Jim Yeadon (born 1949) is an American activist and politician who served on the

Madison Madison may refer to: People * Madison (name), a given name and a surname * James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States Place names * Madison, Wisconsin, the state capital of Wisconsin and the largest city known by this ...

, Wisconsin, Common Council. First elected in 1977, Yeadon was the sixth openly gay or lesbian elected official in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

, and the first male candidate who was openly gay at the time he was elected.

Early life and education

Yeadon was born and raised in

Ontonagon, Michigan Ontonagon ( ) is a village in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,285 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat and only village of Ontonagon County. The village is located within Ontonagon Township, at the mouth of the Ontonagon R ...

. His father was an inventor, and the family moved frequently throughout his childhood. Yeadon's family moved to

Manitowoc, Wisconsin Manitowoc () is a city in and the county seat of Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, United States. The city is located on Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Manitowoc River. According to the 2020 census, Manitowoc had a population of 34,626, with over ...

, when he was in the ninth grade. He graduated from Lincoln High School in 1967. Yeadon earned an undergraduate degree in Indian Studies at the

University of Wisconsin–Madison A university () is an educational institution, institution of higher education, higher (or Tertiary education, tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. Universities ty ...

and then enrolled at the University of Wisconsin Law School.

Advocacy and public office

Yeadon became a gay activist in the 1960s as a member of Wisconsin's first LGBTQ organization, the Madison Alliance for Homosexual Equality (MAHE). While a university student, he was also active in the Gay Law Student Association. During this time, Yeadon was appointed to the city's Equal Opportunities Commission.

Common Council (1976-1980)

After his initial appointment and subsequent election to the Madison Common Council at the age of 26, Yeadon was instrumental in framing the revised Equal Opportunities Ordinance which extended protections against discrimination in housing and employment to gays. It was a landmark achievement for

LGBT rights in Wisconsin Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBTQ+) people in the United States, U.S. state of Wisconsin have many of the same rights and responsibilities as heterosexuals; however, the transgender community may face some legal issues not experienc ...

and across the nation. Yeadon was considered an authority on municipal gay rights ordinances in the mid-1970s. Yeadon was the force behind the May 1977 "anti-

Anita Bryant Anita Jane Bryant (born March 25, 1940) is an American singer known for anti-gay activism. She scored four "Top 40" hits in the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s, including "Paper Roses" which reached No. 5 on the charts. She was th ...

Bash" which attracted over 600 people to the Great Hall of the UW-Madison Memorial Union. As a City Council member, he worked on issues such as reforming the city Health Department, completing the State Street mall, legalizing marijuana, and extending bar hours until 2 a.m. A fellow alderman nicknamed him "the alderfaggot". Death threats and letters of encouragement came from across the United States during his time on the Council. Yeadon began practicing law in 1975, and after completing his City Council term in 1980 he began specializing in real estate law. In addition to his law practice, he has served as the director of the client rights office in the Wisconsin Department of Health Services Division of Mental Health and Substance Abuse.

Personal life

During his early years in public life and activism, Yeadon was in a private relationship with

David Clarenbach David E. Clarenbach (born September 26, 1953) is a Wisconsin Democratic politician and gay activist who served nine terms in the Wisconsin State Assembly and as Speaker pro tempore for ten years. Early life and education Clarenbach was born ...

, a member of the

Wisconsin Legislature The Wisconsin Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The Legislature is a bicameral body composed of the upper house, Wisconsin State Senate, and the lower Wisconsin State Assembly, both of which have had Republican ...

and advocate for

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Yeadon, Jim 1949 births Living people American gay politicians 20th-century American politicians University of Wisconsin–Madison College of Letters and Science alumni University of Wisconsin Law School alumni American LGBT rights activists Activists from Wisconsin Wisconsin city council members Politicians from Madison, Wisconsin People from Ontonagon, Michigan People from Manitowoc, Wisconsin LGBT people from Wisconsin 21st-century American LGBT people 20th-century American LGBT people