Celebrating Pride Month

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A non-comprehensive list of some of the powerful, creative, and amazing things that have happened in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in the past 100 years - from our team!

• 1924 | Society for Human Rights is founded by Henry Gerber in Chicago, the first gay rights organization and oldest documented in America

• 1950 | Activist Harry Hay founds the Mattachine Society in order to “eliminate discrimination, derision, prejudice and bigotry”

• 1965 | The first Reminder Day is held in Philadelphia - which aimed to call public attention to the lack of civil rights for LGBT people

• 1969 | Patrons of the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village clash with police trying to raid the bar - leading to the 3 day riot that is credited with reigniting the fire bedhind the modern 2SLGBTQIA+ movement

• 1977 | Harvey Milk becomes one of the first openly gay elected officials in the United States, the first to be elected to office in California. 

• 1978 | The original Pride Flag, commissioned by Harvey Milk and created by Gilbert Baker, was first unfurled at the San Francisco Gay and Lesbian Freedom Day Parade. This is actually a slightly different flag than what we see commonly used today - click here to read about all the flags!

• 1987 | The Great March on the National Mall in Washington DC became one of the largest protests in US history - at 1 million in attendance - and established the first National Coming Out Day

• 1990 | The term Two-Spirit was coined at the Intertribal, Third Annual Native American, First Nations, Gay & Lesbian American conference. Though please note, the term "Two-Spirit" is not what every individual uses; some terms are language/culture specific.

• 1992 | Marsha P. Johnson passes away, a revolutionary drag queen and activitst that founded the STAR House alongside Sylvia Rivera. The house provided food, clothing and a family for young drag queens, trans women, and queer youth in New York City

• 1999 | Lana and Lilly Wachowski produced The Matrix. The Oscar-winning cyberpunkthriller is often cited as one of the greatest films ever made, and was seleceted for preservation by the Library of Congress. After coming out, the film is now considered to be the most influential work of art created by transgender people.

• 2000 | The Transgender Flag is flown for the first time at the Phoenix Pride march, designed the year prior in a spark of inspiration by former Navy Veteran Monica Helms

• 2004 | Massachusetts becomes the first state to legalize gay marriage

• 2009 | The International Trans Day of Visibility was enacted by Rachel Crandall-Crocker and is celebrated on March 31st every year

• 2015 | After many challenges, a 5-4 decision in Obergefell v. Hodges declares same-sex marriage legal in all 50 states

• 2020 | Pete Buttigieg becomes the first openly LGBTQ person to win a US presidential primary or caucus

• 2021 | The Intersex-Inclusive Progress Pride Flag, created by Valentino Vecchietti, adds the intersex community to the Progress Pride Flag, and serves as the most up-to-date LGBTQ+ flag.