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My first pride, with my friend Avery posing with gay jesus

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This video talks about how Lgbtq youth can be more at risk to the effects of climate change

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Youth Climate Activist Jamie Margolin on the intersection of the climate justice and LGBTQ movements

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An article giving a history of the Stonewall Riots, and some context to the period

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Constant Raids at Gay Bars

The 1960s and preceding decades were not welcoming times for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Americans. For instance, solicitation of same-sex relations was illegal in New York City.

For such reasons, LGBT individuals flocked to gay bars and clubs, places of refuge where they could express themselves openly and socialize without worry. However, the New York State Liquor Authority penalized and shut down establishments that served alcohol to known or suspected LGBT individuals, arguing that the mere gathering of homosexuals was "disorderly."

Thanks to activists' efforts, these regulations were overturned in 1966, and LGBT patrons could then be served alcohol. But engaging in gay behavior in public (holding hands, kissing or dancing with someone of the same sex) was still illegal, so police harassment of gay bars continued and many bars still operated without liquor licenses-in part because they were owned by the Mafia.

Gay Rights Before Stonewall

The first documented U.S. gay rights organization, The Society for Human Rights (SHR), was founded in 1924 by Henry Gerber, a German immigrant. Police raids forced them to disband in 1925, but not before they had published several issues of their newsletter, "Friendship and Freedom," the country's first gay-interest newsletter. America's first lesbian rights organization, The Daughters of Bilitis, was formed in San Francisco on September 21, 1955.

In 1966, three years before Stonewall, members of The Mattachine Society, an organization dedicated to gay rights, staged a "sip-in" where they openly declared their sexuality at taverns, daring staff to turn them away and suing establishments who did. When The Commission on Human Rights ruled that gay individuals had the right to be served in bars, police raids were temporarily reduced.

The Stonewall Inn

The crime syndicate saw profit in catering to shunned gay clientele, and by the mid-1960s, the Genovese crime family controlled most Greenwich Village gay bars. In 1966, they purchased Stonewall Inn (a "straight" bar and restaurant), cheaply renovated it, and reopened it the next year as a gay bar.

Stonewall Inn was registered as a type of private "bottle bar," which did not require a liquor license because patrons were supposed to bring their own liquor. Club attendees had to sign their names in a book upon entry to maintain the club's false exclusivity. The Genovese family bribed New York's Sixth Police Precinct to ignore the activities occurring within the club.

Without police interference, the crime family could cut costs how they saw fit: The club lacked a fire exit, running water behind the bar to wash glasses, clean toilets that didn't routinely overflow and palatable drinks that weren't watered down beyond recognition. What's more, the Mafia reportedly blackmailed the club's wealthier patrons who wanted to keep their sexuality a secret.

Nonetheless, Stonewall Inn quickly became an important Greenwich Village institution. It was large and relatively cheap to enter. It welcomed drag queens, who received a bitter reception at other gay bars and clubs. It was a nightly home for many runaways and homeless gay youths, who panhandled or shoplifted to afford the entry fee. And it was one of the few-if not the only-gay bar left that allowed dancing.

Raids were still a fact of life, but usually corrupt cops would tip off Mafia-run bars before they occurred, allowing owners to stash the alcohol (sold without a liquor license) and hide other illegal activities. In fact, the NYPD had stormed Stonewall Inn just a few days before the riot-inducing raid.

The Stonewall Riots Begin

When police raided Stonewall Inn on the morning of June 28, it came as a surprise-the bar wasn't tipped off this time.

Armed with a warrant, police officers entered the club, roughed up patrons, and, finding bootlegged alcohol, arrested 13 people, including employees and people violating the state's gender-appropriate clothing statute (female officers would take suspected cross-dressing patrons into the bathroom to check their sex).

