–01:30

• The stakes of Prop 6 galvanized people, especially the young, to activism.
• “Gay rights now. Gay rights.” – (B, 01:18)
• “We were all coming out all day long, every day.” – (B, 01:24)
• Activists like Harvey Milk rose to prominence: “My name is Harvey Milk, and I'm here to recruit you.” – (B, 01:30)

5. The Consequences and Legacy at Stake

Timestamp: 01:37–01:45

• The series underscores the monumental stakes: “If we lose here, it’ll be 50 years before we ever get back up again.” – (B, 01:45)
• “Like the drag queen say, take out the earrings, sharpen the nails, there ain’t no going back.” – (B, 01:48)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Homosexuality is the most repulsive lifestyle."
  — John Briggs (B), 00:30

• "We were all coming out all day long, every day."
  — Unidentified Activist (B), 01:24

• "My name is Harvey Milk, and I'm here to recruit you."
  — Harvey Milk (B), 01:30

• "If we lose here, it’ll be 50 years before we ever get back up again. Like the drag queen say, take out the earrings, sharpen the nails, there ain’t no going back."
  — Unidentified Voice (B), 01:45

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:03–00:17: Overview of anti-gay ordinances being repealed nationwide.
• 00:25–00:41: Introduction of John Briggs and his motives.
• 00:46–01:10: Explanation of the Briggs Initiative and its immediate threat.
• 01:18–01:30: Portrait of the burgeoning activist movement; Harvey Milk's call to action.
• 01:37–end: The emotional stakes and warnings for the future.

Tone and Storytelling Style

The trailer adopts an urgent, documentary tone, shifting from factual reporting to direct voices—both from archival tape and impassioned interviews. There is a palpable sense of mobilization and resistance, as well as anxiety about what’s at stake for the LGBTQ+ community.

Summary

Season 9 of Slow Burn promises a gripping, insightful multimedia journey into the pivotal moment in American history when grassroots activism, political ambition, and gay rights collided in California. "Gays Against Briggs" aims to illuminate how the fight over Proposition 6 became a watershed for gay rights, producing new activists and icons (like Harvey Milk), and altering the course of civil rights battles for generations to come.

Premiere Date: May 22, 2024 – wherever you listen to podcasts.