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The Society for Human Rights
The first documented gay rights organization in America founded by Henry Gerber in Chicago. -
Dora Richter
The first transgender person to undergo a vaginoplasty, a complete male-to-female gender reassignment surgery which was carried out by institute physician Dr. Ludwig Levy-Lenz.. -
Michael Dillion
The first trans man to undergo phalloplasty, a complete female-to-male gender reassignment surgery that was performed by Sir Harold Gillies. -
The Mattachine Society
One of the earliest, longest running gay rights organization founded by Harry Hay in the US to provide support, improve rights, and eliminate discrimination for the LGBTQ community. -
American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic
The American Psychiatric Association had listed homosexuality as a sociopathic personality disturbance. -
The Executive Order 10450
An Executive Order is signed by President Dwight Eisenhower that prevents homosexuals the opportunity to work for the federal government because they are seen as “security risks”. -
The Daughters of Bilitis
The first lesbian organization was established in the US in San Francisco by lesbian couples, Del Martin & Phyllis Lyon and 3 other lesbian couples. -
The Stonewall Riots
A series of violent riots that occurred when the police tried to raid the Stonewall Inn bar in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, in the early morning hours of June 28. This sparked protests and helped to shine light on America's modern LGBT rights movement. -
Christopher Street Liberation Day
A march held in New York City to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the Stonewall riots. This march is now known as the first gay pride parade. -
Lambda Legal
The first legal organization established to fight for equal rights for the LGBTQ communities and those living with HIV/AIDS. -
Disorder Removal
The American Psychiatric Association removes homosexuality from the list of mental disorders in the DSM-II Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. -
The Moscone and Milk Assassinations
In November 27, Dan White, a former San Francisco Supervisor assassinates Harvey Milk, an openly gay San Francisco Supervisor who helped protect people in the LGBTQ community from getting fired from their jobs. He then assassinated San Francisco Mayor, George Moscone. White murdered Milk and Moscone because he wanted to be reappointed by Milk. -
Rainbow Flag
The Rainbow Flag was created by Gilbert Baker as a symbol of pride used to represent the LGBTQ community. -
National March on Washington for Lesbians and Gay Rights
On October 14, there were 75,000 to 125,000 people who took part in the first march on Washington for the demand of equal rights for the LGBTQ community. -
"Don't Ask, Don't Tell"
A military policy that former President Bill Clinton signed that prohibited people in the LGBTQ community from being able to serve in the military. This policy also prevented the intimidation of "closeted" homosexuals. -
Defense of Marriage Act
On September 12, President Bill Clinton signed this law preventing same-sex marriages and defining that marriage is only to occur between a man and a woman. -
"Yep, I'm Gay"
On the cover of Time Magazine, comedian Ellen DeGeneres comes out as a lesbian saying "Yep, I'm Gay." -
Matthew Shepard Murder
A gay American student at the University of Wyoming who was tricked into getting a ride by Russell Henderson & Aaron McKinney then beaten, tortured, then tied to a fence left to die near Laramie on the night of October 6. He is eventually found by a cyclist, who at first thought he was a scarecrow. He was taken by rescuers to Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins, Colorado, where he died six days later from severe head injuries. He was murdered because of his sexual orientation. -
Coretta Scott King's Plea to the Civil Rights Community
Martin Luther King's wife Coretta Scott King began asking the civil rights community for help to join and fight against homophobia instead she received hate for comparing civil rights to gay rights. -
First Legalized Civil-Unions of Same-Sex Marriage
The first legalized civil unions of same-sex marriage in the US occurred in Vermont -
Legalized Gay Marriage
Massachusetts is the first state to legalize same-sex marriage in the US because the prohibition of gay marriage was declared as unconstitutional. The 6 years later New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, Iowa, and Washington were next to legalize same-sex marriage -
The Matthew Shepard Act
This was an act signed by President Barack Obama then turned into a law on October 28. This law made it a federal crime to assault or cause harm to someone because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. -
Proposition 8 is Found Unconstitutional
The Proposition 8 is deemed unconstitutional by a federal judge because gay and lesbian couples have the constitutional right to have same-sex marriage. -
Marriage Equality Act
A law that legalized gay marriage in New York State, the first largest state to legalize same-sex marriage. -
"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Repeal
The "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy was repealed allowing people in the gay and lesbian peoples to have the ability to serve in the military. -
United States v. Windsor
A Supreme Court civil rights case that revokes Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act, allowing married same-sex couples the right to entitle for federal benefits. -
Obergefell v. Hodges
A civil rights case where the Supreme Court declared that all 50 states in the US made same-sex marriage legal because the 14th Amendment makes it constitutional. -
Stonewall National Monument
The first US national monument built to represent LGBTQ rights and past events that occurred like the 1969 Stonewall riots. -
Trump's Policy Against Transgenders Serving in the Military
Trump announced a policy that was passed by the Supreme Court that would ban transgenders from being able to serve in the US military. -
Ban on the Gay and Trans Panic Legal Defense
A law that NY Governor Andrew Cuomo signed banning the tactic used by the defendant's lawyer of blaming the victim's sexual orientation or gender to justify the reason for the defendant's crime.