Foster became active in the early gay rights movement when he moved to San Francisco following his undesirable discharge from the United States Army in 1959 for being homosexual.
[3] Dianne Feinstein credited SIR and the gay vote with generating her margin of victory in her election to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1969.
[4] In 1971, Foster, along with Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon, transformed the SIR Political Action Committee into the Alice B. Toklas Memorial Democratic Club.
[3] Also in 1971, Foster was instrumental in convincing Richard Hongisto to run for sheriff and in delivering gay votes to his winning campaign.
Originally, Foster had been given a prime time speaking slot, but George McGovern's campaign manager, future U.S.
[7] He and fellow delegate Madeline Davis were the first openly LGBT people ever to address a national party convention.