ELI5 Explanation of 1992 Oregon Ballot Measure 9:
Imagine you and your friends want to play a game of soccer. You want to split up into two teams, where everyone gets a chance to play and have fun. However, one of your friends suggests that only kids who like the same things should be on the same team. That means if you don't like the same things as your other friends, you won't be allowed to play on their team. That doesn't sound very fair, does it?
The 1992 Oregon Ballot Measure 9 was like that too, but instead of soccer teams, it was about how people could treat each other in Oregon. Some adults wanted to pass a law that said only people who were straight and liked the same things should be accepted and treated fairly in Oregon. That meant if you were different in any way, such as being gay, bisexual, or transgender, or even if you just liked different things than others, like reading books instead of playing sports, you may not be treated equally and fairly.
Many people thought this was wrong and unfair, so they spoke up and tried to stop the law from being passed. They wanted to make sure everyone in Oregon, no matter who they were or what they liked, was treated equally and fairly. In the end, the law was defeated, and everyone in Oregon continued to have the right to be accepted and treated fairly, no matter their differences. That's how we should all treat each other, don't you think?