During the month of June, most of the world celebrates Pride Month.
Part of this celebration is learning about the historical LGBTQ+ figures who paved the way for gay rights.
From poets to politicians and writers to revolutionaries, these LGBTQ+ people left a lasting impact on the world.
1) Marsha P. Johnson
In the 1960s—when solicitation of same-sex relations was illegal in New York City and police frequently raided gay bars and arrested their patrons—being authentically yourself was a revolutionary act.
Marsha P. Johnson, a gay activist and self-identified drag queen, performer, and survivor, was one of the key figures fighting back against the invading police at the Stonewall Inn on June 28, 1969. That fateful night became known as the Stonewall Riots, an integral moment in the development of the LGBTQ+ rights movement in the US.
However, Johnson’s influence spanned far beyond that single night. She was dubbed “the Mayor of Christopher Street” for their extensive activism and organizing for gay and trans people experiencing homelessness in New York.
2) Alan Turing
Alan Turing was a British mathematician, code breaker, and computing innovator. His cryptology work during World War II helped decipher Nazi intelligence and secure the Allied victory.
Though he is now hailed as one of the brightest minds of the twentieth century, his work was largely classified during his life.
In 1952, he was prosecuted as a criminal for homosexuality. The British government issued an official apology in 2009. Then in 2017, the “Alan Turing Law” was introduced in the UK to retroactively pardon all of the people who had been punished for their sexuality.
3) Sylvia Rivera
While Marsha P. Johnson’s name is becoming more well-known, many don’t know about her friend and fellow queer woman of color Sylvia Rivera, who fought beside her.
Rivera was an activist for gay rights as well as the Black Liberation Movement. She worked to ensure that trans people and people of color were included in the gay movement, as well as to provide access to safe housing and resources for LGBTQ+ homeless youth.
4) Harvey Milk
Harvey Milk was the first openly gay elected official in the United States. He won a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977.
His public openness in his sexuality made his election a landmark victory and an inspiring moment for LGBTQ+ people across the nation.
He was tragically assassinated along with Mayor George Moscone in 1978 by an upset former city supervisor. But his legacy remains as a determined and hopeful figure in the fight for gay equality.
5) Audre Lorde
Audre Lorde was a revolutionary poet, writer, and academic in New York City who challenged societal norms.
As a self-described “black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet,” Lorde brought intersectionality and the concept of defining your own identity as an individual to the forefront of American thought. She fought for the inclusion of Black, gay, and poor women in the feminist movements that largely excluded them.
6) Sally Ride
Sally Ride made history in 1983 when she became the first American woman to go to space. However, it wasn’t until her death in 2012 that the public learned she was gay.
She and her partner of 27 years, Tam O’Shaugnessy, never hid their love. In fact, they wrote books together and were business partners in Sally Ride Science. Ride did not mention it to the public, likely because of her intensely private nature.
Ride’s relatives have confirmed that they always considered O’Shaugnessy a member of the family. They hoped the LGBTQ+ community would embrace her as a hero they didn’t know they had.
7) James Baldwin
Considered one of the quintessential American writers of the twentieth century, James Baldwin was born to a large family living in poverty in Harlem, New York.
He went on to write seminal essays, novels, and poems about the Black and gay experiences in America. He traveled the world and befriended many fellow influential artists, from Toni Morrison and Marlon Brando to Richard Wright.
His works Notes of a Native Son, Go Tell It on the Mountain, and many others are still taught as classics across the US today.
8) Brenda Howard
Often referred to as “The Mother of Pride,” Brenda Howard is remembered as a fierce activist. As a bisexual and polyamorous advocate, she first established the anniversary rally one year after Stonewall. That rally has since evolved into the Pride Parade that New Yorkers know today.
Howard’s extensive work for the LGBTQ+ community didn’t stop there. She also founded the New York Area Bisexual Network (NYABN) and campaigned for women’s rights, Black rights, and healthcare rights for people affected by AIDS.
9) Oscar Wilde
Oscar Wilde is best remembered for his influential novel The Picture of Dorian Gray. It might surprise some to learn that the Irish writer was convicted and imprisoned for his relationship with his close friend and lover, Lord Alfred “Bosie” Douglas.
His poem “The Ballad of Reading Gaol” recounted his hardships in prison. Although he sadly died a few years later, his captivating poetry and prose remain dear to readers today.
10) Larry Kramer
Upon his death in May 2020, Dr. Anthony Fauci credited Larry Kramer with being an “essential” player in the development of HIV medications.
Kramer was a raucous, no-holds-barred activist for gay health during the 1980s AIDS crisis and beyond. He used provocative rhetoric to shock politicians into action.
He founded the Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC) non-profit, as well as the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP) and was once dubbed “one of America’s most valuable troublemakers” by Susan Sontag.
In addition to his activism, Kramer wrote plays, novels, screenplays, and nonfiction to fight for gay equality and health rights.
The diversity of these figures represents all that the full spectrum of LGBTQ+ people have to offer society—from scientific discoveries and beautiful prose to advocating for equality and providing resources and care to the most downtrodden in society.
Cultural and political views on LGBTQ+ communities have come a long way since many of these historical figures were alive, but there is still work to be done to ensure equality and prosperity for everyone.
G3 believes in pushing up our sleeves and striving for opportunity and accessibility for all, including the LGBTQ+ community. To learn more about our services and how we can work together, contact us today.