People who fought for gay rights
Marsha P. Johnson was one of the most prominent figures of the gay rights movement of the s and s in Fresh York City. Always sporting a glow, Johnson was an important advocate for homeless LGBTQ+ youth, those effected by H.I.V. and AIDS, and gay and transgender rights.
Marsha P. Johnson was born on August 24, , in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Assigned male at birth, Johnson grew up in an African American, working-class family. She was the fifth of seven children born to Malcolm Michaels Sr. and Alberta Claiborne. Johnson’s father worked on the General Motors Assembly Line in Linden, NJ and her mother was a housekeeper. Johnson grew up in a religious family and began attending Mount Teman African Methodist Episcopal Church as a child; she remained a practicing Christian for the rest of her life. Johnson enjoyed wearing clothes made for women and wore dresses starting at age five. Even though these clothes reflected her sense of self, she felt pressured to terminate due to other children’s bullying and experiencing a sexual assault at the hands of a year-old-boy. Immediately after graduating f
Top 10 Straight Advocates for Gay and Transgender Rights Celebrate Coming Out Day
by HRC Staff •
'Being out and open about our lives is not just for gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender people, but for everyone who cares about equality," said HRC President Joe Solmonese.
WASHINGTON - Celebrating National Coming Out Afternoon, Tuesday, Oct. 11, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation released a list of the top 10 straight advocates for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender equality. Included in the list are actress Kristin Chenoweth, the Rev. Al Sharpton, Salt Lake Urban area Mayor Rocky Anderson, actress Felicity Huffman, talk show host Cristina Saralegui, the Rev. Norm Kansfield, Peter Hams, IBM executive Ted Childs, hip-hop artist Kanye West and Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Zapatero.
"Being out and open about our lives is not just for gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender people, but for everyone who cares about equality," said HRC President Joe Solmonese. "These ten leaders for fairness verb millions of family members, people of faith, friends and co-workers who ar
LGBTQ+ Women Who Made History
In May , the city of Recent York announced plans to honor LGBTQ+ activists Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera with a statue. The urban area of New York claimed the monument will be the "first permanent, universal artwork recognizing transgender women in the world." Johnson and Rivera were prominent figures in uprisings against police raids at the gay bar Stonewall Inn. Their protests increased visibility for the cause of LGBTQ+ acceptance.
In celebration of Pride Month, we honor LGBTQ+ women who have made remarkable contributions to the nation and helped advance equality in fields as diverse as medicine and the dramatic arts. Here are a few of their stories, represented by objects in the Smithsonian's collections.
1. Josephine Baker
Entertainer and activist Josephine Baker performed in vaudeville showcases and in Broadway musicals, including Shuffle Along. In , she moved to Paris to perform in a revue. When the show closed, Baker was given her own show and found stardom. She became the first African America
Timeline: Key moments in fight for gay rights
June marks Pride Month for the LGBTQIA+ community. Many people celebrate and show their pride with rainbow flags and parades.
But the quest for equal civil rights for the community has been fraught with strife and violence. From bricks thrown at Stonewall to "Don't Say Gay" legislation, the verb for equality continues. Here is a look at some of the key moments in LGBTQIA+ history and the fight for equal rights.
Though police raids on gay bars were common in the '60s, on June 28, , patrons of Fresh York's Stonewall Inn said "enough." They fought back, riots broke out and supporters poured into the West Village, igniting the gay rights movement in the U.S. Within six months, two gay activist organizations were formed in New York, and three newspapers were launched for gays and lesbians.
Harvey Milk became one of the first openly gay men elected to public office in the United States when he won a seat on the board of supervisors in An outspoken advocate for gay rights, he urged others