What was Same-Sex Sexuality in Early America?
What is the Stonewall Inn?
"The Stonewall" was a gay bar located close to where Christopher Street meets Seventh Avenue in Greenwich Village. --What Went Down
How'd it start?
While following routine procedures of bringing presumed cross-dressers to the police station for examination to verify their gender and identification, things went awry. When some of the presumed cross-dressers tangled with the officers who were escorting them to the curb, members of this impromptu audience broke another precedent by shouting encouragement. When someone managed to jump out of a van and run off, they cheered. Passersby attracted by the commotion joined in. --What Went Down
How did that turn into a riot?
Led by a few precocious activists, several of these observers began to taunt the police. Soon they were pelting them with coins, rocks, bottles, and bricks. When the stunned detectives retreated into the bar, the result outside was surprise and delight, followed by a surging sense of power at having challenged and intimidated long-feared authority figures. Emboldened protestors now swarmed across the street, crowded onto the sidewalk in front of the Stonewall, and bashed in its windows and doors.--What Went Down
How long did the riot last?
Police reports recorded this episode as a "riot" that lasted for forty minutes. Officially, it ended when a summoned squad of riot-control police succeeded in clearing the stretch of Christopher Street in front of the bar. Despite erected barricades and posted patrolmen, however, agitated and awestruck spectators milled around in Sheridan Square, the bulk of which lies on the far side of Christopher Park, until daybreak.--What Went Down
What made the Stonewall Riot different?
While it was one of the first rights to break out for the LGBT community, it continued for another couple of nights. While the Stonewall did close down after the initial riot, it reopened the next day as a juice bar, where many people of the LGBT community would come after hearing what had happened the night before. The festivities and celebrations of this started getting out of hand, thus causing another riot with more purpose broke out as police tried to quiet them down. After this, the police camped out for the next couple of days to prevent more disruption. However, by the third day, more riots ensued, and with a much larger blaze as fire was also brought into the mix.
This whole wave of disruption, from the three nights of street demonstrations to the countless acts of resistance and defiance by these characters and cliques, would soon be dubbed the Stonewall Riots. It started as a disorganized rebellion against oppression, but it triggered a chain reaction of community-building and political organizing that was emulated across the country and publicized throughout the world. Overnight, this unprecedented surge of organizing transformed what had been a largely underground vanguard movement into a highly public mass movement for gay pride, power, and community. --What Made Stonewall Different?
Why did the Stonewall Riots happen when and where they did?
When historians have tried to address this question, they have come up with a number of plausible answers. Few give much credence to the popular myth that the riots in 1969, when thousands of people protested in the streets of Greenwich Village in response to a police raid on the Stonewall Inn, were a completely spontaneous and entirely unprecedented reaction to the oppression faced by LGBT people at that time. -- A Theory of Revolution for the Riots
A lot of people consider the Stonewall Inn Riot to be the first pride. Others believed it was the one year after the riots when they had the first march. Either way, it was the beginning of something big and long-lasting. Take a gander at some of the articles we've found about the beginnings of Pride:
The First Pride Was a Riot: The Origins of Pride
How Did 'Pride' Come to Represent the LGBTQ+ Movement?
Ganymede, in Greek legend, was the son of Tros (or Laomedon), king of Troy. Because of his unusual beauty, he was carried off either by the gods or by Zeus, disguised as an eagle, or, according to a Cretan account, by Minos, to serve as cupbearer. In compensation, Zeus gave Ganymede’s father a stud of immortal horses (or a golden vine). The earliest forms of the myth have no erotic content, but by the 5th century BC it was believed that Ganymede’s kidnapper had a homosexual passion for him; Ganymede’s kidnapping was a popular topic on 5th-century Attic vases. The English word catamite was derived from the popular Latin form of his name. He was later identified with the constellation Aquarius. --Britannica
To learn more about Ganymede, his mythology, and his artwork, click here!
Edward II (1307-37) used the Medieval Palace at the Tower of London. The King and his favorite, his closest political and emotional ally, Piers Gaveston, are often thought to have been lovers. The truth will never be known, as medieval chroniclers didn’t record what happened between the two men behind closed doors. They did comment on the exceptional closeness of the relationship, recording the strength of Edward’s love for Gaveston when they first met in about 1297. Their love is often described at the time in fraternal terms, and they may have entered into a bond as ‘wed brothers’ or a ‘Bond of Brotherhood’. Edward never had a mistress, and even at his wedding banquet, the King is said to have given more attention to Galveston than to his new Queen. --Historic Royal Palace
For some awesome articles about LGBTQ relations in the Middle Ages, Click Here!
1600s
Francis Bacon, a noted gay man who coined the term “masculine love,” published “The Advancement of Learning—an argument for empirical research and against superstition.” This deductive system for empirical research earned him the title “the Father of Modern Science.”
Richard Cornish of the Virginia Colony is tried and hanged for sodomy.
