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Important LGBTQIA+ History, People and Events
35
items Visit this list to see the history, important events, people who made changes and the observances for the LGBTQIA+ community.
Sections
3
Events
People
Holidays & Observances
Events
Moments throughout history that changed the world.
In June of 1969, the LGBTQIA+ community stood up to the the police by rioting after their unfair raids of their community places.
This is what started the rallies and events that traditionally take place in June now.
This is what started the rallies and events that traditionally take place in June now.
1969 Stonewall Riots - Origins, Timeline & Leaders
In August of 1966, another riots in the U.S., sparked by police harassment of transgender and drag queens in San Francisco.
Compton's Cafeteria riot: a historic act of trans resistance, three years before ...
The first Pride marches, held in New York City and San Francisco, were organized to commemorate the Stonewall Uprising and to demand LGBTQ+ rights.
NYC Pride March
The rainbow flag was designed by Gilbert Baker, at the request of Harvey Milk and became a symbol of LGBTQ+ pride and the movement for equality. It was first unveiled at the San Francisco Gay and Lesbian Freedom Day Parade on June 25, 1978.
How Did the Rainbow Flag Become a Symbol of LGBTQ Pride?
In the 2015 case Obergefell v. Hodges, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Fourteenth Amendment requires all states to grant marriage licenses to same-sex couples and recognize marriages performed in other states. This landmark decision established...
Obergefell v. Hodges
The Quilt is a memorial to honor the lives of people lost to the AIDS pandemic which highly affected the gay community.
The history of the quilt
On June 15, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court announced that LGBTQ employees — including all LGBTQ educators — are protected under federal law from discrimination at work based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
Supreme Court Delivers Major Victory To LGBTQ Employees
People
People who made a different in the world of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Alan Turing, a mathematician and computer scientist, made crucial contributions to computer science and codebreaking during World War II, and his persecution for being gay highlights the struggles faced by LGBTQ+ individuals.
Alan Turing | Biography, Facts, Computer, Machine, Education, & ...
A poet, essayist, and activist who wrote extensively on themes of racism, sexism, and homophobia.
Audre Lorde
A pioneer in the LGBTQ+ rights movement, advocating for equal rights and challenging discrimination. She was nicknamed the mother of the LGBT civil rights movement..
Barbara Gittings - Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs - State of Delaware
A key organizer of the March on Washington and advisor to Martin Luther King Jr., who faced discrimination due to his homosexuality.
Bayard Rustin
A transgender woman who was a pioneer in transgender rights and advocacy and was the first person to become widely known in the United States for having sex reassignment surgery. In 1944, Jorgensen was drafted into the U.S. Army during World War II.
From GI Joe to GI Jane: Christine Jorgensen's Story
James Barry, born and assigned female at birth, in 1795 in Cork, Ireland, became a leading doctor with a successful medical career. One of the first people to openly live and identify as a man.
The Extraordinary Secret Life of Dr. James Barry
Frida Kahlo was a self professed bisexual. She loved both men and woman and married Diego Rivera, and had a relationship with poet Georgia O'Keeffe. Her bisexuality was openly discussed and acknowledged in various sources, including online articles, ...
Frida Kahlo
A famous author and playwright who was persecuted for his homosexuality and imprisoned. His boyfriend was Lord Alfred Douglas and the two reunited when Wilde was released.
Oscar Wilde | Biography, Books, Poems, Plays, Works, Trial, Wife, Cause of ...
Matthew Wayne Shepard was an American student at the University of Wyoming who was beaten, tortured, and left to die near Laramie on October 6, 1998. He was transported by rescuers to Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins, Colorado, where he died si...
Our Story - Matthew Shepard Foundation
She became the first openly gay American elected to public office, a momentous day in the LGBT community.
Kathy Kozachenko, 1st openly gay elected official in U.S., on 50 years of ...
Holidays & Observances
Days to remember the past and celebrate the future.
Harvey Milk Day is organized by the Harvey Milk Foundation and celebrated each year on May 22nd in memory of gay rights activist, Harvey Milk. Harvey Milk was a prominent gay activist during the twentieth century. He ran for office three times before...
Harvey Milk Day – May 22nd
Here is a list of all the LGBTQIA+ observances all in one place.
LGBTQIA+ List of Holidays and Observances
Thirty-one years ago, on the anniversary of the National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights, National Coming Out Day was first observed as a reminder that one of our most basic tools is the power of coming out.
Happy National Coming Out Day – October 11th
July 14 is recognized around the world as an occasion to shine a light on those who identify as non-binary and celebrates the rich diversity of the community.
Celebrating the Diversity of the Non-Binary Community for…
Lesbian Visibility Day is celebrated annually on April 26th. It's a day dedicated to recognizing and celebrating lesbians, promoting awareness of their experiences, and advocating for their rights and equality.
Lesbian Visibility Week: Celebrating Lesbian Visibility
National Freedom to Marry Day, observed on February 12th, is an annual event that celebrates and promotes the right for LGBTQ+ individuals to marry. It serves as a reminder of the struggle for marriage equality and the importance of love and equality...
NATIONAL FREEDOM TO MARRY DAY - February 12, 2026
Each year on March 31, the world observes Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV) to raise awareness about transgender people.
Trans Day of Visibility
The International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) is observed on 17 May and aims to coordinate international events that raise awareness and promote support.
International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia
In honor of the Stonewall Riots it has become a tradition to hold events across the states to honor those that fought in the riots against the police for harrassing the gay community.
Why Is Pride Month Celebrated in June?
On June 12, 2016, the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida was holding its annual Latin Night and there were hundreds of Hispanic and Latin people which were mostly members of the LGBTQ+ community. At about 2 am, gunshots began to go off and 49 people...
Calendar • Pulse Night of Remembrance
International Non-Binary People's Day takes place annually on 14 July each year and celebrates and raises awareness of non-binary people, who do not identify within the traditional gender binary.
Celebrating the Diversity of the Non-Binary Community for…
Celebrate Bisexuality Day is the brainchild of three bisexual rights activists: Wendy Curry of Maine, Michael Page of Florida, and Gigi Raven Wilbur of Texas.
Bi Visibility Day – Celebrating Bisexuality every 23 September
National Gay Men's HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NGMHAAD), observed annually on September 27, raises awareness of the disproportionate impact of the HIV epidemic on gay and bisexual men in the United States.
National Gay Men's HIV/AIDS Awareness Day #NGMHAAD
Ace Week, formerly Asexual Awareness Week, is an international campaign dedicated to raising awareness and expanding education of asexuality.
Ace Week 2025: October 19-25
International Lesbian Visibility Day is observed on April 26th each year. It's a day to celebrate and raise awareness about lesbian history, culture, and diversity, and to bring visibility to lesbians in the LGBTQ+ community.
International Lesbian Day - Meridian 2023
Intersex Awareness Day, the United States stands in solidarity with intersex persons around the world. We recognize that intersex persons face violence, discrimination, stigma, harassment, and persecution on account of their sex characteristics, whic...
Intersex Day - Intersex Awareness Day, 26 Oct, & Intersex Day of Solidarity, 8 ...
The Transgender Day of Remembrance, also known as the International Transgender Day of Remembrance, has been observed annually from its inception on November 20 to memorialize those who have been murdered as a result of transphobia.
Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR)
World AIDS Day, designated on 1 December every year since 1988, is an international day dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection and mourning those who have died of the disease.
World AIDS Day #WorldAIDSDay