Fed up with constant police harassment and social discrimination, angry patrons and neighborhood residents hung around outside of the bar rather than disperse, becoming increasingly agitated as the events unfolded and people were aggressively manhandled. At one point, an officer hit a lesbian over the head as he forced her into the police van- she shouted to onlookers to act, inciting the crowd to begin throw pennies, bottles, cobble stones and other objects at the police.

Within minutes, a full-blown riot involving hundreds of people began. The police, a few prisoners and a Village Voice writer barricaded themselves in the bar, which the mob attempted to set on fire after breaching the barricade repeatedly.

The fire department and a riot squad were eventually able to douse the flames, rescue those inside Stonewall, and disperse the crowd. But the protests, sometimes involving thousands of people, continued in the area for five more days, flaring up at one point after the Village Voice published its account of the riots.

Stonewall's Legacy

Though the Stonewall uprising didn't start the gay rights movement, it was a galvanizing force for LGBT political activism, leading to numerous gay rights organizations, including the Gay Liberation Front, Human Rights Campaign, GLAAD (formerly Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation), and PFLAG (formerly Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays).

On the one-year anniversary of the riots on June 28, 1970, thousands of people marched in the streets of Manhattan from the Stonewall Inn to Central Park in what was then called "Christopher Street Liberation Day," America's first gay pride parade. The parade's official chant was: "Say it loud, gay is proud."

In 2016, then-President Barack Obama designated the site of the riots-Stonewall Inn, Christopher Park, and the surrounding streets and sidewalks-a national monument in recognition of the area's contribution to gay rights.

Photo Gallery

HISTORY Vault

Sources

A History of Gay Rights in America. CBS.
LGBTQ Activism: The Henry Gerber House, Chicago, IL. NPS.gov.

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1969 Stonewall Riots - Origins, Timeline & Leaders

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The Stonewall Riots, also called the Stonewall Uprising, took place on June 28, 1969, in New York City, after police raided the Stonewall Inn, a local gay club. The raid sparked a riot among bar patrons and neighborhood residents as police hauled employees and patrons out of the bar, leading to six days of protests and violent clashes.

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Information on recent attacks on gender affirming care

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Last updated: 11/13/2023

In a coordinated push led by national anti-LGBTQ+ groups, legislators across the country have overridden the recommendations of the American medical establishment and introduced hundreds of bills that target transgender and non-binary youth's access to age-appropriate, medically-necessary care.

The attack on gender affirming care is relentless and changing every day. Here, the Human Rights Campaign provides a real-time snapshot of the assault against trans youth's access to age-appropriate and medically necessary gender affirming care in the United States.

. . .

35.1% of transgender youth live in states that have passed bans on gender affirming care

As reported by The Williams Institute (in "How Many Adults and Youth Identify as Transgender in the United States?"), there are more than 300,000 high school-aged (ages 13-17) transgender youth in the United States today, many who need gender affirming care.

Many trans youth are now living in states in which transgender youth have lost access to, or are at risk of losing access to, gender affirming care, because of discriminatory laws and policies (more information on methodology below).
As of November 2023, three in ten (35.1% or 105,200 total) trans youth aged 13-17 are living in states that have passed bans on gender affirming care. At the height of the legislative session, more than half (50.4%) of all trans youth were living in a state where a gender affirming care ban had been introduced.
While our map focuses solely on high school aged youth (age 13-17), some states, such as Oklahoma, Texas, and South Carolina, have considered banning care for transgender people up to 26 years of age. The William's Institute's annual reporting provides additional detail about the number of trans adults and youth people impacted of these types of laws and policies, accounting for the full range of people potentially impacted.

Gender-affirming care is age-appropriate care that is medically necessary for the wellbeing of many transgender and non-binary people who experience symptoms of gender dysphoria, or distress that results from having one's gender identity not match their sex assigned at birth.

By preventing doctors from providing this care, or threatening to take children away from parents who support their child in their transition, these bills prevent transgender youth from accessing medically necessary, safe health care backed by decades of research and supported by every major medical association representing over 1.3 million US doctors.