The first known conviction for lesbian activity in North America occurred in March when Sarah White Norman was charged with “lewd behavior” with Mary Vincent Hammon in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
Julie d'Aubigny, known under her stage name, La Maupin, was a bisexual, cross-dressing, swordswoman who killed at least three men in duels. Popular retellings of her brief but action-filled life sometimes focus more on the adventurous aspects of her life, glossing over her accomplishments in opera.
1700s
Mary Read and Anne Bonny were two famous Pirates of the Caribbean. With all their journeys together and a life-or-death friendship, it is thought their relationship was more romantic than most think.
Thomas Cannon wrote what may be the earliest published defense of homosexuality in English, “Ancient and Modern Pederasty Investigated and Exemplified.”
Thomas Jefferson revised Virginia law to make sodomy (committed by men or women) punishable by mutilation rather than death.
1800s
We’wha, a Zuni Native American from New Mexico, was received by US President Grover Cleveland as a “Zuni Princess.” They are an accomplished weaver, potter, and the most famous Ihamana, a traditional Zuni gender role, now described as mixed-gender or Two-Spirit.
1920s-40s
Henry Gerber formed the Society for Human Rights, the first gay group in the US, but the group was quickly shut down.
Blues singer Ma Rainey is arrested in her house in Harlem for having a lesbian party. Her protégé, Bessie Smith, bails her out of jail the following morning. Rainey and Smith were part of an extensive circle of lesbian and bisexual African‐American women in Harlem
The Well of Loneliness, by Radclyffe Hall, was published in the United States. This sparks great legal controversy and brings the topic of homosexuality into public conversation.
Biologist and sex researcher Alfred Kinsey publishes "Sexual Behavior in the Human Male."
1950s
The first lasting gay organization, the Mattachine Society, was formed in Los Angeles. They refer to themselves as a “homophile” group. The group existed for about a decade before splitting into smaller entities.
Christine Jorgensen is the first American who came forward publicly about being transgender and speaks openly about her experiences with gender confirmation surgery and hormone replacement therapy. Her transition caused an international sensation, and for many, she is the first visible transgender person in the media.
President Eisenhower issued an executive order stating that those who had 'sexual perversion' could be a cause for lack or termination of employment.
The Daughters of Bilitis (DOB), considered to be the first lesbian rights organization, was formed by Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon in San Francisco, California. The group is conceived as a social alternative to lesbian bars, which were considered illegal and thus subject to raids and police harassment.
Supreme Court Case One Inc. v. Olesen ruled in favor of One Inc., allowing the continuance of their freedom of speech over the topic of homosexuality.
Government reports were released by the American Psychiatric Association and the American Psychological Association stating that being gay is a mental illness.
1960s
Illinois became the first state in the US to repeal its sodomy laws against the LGBTQ Community.
July 4th is Reminder Day for about four years. It is a day for those to remember the Stonewall Inn Riots in Philadelphia and protest for the same civil rights granted to those who are heterosexual.
The Mattachine Society had decided that the Illegalization of gay bars was going too far, so they devised a "Sip-in". This consisted of people going into a bar, declaring they were gay, ordering a drink, then waiting to be served or turned away, and then suing.
After Compton's Cafeteria Riot, the National Transsexual Counseling Unit was formed. This was believed to be the world's first trans organization.
The Stonewall Inn Riots go down in history.
1970s
The Reminder March that had once happened in Philadelphia officially moves from July to June and takes place in New York City.
Harvey Milk passed a bill in San Francisco to ban discrimination in housing and employment based on someone's sexual orientation.
The American Psychiatric Association removed the diagnosis of "homosexuality" from the second edition of its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual.
Kathy Kozachenko, while still in college, ran for Ann Arbor City Council in Michigan and won. She had become the first LGBTQ person ever elected in the US.
Anita Bryant, once loved for her stardom and evangelical views, took a dramatic dive when she decided to start an anti-gay campaign named "Save Our Children".
Dan White, a former member of the San Fransico Board of Supervisors, assassinated Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone on the basis that Milk was gay and Moscone was friends with him. His sentence was cut short, which sent out a ton of protests and riots, not just from the LGBTQ community.
After the assassination of Harvey Milk, gay and lesbian organizations finally came together to organize a march in Washington, D.C. for Lesbian and Gay rights.
1980s
The first case of AIDS was diagnosed, propelling the world into a homophobic mindset and losing the support of the government administration. At this time, 54% of people with AIDS died.
Wisconsin became the first U.S. State to outlaw discrimination based on sexual orientation.
ACT UP International Organization was founded. It was made to bring attention to the AIDS epidemic and help find a cure for AIDS while providing accurate information, help, and awareness about the disease.
The annual march in DC had made a spike in people as it was the height of the AIDS epidemic. The march was altogether five days of rallies, political forums, and lobbying. At one point, several gay leaders were to take part in a demonstration on the steps of the Supreme Court, protesting the Court's 1986 decision upholding a Georgia statute outlawing sodomy.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) released a brochure to educate Americans on what and how to help those with AIDS.
