1914 Edward Carpenter’s Intermediate Types among Primitive Folk

1969 Stonewall Rebellion The Stonewall Rebellion was a series of protests against police raids at the Stonewall Inn in New York, sparking the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement. Fast Facts * The Stonewall Rebellion began on June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in Greenwich Village, New Yo…

1969 Founding of the Gay Liberation Front The Stonewall Rebellion had other impacts, one of which was leading people to form the Gay Liberation Front. The Gay Liberation Front was an activist group who advocating for LGBTQ+ rights and social change.

1972 Esther Newton’s Mother Camp: Female Impersonators in America in 1972, Esther Newton published Mother Camp: Female Impersonators in America. This provided an anthropological study of drag culture and gender performance in the U.S.

1972 United Church of Christ Ordained the First Openly Gay Person In 1972, the United Church of Christ Ordained their first openly gay minister, Reverend William R. Johnson. Reverend Johnson was the first openly gay minister of a mainline Protestant denomination, which marked a massive milestone…

1972 Gay Jews in Los Angeles Created the First Gay Synagogue Gay Jews in Los Angeles created the first gay synagogue. This is known as Beth Chayim Chadashim.

1974 Rictor Norton’s The Homosexual Literary Tradition Rictor Norton’s The Homosexual Literary Tradition serves as a historical analysis of LGBTQ+ themes in literature. An outline of the course and objectives is linked below. The Homosexual Literary Tradition: Course Outline and Objectives on JS…

1976 Michel Foucault’s History of Sexuality Philosopher Michel Foucault argued that sexuality is socially constructed and historically shaped by power structures rather than being an inherent biological truth. His work deeply influenced queer theory, questioning how societies regulate and define…

1977 Election of Harvey Milk Harvey Milk was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, making him one of the first openly gay officials in the U.S. During his time in office, he advocated for LGBTQ+ rights, anti-discrimination laws, and broader social equity, before his assassination in…

1978 Gilbert Baker Designs the Rainbow Flag Activist and artist Gilbert Baker created the rainbow flag as a symbol of LGBTQ+ pride and diversity, inspired by a need for a visible, positive emblem of the movement. The flag’s colors represent different aspects of the queer community, with variation…

1980 American Psychiatric Association’s Third Manual The American Psychiatric Association’s Third Manual removed homosexuality as a mental disorder, a major victory for LGBTQ+ activists and mental health professionals fighting against this stigma. This change helped reduce medical justification f…

1986 Evelyn Blackwood’s The Many Faces of Homosexuality: Anthropological Approaches to Homosexual Behavior Evelyn Blackwood’s The Many Faces of Homosexuality: Anthropological Approaches to Homosexual Behavior compiled cross-cultural studies examining same-sex relationships in different societies,…

1987 Barney Frank (First Openly Gay U.S. Congressman) comes out U.S. Representative Barney Frank of Massachusettes publicly came out as gay while in office, making him one of the first openly gay members of Congress. His visibility and advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights helped push forward anti-discrimin…

1990 Teresa de Lauretis Coined “Queer Theory” Feminist scholar Teresa de Lauretis introduced the term “queer theory” at a conference at the University of California Santa Cruz. This term described a critical approach that challenges fixed categories of gender and sexuality. The concept soon expan…

1990 Judith Butler’s Gender Trouble Judith Butler’s Gender Trouble introduced the concept of gender performativity, arguing that gender is not an inherent identity but rather a series of performed social behaviors. This work became a foundational text in queer and feminist theory, disrupting bina…

1990 Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick’s Epistemology of the Closet Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick’s Epistemology of the Closet analyzed how Western literature and culture reinforce the idea of the closet, where LGBTQ+ individuals are forced to navigate secrecy and disclosure. Her work highlighted how binary thinking…

1990s Indigenous Groups Adopt the Term “Two Spirit” Indigenous North American communities reclaimed the term “Two Spirit.” Introduction to LGBTQ+ Studies: A Cross-Disciplinary Approach states that a two spirit is, “A modern umbrella term used by some Indigenous North Americans to describe Native…

1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) Signed Into Law The Defense of Marriage Act federally defined marriage as exclusively between a man and a woman, barring same-sex couples from federal recognition and benefits. Although this act harmed the entire LGBTQ+ community, it faced legal challenges and…

1996 New South African Constitution South Africa became the first country in the world to include protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation in its constitution. This legal recognition set a global precedent for LGBTQ+ rights. Introduction to LGBTQ+ Studies: A Cross-Disciplina…

1998 Jack Halberstam’s Female Masculinity Jack Halberstam’s Female Masculinity examined how masculinity is expressed outside traditional male identities, particularly among queer women and non-binary individuals. The book challenged dominant cultural assumptions about gender roles and power. By h…

2003 Lawrence v. Texas (Supreme Court Case) The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that sodomy laws criminalizing same-sex intimacy were unconstitutional, overturning Bowers v. Hardwick (1986). This decision was a landmark victory for LGBTQ+ civil rights and set the stage for future legal battles over marr…

2010 African LGBTI Manifesto Activists from across Africa gathered to create a document asserting the fundamental human rights of LGBTQ+ individuals in the face of widespread discrimination. The manifesto called for legal protections and greater visibility of queer communities in Africa. It also…

2011 Jack Halberstam Presents at the “Work It!” Conference Jack Halberstam delivered a keynote on gender fluidity and nonconformity at the “Work It!” conference, further expanding discussions on queer and trans identities in academic and activist spaces. Their work continues to challenge rigid de…

2015 Conversations with Baba Conversations with Baba is storytelling project that captured the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds, offering insight into intersectional struggles and resilience. The project highlighted the importance of oral histories in unde…

2016 “SAME LOVE” Music Video Macklemore and Ryan Lewis released “Same Love,” a pro-LGBTQ+ anthem advocating for marriage equality and social acceptance. The song and its accompanying music video helped bring discussions about LGBTQ+ rights into mainstream pop culture. It also addressed issues of…