LGBTQ+ and Pride History
June 1st marks the beginning of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Pride month. What started in 1970 as a single day to celebrate the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots in Greenwich Village has grown to a month-long celebration that includes many more identities, sexualities, and genders.
The purpose of this month is to recognize the impact that LGBTQ+ individuals have had on history locally, nationally, and internationally.
While this month is dedicated to celebrations, it is also a time of memorial for members of the LGBTQ+ community who have lost their lives due to hate crimes and HIV/AIDS.
Every day during the month of June, I will be highlighting individuals and events that played a major role in U.S. LGBTQ+ history. Some of these names/events may be familiar. Others may not.
While I often do the research for you, this time, I am asking you to put in some labor. I’ll post the people/events, but it’s up to you to do the rest. I look forward to hearing about what you’ve learned!
Important Background Info.
According to a study conducted by UCLA’s Williams Institute, there are approximately 9 million members of the LGBTQ+ community living in the United States (4.1%). The Center for Disease Control also predicts that approximately 7% of students identify as LGBTQ+However, these numbers are predicted to be much higher.
Why the discrepancy? Well, the study only looked at people who identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. This leaves out a vast majority of other identities. Plus, people’s definitions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender have shifted over time, and since everyone’s identity is personal, their definition may be different than society’s accepted definition.
Important Background Info.
The Williams Institute also only looked at people who were “out of the closet,” meaning that the people who took the survey were out and open about their sexuality/gender identity.
If you factor in people who are not yet “out,” the percent of people who identify as LGBTQ+ is most likely closer to 8%-10% (up to 32 million in the U.S. alone).
Why We’ll Probably Never Have an Accurate Number...
All of these obstacles make being openly LGBTQ+ difficult in many areas of the world.
Are you ready to learn more?
Let’s get started!
Today’s History Assignment:
We’wha
Today’s History Assignment:
Executive Order 10450
Today’s History Assignment:
Daughters of Bilitis
Today’s History Assignment:
Bayard Rustin
Today’s History Assignment:
Matthew Shepard
Today’s History Assignment:
Pedro Pablo Zamora
Today’s History Assignment:
Soulforce
Today’s History Assignment:
One, Inc. v. Olesen
Today’s History Assignment:
Kim Coco Iwamoto
Today’s History Assignment:
Harvey Milk
Today’s History Assignment:
Gilbert Baker
Today’s History Assignment:
Gay-Related Immunodeficiency (GRID)
Today’s History Assignment:
Robert Rayford
Today’s History Assignment:
Mattachine Society
Today’s History Assignment:
Virginia Uribe
Today’s History Assignment:
Gwen Amber Rose Araujo
Today’s History Assignment:
Christine Jorgensen
Today’s History Assignment:
Lawrence v. Texas
Today’s History Assignment:
Alfred Kinsey (See Also: Kinsey Scale)
Today’s History Assignment:
Cheryl Chase (See Also: Bo Laurent)
Today’s History Assignment:
Fricke v. Lynch
Today’s History Assignment:
Alan Hart
Today’s History Assignment:
Faisal Alam
Today’s History Assignment:
Jewel Box Revue
Today’s History Assignment:
Marsha P. Johnson
Today’s History Assignment:
Sylvia Rivera
Today’s History Assignment:
Brenda Howard
Today’s History Assignment:
Stonewall Riots
Today’s History Assignment:
Christopher Street Liberation Day
Today’s History Assignment:
Obergefell v. Hodges
Today’s Extra History Assignment:
Disco Nap