Data Source and Methodology

Tallies are computed by summing, for each of the two legislation categories tracked, the estimated number of high school aged transgender youth (age 13-17) living in each state, as reported by The Williams Institute ("How Many Adults and Youth Identify as Transgender in the United States?"), and then dividing each sum--and the sum total of youth in both categories--by the total estimated number of transgender youth nationwide (300,100, as reported in the same report). Williams Institute estimates were derived from the 2017 and 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey, as described further in the linked report.
To determine the status of law/policy in each state, HRC Foundation utilized its own internal tracking of bills, laws and policies. States were categorized as either no legislation, "considering a ban" (bills have been introduced and/or passed one or both chambers, but not yet signed into law), and "ban has passed" (bans signed into law or implemented via administrative actions). States with an asterisk reflect those where court injunctions are currently halting implementation of an existing ban, ensuring continued access to care. Estimates reflect the total number of transgender youth living in each state (all of whom are assumed to be at risk of losing care), rather than the number of youth receiving gender-affirming care in each state (and thus may /have lost access), as the latter numbers are unavailable. The status of state legislation and litigation is current as of the date listed under the map.

These bills have real world impact.

Nearly 1 in 5 of any type of hate crime is now motivated by anti-LGBTQ+ bias.

Over 310 transgender and gender non-conforming people have lost their lives to fatal violence i n the past decade, a third of whom were killed in the last three years; Texas and Florida, two of the states leading the current wave of anti-transgender legislation, collectively were home to almost 20% of all victims.

Reports of violence and intimidation against LGBTQ+ people, such as the Club Q shooting that cost the lives of five people, have been making news across the country - with white nationalists targeting a Pride event in Idaho and Proud Boys crashing Drag Queen story hours at local libraries to shout homophobic and transphobic slurs.

Anti-LGBTQ+ stigma also drives alarmingly high rates of depression, anxiety and suicide. One survey from The Trevor Project found that almost nine in ten transgender and non-binary youth experienced worsening mental health as a result of the wave of anti-transgender legislation, and almost half had been cyberbullied as a result of discussions of these bills.

We must stop these harmful bills, laws and policies before we lose more lives.

Stories and Facts on Gender Affirming Care

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What is gender-affirming care? HRC staff break down what it is, what it's not and why it saves lives.

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Attacks on Gender Affirming Care by State Map

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The Human Rights Campaign has provided a map snapshot of how many states have prohibited transgender youth, by law or policy, from accessing gender affirming care.

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This article details some of the adverse economic struggles the LGBTQ faces. LGBTQ individuals see higher rates of poverty, unemployment, food insecurity, and houselessness. The LGBTQ rights movement has fought for anti discrimnatory laws in the workplace to help protect queer indivudals in the workplace, but many still struggle and face discrimination. LGBTQ youth also displays high rates of homelessness due to their guardians kicking them out based on their sexual/gender identity.

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Economic Opportunity - Funders for LGBTQ Issues

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This video talks about the numerous anti trans bills that were introduced in 2021. These bills mainly target trans youth and severly restricts or completely cuts off gender affirming care for minors. Many of these bills force already transitioned minors to detransition if the wish to continue living in the state.

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3 things to know about the record number of anti-trans bills in the U.S.

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2024 Anti-Trans Bills: Trans Legislation Tracker

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2024 anti-trans bills tracker. Explore data on U.S. anti-trans legislation including passed bills and themes including sports, bathrooms, healthcare, pronouns, drag shows, and education.

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One obvious fight the LGBTQ rights movement had was the right to same sex marriage. While Massachusetts was the first state to legalize it in 2004, same sex marriage was recognized nationwide until 2015.

