50 Years Of LGBTIQ+ Rights

Pride is a time for us to come together to celebrate the hard-won victories of the past 50 years.

Although LGBTQ+ elders and allies fought for acceptance before 1969, the Stonewall riots started a cultural shift still felt today. We are celebrating some of the milestones our community has achieved by standing up for its rights and honoring the accomplishments of the five decades since Stonewall. We know that within this timeline are the special and unique moments you have lived within our shared timeline. We thank you for all your private and personal moments that have made this a shared history.
Take Care and Create What Comes Next!

1950's

Alan Turing

LGBTIQ+ Hero

Barbara Gittings

LGBTIQ+ Hero

1960's

1969

June 28

Raid on the Stonewall Inn in NYC.
This event creates the spark to drive attention and build activism in the form of protests and demonstrations.

Stormé Delarverie

LGBTIQ+ Hero

Marsha P. Johnson

LGBTIQ+ Hero

1970's

Audre Lorde

LGBTIQ+ Hero

Sylvia Rivera

LGBTIQ+ Hero

1973

The board of the American Psychiatric Association votes to remove homosexuality from its list of mental illnesses.

Also, Lambda Legal is formed as the first legal organization in the US established to fight specifically for the equal rights of gays and lesbians.

1974

Kathy Kozachenko makes history by becoming the first openly LGBTQ person elected to any US public office. She won a seat on the city council of Ann Arbor, Michigan.

1975

The first US federal gay rights bill is introduced.

It is never brought forward for consideration by Congress.

1976

Pro tennis player Renée Richards is outed and barred from competition when she attempts to enter the US Open women’s tennis tournament. Her subsequent legal battle establishes that transgender people are legally accepted in their new identity after reassignment in the US.

Harvey Milk

LGBTIQ+ Hero

1978

Inspired by San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man elected to political office in California, the rainbow flag is introduced. Created by Gilbert Baker, it remains a symbol of political activism, pride, and hope for the LGBTQ community.

Miss Major Griffin-Gracy

LGBTIQ+ Hero

1979

An estimated 75,000 people participate in the National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights. LGBT people and straight allies demand equal civil rights and urge for the passage of protective civil rights legislature.

1980's

1980

The Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association promotes the newly founded Standards of Care (SOC) at the MIND Conference in Manchester England. The standards go on to become the foundation for treatment of transgender people worldwide.

1982

Wisconsin becomes the first state to outlaw discrimination based on sexual orientation.

1983

Landmark legal victory in HIV/AIDS discrimination lawsuit.

Sally Ride

LGBTIQ+ Hero

Bayard Rustin

LGBTIQ+ Hero

1987

Hundreds of thousands of activists take part in the National March on Washington to demand that President Ronald Reagan address the AIDS crisis.

1990’s

1993

Minnesota passes the first law in the US that prohibits discrimination against transgender people.

The Minnesota statute establishes protections for transgender people under the rubric of sexual orientation.

President Bill Clinton supports “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.

While gay and lesbian Americans were protected from harassment in the military, they were still prohibited from serving if they were open about their sexual orientation.

RuPaul Andre Charles

LGBTIQ+ Hero

1995

Crimes based on sexual orientation are given harsher sentences under the new Hate Crimes Sentencing Enhancement Act.

1997

Ellen DeGeneres shocks fans by coming out as a lesbian on the cover of Time magazine.

Her series, “Ellen,” becomes the first prime-time network television show to feature a gay lead character.

1999

A group of activists led by Gwendolyn Smith hosts the first Transgender Day of Remembrance, to commemorate individuals around the world who are murdered for being trans. The day quickly becomes an international event.

May

The UK Sex Discrimination Act is amended to include protections on the basis of gender reassignment.

Phill Wilson

LGBTIQ+ Hero

2000’s

2001

April 1

The Netherlands becomes the first country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage.

Over the next 19 years, it is followed by Austria, Belgium, Denmark, England and Wales, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Northern Ireland, Norway, Portugal, Scotland, Spain, and Sweden.

2004

February 10

The Gender Recognition Act becomes law in the UK, allowing transgender persons to legally change their sex and have it recognized for the purposes of marriage and other issues.

The International Olympic Committee decides that transsexuals will be able to compete at the Athens Olympics if they have had appropriate surgery and are legally recognized as members of their new sex.

May 17

The first state-legal, same-sex marriage takes place in Massachusetts.

The next year, California passes a bill to allow same-sex marriage.

2005

July 20

Canada becomes the first country in the Americas to legalize same-sex marriage.

2006

November

South Africa legalizes same-sex marriage, becoming the first African nation to do so.

2007

Spain passes the most progressive law regarding gender identity in the world.

It allows for the change of documented identity just by requiring medical treatment for two years and a medical or psychological certificate that proves a diagnosis of gender dysphoria; it does not require sex reassignment surgery.

2008

October 20

Ecuador recognizes same-sex marriage, the first country to do so on the South American continent.

2009

President Obama signs the Hate Crimes Prevention Act into law.

2010’s

2010

Argentina legalizes same-sex marriage.

2011

The US military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy is repealed, allowing gay men, lesbians, and bisexuals to serve openly in the military.

2013

April 2

The Uruguay Senate legalizes same-sex marriage.

April 17

New Zealand legalizes same-sex marriage.

May 14

The Justice’s National Council of Brazil legalizes same-sex marriage.

Summer

The Black Lives Matter organization was founded by three black trans women.

2015

June 26

The U.S. Supreme Court requires all states to grant same-sex marriages and to recognize same-sex marriages granted in other states.

2016

April 28

The Constitutional Court of Colombia legalizes same-sex marriage.

2017

December 7

Australia legalizes same-sex marriage.

2019

May 17

Taiwan becomes the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage.

As of this date, no other country in Asia allows it. In fact, only two-thirds have legalized same-sex activity.

June 30

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signs a law banning the use of the so-called gay and trans panic legal defense strategy.

2020's

2020

May 26

Costa Rica approves same-sex marriage, becoming the first country in Central America to do so.