Stonewall Uprising

#StonewallUprising (June 28, 1969 – July 3, 1969): Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, gay bars were consistently busted by police. It was illegal in many place for gay bars to exist, and when the police would raid a bar the lives of #LGBTQ people were put on the line. Oftentimes their names would be publishedContinue reading “Stonewall Uprising”

Compton’s Cafeteria Riot

#ComptonsCafeteriaRiots (August 1966): In #SanFrancisco, #GeneComptonsCafeteria was an all-hours restaurant where #transgender people in the 1950s and 1960s would meet and congregate because they were unwelcome in gay bars owing to transphobia. Many times, in an effort to deter trans patrons, the owners would call the police and have trans patrons arrested for “female impersonation,”Continue reading “Compton’s Cafeteria Riot”

Cooper’s Donuts Riot

#CoopersDonutsRiots (May 1959): In the late 1950s, #CoopersDonuts was a 24-hour cafe that catered mainly to LGBTQ clientele in #LosAngeles. Frequently, #LGBTQ people were harassed by police in the cafe, and #TransWomen and #DragQueens were specifically targeted for breaking a law at the time that stated that a person could be arrested if their genderContinue reading “Cooper’s Donuts Riot”

Felice Rahel Schragenheim

#FeliceRahelSchragenheim (March 9, 1922 – December 31, 1944): Born in Berlin in 1922, Schragenheim joined the #Resistance against the Nazis in the late 1930s-early 1940s. She became employed as a house keeper for a Nazi soldier in the 1940s and continued working with the Resistance. It was here, while her employer was away at war,Continue reading “Felice Rahel Schragenheim”

Fr. John McNeill

#FatherJohnMcNeill (September 2, 1925 – September 22, 2015): A psychotherapist, activist, WWII POW, and #Jesuit priest, Fr. McNeill worked tirelessly to build #LGBTQIA inclusion within the #CatholicChurch. He was commissioned in the 1970s to write a book in which he made his case for such inclusion in the Church, which was published in 1976 as #TheChurchAndTheHomosexual. In this work he arguedContinue reading “Fr. John McNeill”

Alice Walker

#AliceWalker (February 9, 1944 – ): Walker is known by many for her amazing literary work, #TheColorPurple, which was made into a famous movie as well as a successful Broadway musical. However, she is so much more than that. Growing up in segregated Georgia, Walker was valedictorian of her high school and continued her education at #SpelmanCollege before transferringContinue reading “Alice Walker”

Li Yinhe

#LiYinhe (February 4, 1952 – ): Born in #Beijing, Li was raised by parents who imbued in their children a sense of critical thinking and gender equality, even going so far as to adopt a matrilineal surname. A sociologist and sexologist in the #PeoplesRepublicOfChina, Li Yinhe is a fierce advocate and activist for #LGBTQIA rights. Her academic speciality isContinue reading “Li Yinhe”

Jeremy O. Harris

#JeremyOHarris: With the opening of his work #SlavePlay, he brought to #Broadway conversations about race, gender, and sexuality that have never before been explored on the stage. This earned him the #LorraineHansberryPlaywritingAward, and many have compared Harris to the #ARaisinInTheSun writer; Harris’ work explores themes often relegated to the sidelines because of white supremacy, sexism, and racism in society. He hasContinue reading “Jeremy O. Harris”