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A Lgbtq rights organization called The Trevor Project. In addition to other things, The Trevor Project offers support to lgbtq youth in schools. They do this through having hotlines, offering resources, and funding youth targeted education programs. School can feel very unsafe for lgbqt youth as they feel alone and targeted. At this very challenging time in their lives kids need an affirming space where they feel comfortable to grow, and being queer makes finding that space harder.

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Tragic story of Nex who was a non binary high schooler bullied for their gender identity. Unfortunately after an incident where Nex was attacked by a group of boys, they took their own life.

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If you or someone you know may be considering suicide or is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Last month, nonbinary teenager Nex Benedict was found dead at homethe day after an altercation at school, where they were attacked by a group of their classmates in a restroom.

Benedict, a 16-year-old Indigenous person who used both he/him and they/them pronouns according to friends and family, had been targeted by bullies at their Oklahoma high school because of their gender identity, according to Sue Benedict, who has been identified in various media reports as either Nex Benedict's mother or their grandmother and guardian.

"I didn't know how bad it had gotten," Sue Benedict told The Independent.

Though the school nurse determined that ambulance service was not required following the attack on Benedict, it was recommended that they "visit a medical facility for further examination," Owasso, Okla., police said.

Sue Benedicttold Public Radio Tulsa that she took Nex to the hospital for treatment for injuries sustained in the fight, but body cam footage shows a police officer discouraging the family from filing a report, saying that it would open up the family to legal liability.

The officer added that it would be a shame for any of the students to have to deal with a criminal situation for "something so minuscule," though Benedict disclosed that they had experienced bullying for a full year prior to this attack.

The day after the incident, Benedict collapsed at home, and was later pronounced dead.

Owasso Public Schools released a statement to the community, writing, "The loss of a student, a member of the Ram Family and the Owasso community, is devastating," but said it would limit its statements "out of respect and for the confidentiality for all involved."

Following Benedict's death, community members held vigils, LGBTQ+ rights organizations issued statements, and many were left wondering: What happened to Nex Benedict?

Questions over the medical examiner's findings

According to the Oklahoma Medical Examiner's office, Benedict died by suicide.

"From the beginning of this investigation, Owasso Police observed many indications that this death was the result of suicide," the police department said in a statement, with a summary autopsy report saying that Benedict died after consuming two different types of medication.

Many expressed their condolences following the alleged findings, including President Biden.

"Every young person deserves to have the fundamental right and freedom to be who they are, and feel safe and supported at school and in their communities," Biden said in a statement following the news, adding that Benedict, "a kid who just wanted to be accepted, should still be here with us today."

"In memory of Nex, we must all recommit to our work to end discrimination and address the suicide crisis impacting too many nonbinary and transgender children," the president added.

Rates of suicide are disproportionately high for transgender youth in comparison to their cisgender counterparts, but transgender people of color face even higher rates ofsuicide risk.

In a 2023 national survey on LGBTQ+ youth mental health by the Trevor Project, an LGBTQ+ anti-suicide organization, Native/Indigenous youth LGBTQ+ consistently reported the highest suicide risk among racial and ethnic groups, with nearly one in four Indigenous LGBTQ+ youth reporting attempts on their own lives.

But advocates, supporters, and even Benedict's own familyhave remained skeptical of the report, which is slated to be released in full within the next 10 days. The autopsy summary did not include the exact amounts of each medication found in Benedict's system.

"Rather than allow incomplete accounts to take hold and spread any further, the Benedicts feel compelled to provide a summary of those findings which have not yet been released by the Medical Examiner's office, particularly those that contradict allegations of the assault on Nex being insignificant," said a press release from the Benedict family attorneys.

The release also showed a section of the summary autopsy report, which reported that while Benedict did not sustain "lethal trauma," they did have multiple injuries to their head, neck and torso, which the lawyers say clearly shows "the severity of the assault."

"There is nothing in this one page document to explain why the medical examiner checked a box," said Sarah-Kate Ellis, president and CEO of GLAAD, on the decision to list suicide as Benedict's cause of death.

