6 People Who Changed LGBTQIA+ History
Pride is an everyday celebration of who we are. It’s about acceptance, equality, awareness, and support. We have come a long way since the stonewall riots, yet there is an even longer way to go. Looking back to the past does not only remind us of what we’re really fighting for, but it also inspires others to fight alongside us. Here are a few LGBTQIA+ rights pioneers who have created a lasting impact across the world.
Harvey Milk
Harvey Milk was the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California. He served on San Francisco's Board of Supervisors from 1977 until his assassination in 1978, and his legacy lives on today through various human rights organizations.
Harvey Milk was an activist who fought for civil rights, gay rights, and equality. And he wasn't afraid to take a stand—he even used this power as a politician to fight against discrimination against LGBTQIA+people.
Milk was also a human rights activist; he believed that everyone had the right to live their lives without fear of discrimination based on their identity or orientation.
Sylvia Rivera
Sylvia Rivera was a transgender activist who helped change LGBTQIA+history. She was a veteran of the Stonewall riots. She later became one of the most prominent figures in both those movements.
Rivera was born and raised in New York City to Puerto Rican parents who were poor immigrants trying to make it on their own after arriving in America. As a teenager, Rivera began working as an exotic dancer at popular lesbian bars like Jackie's Bar, which attracted many members of New York's LGBTQIA+ community because they were more tolerant than straight establishments. She met other women fighting against discrimination based on their sexuality or gender identity—and experienced firsthand how hard it could be for people like her just trying to live their lives with dignity and respect from others around them (despite obvious challenges).
Marsha P. Johnson
Marsha P. Johnson was a transgender activist who played a significant role in the Stonewall riots of 1969, one of the many key people that prompted modern LGBTQIA+rights movement. She was a pioneer in the transgender rights movement. She was an active member of ACT UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power), an influential advocacy organization focused on HIV/AIDS awareness and human rights for those affected by it.
Marsha also served as one of Harvey Milk's campaign managers during his successful run for San Francisco's Board of Supervisors; she later received a posthumous certificate honouring her work as "one of California's first openly gay elected officials."
Christine Jorgensen
Christine Jorgensen was the first American to publicly change gender. She was born in 1926 and enlisted in the US Army as a private at age 18. After being discharged for medical reasons, she underwent gender reassignment surgery in Denmark in 1952 and became a celebrity and a spokesperson for transgender people.
Bayard Rustin
Bayard Rustin was an American civil rights activist, pacifist, and socialist. He is regarded as one of the first leaders of the modern gay rights movement in the United States.
Rustin was a mentor to Martin Luther King Jr., but his activism was often overshadowed by allegations about his sexuality and personal life that were considered to be controversial at the time. It wasn't until 2014 when President Obama awarded him with a posthumous Medal of Freedom that he received widespread recognition for having contributed significantly towards creating equal opportunities for all Americans regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Alice Nkom
Alice Nkom is a Cameroonian lawyer and activist who has been arrested and imprisoned for her activism. She's a champion of LGBTQIA+rights in Cameroon, where homosexuality is illegal.
In addition to founding the Association for the Defense of Homosexuals (ADEFHO), she also filed a case against the government on behalf of her client, Jean-Claude Roger Mbede, who was sentenced to three years in prison for homosexuality. He served 18 months before being released on health grounds after his case was upheld by the Supreme Court.
In June 2012, Alice Nkom was named one of The Guardian's Top 100 LGBTQIA+ People in Europe list, along with former British Labour Party leader Ed Miliband and Irish singer Imelda May, among others.
These people made a difference in the lives of the LGBTQIA+ community.
They were activists or public figures who spoke out about the rights of LGBTQIA+ people. They helped change laws and regulations to improve treatment for those in the community, and some were even influential enough to make changes on a national level.
Some traveled around the country to speak out against discrimination against sexual orientation and gender identity issues.
These six individuals are just a few examples of how great it can feel when we work together toward something bigger than ourselves—and we want to keep finding ways to work together like this throughout history!
And that's just a brief glimpse of some of the amazing people who have made LGBTQIA+history. The list goes on, and we hope it will continue to grow as more and more brave individuals step forward and help make their voices heard!
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Source:
https://alchetron.com/Sylvia-Rivera
https://mikacovington.com/2020/06/03/its-LGBTQIA+qia-pride-month-pride-history-pt-1/