UCRP honors LGBTQ History Month
What is LGBT History Month?
October is LGBTQ History Month, a 31-day celebration to honor lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer achievement and influence on the world and a time to learn more about the history of LGBTQ rights.
The LGBT community is the only community worldwide that is not taught its history at home, in public schools or in religious institutions. LGBT History Month provides role models, builds community, and makes the civil rights statement about our extraordinary national and international contributions.
Why October?
Centering around National Coming Out Day on Oct. 11, LGBTQ History Month was first celebrated in the United States in 1994.
The Beginnings of LGBTQ History Month
It all started when Missouri high school teacher Rodney Wilson decided there should be a month dedicated to learning about LGBTQ history, gathering teachers and leaders in the community. They selected October to coincide with the academic year as well as Coming Out Day. Soon, the celebration was endorsed by many LGBT movements and organizations like GLAAD [Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation]. **
According to GLAAD, “during the early years, the celebration was largely marked by a call to action and commemoration. But since then, LGBT History Month has blossomed into a national coordinated effort to highlight exemplary role models from the LGBT community.”
Is not Pride Month in June?
October’s celebration differs from Pride Month in this way:
Pride Month is focused on honoring the visibility of LGBTQ people as well as the movement toward equality. The holiday is celebrated in June to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall Riots.
LGBTQ History Month is meant to teach about historic figures and their contributions to the world.
LGBTQ History Month
and Illinois
Illinois has a history of LGBTQ influence:
On December 10, 1924, the state issued a charter to a nonprofit corporation called the Society for Human Rights, established in Old Town. It became the first openly homophile advocacy group in the United States, and had, through its founder and World War I army veteran Henry Gerber.
In 1961, Illinois became the first state in the union to decriminalize consensual sodomy.
Click here to return to UPCOMING EVENTS page
______________________
** The Human Rights Campaign, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, the National Education Association