"Media must have learned by now that they need to continue to question what they get from law enforcement and government entities in Oklahoma that have so far failed to protect vulnerable students and responsibly provide any information that is critical for student safety," Ellis said.

Sue Benedict told The Independent that Nex started being bullied at school after Oklahoma's Republican governor, Kevin Stitt, signed a bill in 2022that forbade trans and nonbinary youth from using bathrooms concurrent with their gender identities.

In 2023, Stitt followed up the bathroom ban with a ban on gender-affirming care for trans youth in the state, one of 87 anti-trans bills that passed in the U.S. last year, according to the Trans Legislation Tracker.

Just three months into the current year, 523 anti-trans bills have been introduced in state legislatures.

And trans youth report that these legal restrictions on their freedom are having direct impacts on their mental health.

According to the Trevor Project's survey,nearly one in three LGBTQ+ youth said their "mental health was poor most of the time or always due to anti-LGBTQ policies and legislation."

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) said in a statement, "We must demand better from our elected officials and reject harmful anti-transgender legislation at the local, state and federal levels, while also considering every possible way to make ending this violence a reality."

What happens next?

On March 1, the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights (OCR) notified the Human Rights Campaign that in response to an HRC complaint filed around Benedict's death, the office would be investigating the Owasso public school district for potential violations of Title IX, which prevents discrimination based on sex, and Title II, which stipulates that schools must prevent bullying and harassment.

However, the timeline for the investigation is unknown.

"The goal of an OCR investigation is to determine whether an alleged civil rights violation took place and to decide what district reforms are appropriate based on what the investigation uncovered," Rachel Perera, a governance studies fellow at the Brookings Institution, wrote.

While the OCR can withdraw federal funding from a school district if the investigation finds violations of civil rights law, "enforcement actions are rare," added Perera in her written commentary.

The case could also potentially be referred to the Department of Justice for further action, but what will come out of the investigation and whether its findings will be escalated still remains to be seen.

Many are hoping that Benedict's death could spur further action that aims to deter bullying in schools.

"Reforms creating school environments that are built upon the pillars of respect, inclusion and grace, and aim to eliminate bullying and hate, are the types of change that all involved should be able to rally behind," said the Benedict family's counsel.

But Sue Benedict is still mourning her loss.

"I just want my child back," she said.

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Benedict was attacked at their Oklahoma high school, and found dead at home the next day. The medical examiner's office says the nonbinary 16-year-old died by suicide. Their family has questions.

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LGBTQ indivduals face discrimination on the basis on religion often. In the United States, the largest religion is Christianity. Many Christians (however not all) interpret the bible to view homosexuality as a sin. This has been a huge force of opposition for LGBTQ community and has been used as justification for the denial of things like work protections, as shown in the article. Many Christians fights for the right to discrininate against LGBTQ indivudals in the hiring proccess.

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Religious activists are trying to weaken new protections for LGBTQ workers

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Three federal judges in Louisiana could soon decide if some businesses can refuse to hire gay or transgender employees following recent oral arguments in a case that seeks to challenge the landmark Supreme Court ruling — Bostock v. Clayton County. The 2020 ruling determined that LGBTQ employees are protected from workplace discrimination under the Civil […]

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Florida has completely removed all books with queer characters in the school systems as a part of their "Dont Say Gay" Bill. This is heartbreaking as someone who's first introduction to a character was gay like them from a book. In a school system where gay topics are already avoided, books with queer characters give questioning kids some validity and sense of community.

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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) - Top officials at a Florida school district ordered the removal of all books and material containing LBGTQ+ characters and themes from classrooms and campus libraries, saying that was needed to conform to a state law backed by Gov. Ron DeSantis that critics have dubbed "Don't Say Gay."

Charlotte County Schools Superintendent Mark Vianello and the school board's attorney, Michael McKinley, were responding to questions from the district's librarians at a July meeting asking whether the bill, officially the "Florida Parental Rights in Education Act," required the removal of any books that simply had a gay character but no explicit sex scenes.