World AIDS Day was established on December 1st,1988. Although this wasn't made 'official' until President Joe Biden in 2022.
1990s
Congress enacted the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act. This is an AIDS/HIV program that was created to improve the quality and availability of HIV care and treatment for low-income people with HIV.
American soldiers serving in the Gulf War chose to wear red ribbons as a way of solidarity and compassion with those with HIV and their caregivers. This led to not only the Red Ribbon Project, but also, in 1992, upwards of 100,000 were worn during Freddie Mercury's performance in Wembley Stadium for the AIDS Awareness Tribute Concert.
President Bill Clinton enacted "Don't Ask, Don't Tell", stating that the military can't discriminate against or harass closeted gay or bisexual people, BUT will continue to bar openly gay or bisexual people from serving.
In Colorado, an amendment was brought forth and fought over until it reached the Supreme Court. This law singled out homosexual and bisexual persons, imposing restrictions on their rights to seek and receive specific legal protection from discrimination. In a 6-to-3 decision, the amendment was denied.
President Bill Clinton signed the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) into law. It declared that no state shall be required to recognize same-gender marriage performed in another state. It also defined marriage as an act between only a man and a woman.
Martin Luther King Junior's widow, Coretta Scott King, also stood up for the LGBTQ community, regardless of the criticisms from civil rights activists and her own children. She is known to say: "Martin Luther King Jr. said, ‘Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.’ I appeal to everyone who believes in Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream to make room at the table of brotherhood and sisterhood for lesbian and gay people."
2000s
Vermont became the first state in the US to legalize same-sex marriage after its law was challenged for the inequality of state marriage statutes.
Lawrence v. Texas, a legal case in which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on June 26, 2003, that a Texas state law criminalizing certain intimate sexual conduct between two consenting adults of the same sex was unconstitutional.
Massachusetts legalized gay marriage in the Goodridge v. Massachusetts Department of Public Health
Logo cable channel has blazed a trail as the first commercial cable network made for the LGBTQ+ community, with a diverse collection of content aimed at celebrating queer culture through scripted television, online exclusives, and more.
Proposition 8 added a new section to the state Constitution, which provides that "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California."
Presidential Memorandum on Federal Benefits and Non-Discrimination was established to allow same-sex couples the same work-based health benefits as married couples.
The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr., Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009 provides funding and technical assistance to state, local, and tribal jurisdictions to help them investigate and prosecute hate crimes.
2010s
Prop 8 (Proposition 8) was ruled unconstitutional by a federal district court in 2010, although that decision did not go into effect until 2013, following the conclusion of Prop 8 advocates' appeals, which went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.
President Barack Obama signed the official repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" bill. This included allowing those who were discharged for being in the LGBTQ+ community the opportunity to re-enlist and giving future recruits a discrimination-free enlistment.
The Defenseless: Defending Against Marriage Act challenged Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which defines marriage for federal purposes as only between a man and a woman.
Only a few years after President Obama declared DOMA unconstitutional and instructed the Justice Department to stop defending it in court, the Supreme Court advanced marriage equality through key decisions in 2013.
Obergefell v. Hodges was a court case that challenged the refusal to recognize same-sex marriages depending on the state.
The U.S. legalized marriage equality on the federal level for all 50 states.
Stonewall National Monument was established on June 24th. Days earlier (on June 12th), one of the deadliest mass shootings in the United States happened at the Pulse Nightclub in Florida.
The beginning of the increasing transgender population started to cause massive debates about how to continue with gendered sports and the allowance of those who are transgender within which sports bracket.
2020s
Learning more about the state of the LGBTQ+ community during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Discrimination towards the LGBTQ+ community impacts their health and healthcare
There are more trans and non-binary politicians setting forth in the world of politics
The Pentagon releases new policies enabling transgender people to serve in the military
The increase in government bans on LGBTQ+ character books from libraries.
Discrimination and Barriers to Well-Being in the Community
The gender you select does not need to match the gender on your supporting documentation, such as a birth certificate, previous passport, or state ID. We no longer require medical documentation to change the gender marker on your U.S. passport. You can select male, female, unspecified, or another gender identity (X) as your gender marker if you are applying for a U.S. passport book and selecting routine service.
Disneyland officially announces the first-ever Disney After Dark: Pride Night
Starting on the first day of his second term, President Trump began to issue numerous executive actions, several of which directly address or affect health programs, efforts, or policies to meet the health needs of LGBTQ+ people. This guide provides an overview of these actions, in the order in which they were issued. The “date issued” is the date the action was first taken; subsequent actions, such as litigation efforts, are listed under “What Happens/Implications.” It is not inclusive of administrative actions that impact LGBTQ+ people that are not directly related to health and health care access, such as efforts related to participation in sport, even though those actions might have an impact on well-being. In addition, within the actions examined, only provisions directly related to health and health access are described in the table.