"Books with LBGTQ+ characters are not to be included in classroom libraries or school library media centers," the pair responded, according to a district memo obtained under a public information request by the Florida Freedom to Read Project. The nonprofit group, which opposes the law, provided the memo to The Associated Press on Wednesday.

The district later backed off a bit, allowing some exceptions for high school libraries. But Charlotte's policy remains one of the more stringent policies adopted by the state's 67 countywide school districts to enforce the bill.

The law was originally passed by the Legislature and signed by DeSantis in 2022 and strengthened last spring. The southwest Florida county between Fort Myers and Sarasota has about 17,000 students in its public schools. The Republican governor, who is running for his party's presidential nomination, won the county with 70% of the vote in 2022 as he cruised to reelection.

The school district did not respond to calls Wednesday from the AP seeking comment. The district told the news website Popular Information, which first reported the memo, that the document is not a verbatim transcript of the meeting, but it is an accurate reflection.

DeSantis and other Republicans have repeatedly said the measure is reasonable and that parents, not teachers, should be broaching subjects of sexual orientation and gender identity with their children. The governor has made cultural issues a major point of his presidential campaign, even taking on the Walt Disney Co. after it expressed opposition to the bill.

Florida Freedom to Read said Charlotte's policy is "evidence that fear over thoughtful decision making is winning the day." But the group says Florida Department of Education officials are to blame for any district confusion or overreach.

"Their failure to lead and use their power to benefit the future of Florida is a disservice to all Floridians, no matter their political leanings," the group said in a statement. "Parents want politics out of education. We want all students to feel safe and included, so they can focus on their education while in school. Removing all representation of LGBTQ+ people in literature goes against our very principles of living in a free and just, pluralistic society."

The department did not respond to a call and email Wednesday seeking comment.

At the July meeting, librarians were told by Vianello and McKinley that any mention of sexual orientation or gender identity is prohibited from prekindergarten through middle school and in high school, "unless supported by the state academic standards."

The librarians asked if that meant they had to remove a book even if, for example, it includes a secondary character who is gay or a main character with two moms or a gay best friend. The pair responded, "Yes," and added that ban includes books children may bring to school themselves, even if they are not pornographic or explicit.

"These characters and themes cannot exist," they responded, according to the memo.

The school district issued a statement to Popular Information this week clarifying some of the superintendent and attorney's remarks, saying some material with LGBTQ+ themes or characters would still be available in high school libraries.

"Books featuring LGBTQ characters are accessible in the media center for grades 9-12. While they may not be utilized for classroom instruction, these books are available for individual study and can be borrowed by students," the statement said.

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Florida school district orders removal of all books with gay characters before slightly backing off

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A Florida school district has ordered the removal of almost all books with gay characters from classrooms and libraries.

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The LGBTQ community was directly involved in the Gay Liberation Movement. This movement was sparked by the Stonewall Riots due to the police raiding gay bars. Inspired by the many social movements, the Gay Liberation movement became interlinked with feminist and ant-racists movements. This movement advocated against the discimnation the LGBTQ community faces and was led by 2 transgender women of color, Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera.

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The Stonewall Riots: How the gay rights movement began

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Lgbtq people have face adverse struggles with the health safety and state insitituion. Whether this be from fighting your government for the right to allign your body with your gender identity, to fighting for the right to marry, LGBTQ indivduals have had to fight for their rights. We see big progress like as the right to same sex marriage, and we see progress fall away with anti-trans bills recently.

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Our education fails at providing a safe place for queer youth. Many queer youth feel unsafe and ostrasiced from their peers, and results in mental health struggles. We have seen higher rates of LGBTQ youth suicides when compared to their straight peers. In an education system where their existence avoided and in some states completely erased, there is a dire need for change in our schooling systems to include the safety and wellbeing of their queer students.