Image from Amnesty International

 

Topics on the Page

 

Stonewall

• The Stonewall Uprising

 

Important Gay Rights Organizations & History of the Rainbow Flag 

 

Pioneering Political Leaders and LGBTQ Candidates for Public Office

 

Historical Biography Cross-Links 

 

• Harvey Milk, Gay Civil Rights Leader

 

• Bayard Rustin, Civil Rights and Gay Rights Activist
  

 

• Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, Transgender and Gay Civil Rights Activists

 

LGBTQ-Inclusive Curriculum in Public Schools

• California
• New Jersey
• Colorado
• Oregon
• Illinois
• Nevada
• Connecticut 

 

LGBTQ and Gender Studies in Schools

Picture of the AIDS quilt in front of the Washington Monument  

 Historical Events Cross-Links for LGBTQ Civil Rights

 

• The Lavender Scare

 

• The AIDS Epidemic in the US and the World

 

• LGBTQ Court Cases

 

  Cross-Link: AP United States History Key Concept 8.2: Civil Rights and Expanding Roles for Government 

 

 eBook Connection: Liberty in Conflict with Equality or Authority

 

 

Milestones in the American Gay Rights Movement, PBS 

 

 

Stonewall

Event Summary

The Stonewall uprising were a series of spontaneous, violent demonstrations by members of the LGBTQ+ community in response to a police raid that took place at the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City, on June 28, 1969.

 

At that time, homosexuality was illegal in most states, and police raids on gay bars were common. However, on that night, the patrons of the Stonewall Inn fought back against the police, sparking a three-day uprising that is widely regarded as the catalyst for the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement.

 

Stonewall was a turning point in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights and paved the way for the formation of activist groups and the push for legislative change to secure civil rights and protections for LGBTQ+ individuals. Today, the anniversary of the Stonewall riots is celebrated as Pride Month, which is recognized worldwide as a time to celebrate and advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. (ChatGPT)

 

Resources

 

Stonewall Riots (Article w/Video)

How the Stonewall Riots Sparked a Movement | History (Video)

Even People Who Were There Still Don’t Agree on How Stonewall Started. Here’s What We Do Know (Article w/Video)

American Experience; Stonewall Uprising; Interview with Virgina Apuzzo Series 1-3 (Video/Interview)

Stonewall Forever Monument (VR Model)

 

 

 

Police push protestors back outside of the Stonewall Inn in the early hours of June 28, 1969. 

 

 

Davies, Diana, 1938-, Photographer. Stonewall Inn. Image ID: 1582272

 

 

Davies, Diana, 1938-, Photographer. Stonewall Inn. Image ID: 1582272

 

 

 

Important Gay Rights Organizations

The Society for Human Rights was founded in 1924 by Henry Gerbert in Chicago, becoming the first gay rights organization in the United States.

• This is a link to a podcast about Gerber and The Society for Human Rights.

 

Mattachine Society was founded in 1950 in Los Angeles by Harry Hay and became an important gay organization. 

• Here is a link to a podcast about the Mattachine Society.

 

 

The Daughters of Bilitis (DOB) was the first lesbian civil and political rights organization in the United States. It was founded in 1955 in San Francisco by Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin. 

• Here is a link to a Britannica entry explaining the significance of DOB and what they have done.    

 

Barbara Gittings

 

• Barbara Gittings Obituary from the New York Times, March 15, 2007

 

• Here is a link to an interview with Barbara Gittings.

 

• Gittings founded the first New York DOB chapter in 1958.

 

 

History of the Rainbow Flag

Curious about the history of the rainbow flag and what each color represents?

 

• Click here to read all about it!

 

• Click here to watch a video all about it! 

 

More information at American National Symbols, Flags, Monuments

 

 

Pioneering Political Leaders and LGBTQ Candidates for Public Office

 

How Many LGBTQIA+ Candidates were Elected in 2022 Midterms?

 

Historic Number of LGBTQ Candidates Won 2022 Midterm Elections

 

678 candidates on Ballot (most ever)

340 Won Elections (most ever)

 

• First openly lesbian governors, with Maura Healey in Massachusetts and Tina Kotek in Oregon.

 

• In Connecticut, Erick Russell has become the first Black LGBTQ person elected to statewide office in U.S. history.

 

• New Hampshire's James Roesener is now the first trans man ever elected to any U.S. state legislature.

 

• Zooey Zephyr, who ran for the Montana House of Representatives, will be the first openly trans person in the state's legislature.

 

• Alaska voted in its first three LGBTQ politicians to the state legislature: Ashley Carrick for House District 35, Jennie Armstrong for House District 16, and Andrew Gray for District 20.

 

Historical Developments

 

Link to Influential Biography page for Harvey Milk, Gay Civil Rights Leader

 

Elaine Noble became the first openly gay person to be elected to a state office in the United States in 1974. She was elected to the Massachusetts State Legislature. 

• Here is a link to an interview with her.

Coretta Scott King speaks out supporting gay rights.

• In this video she discusses how Martin Luther King Jr.'s fight for civil rights applies to gay rights as well.

 

 

LGBTQ-Inclusive Curriculum in Public Schools

 

 LGBTQ Curriculum Laws Interactive Map (2023).

 

• 7 states have laws requiring state curricular standards to be LGBTQ-Inclusive.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Six States Have Passed LGBTQ+ Inclusive Curriculum Laws -- Each with a Different Definition of Inclusion (June 17, 2021).

 

 

LGBTQ-Inclusive Curriculum as a Path to Better Public Health, American Bar Association (July 5, 2022).

 

California becomes the first state to require that LGBTQ history be included in curriculum in 2011; teachers began using new curriculum framework in 2017-2018.

 

• Here is a link (and another) to an article explaining why this law is important and how it is being implemented in schools.

 

California is Adopting LGBTQ-Inclusive History Textbooks (November 14, 2017)

 

New Jersey is the second state:  N.J. Governor Signs LGBTQ-Inclusive Curriculum into Law (February 1, 2019)

 

 

Illinois, like California and Colorado, passed a law in 2019, focused primarily on history and social science. The law, which took effect beginning in the 2020-2021 school year, requires that history textbooks include the contributions of LGBTQ+ people.

 

Nevada became the sixth state to pass a law mandating LGBTQ+ inclusive curriculum and, like Oregon, specifically includes contributions of LGBTQ+ people, Native and Indigenous people, people of minority racial groups, and people with disabilities to science and history. Nevada’s law requires that inclusive history be taught beginning in kindergarten.

 

 

Oregon LGBTQ2SIA+ Student Success Plan

 

LGBT-Inclusive Curriculum from GLSEN

 

 

'History UnErased' brings LGBTQ topics to the classroom

 

 

Efforts at Banning LGBTQ Curriculum in Schools

#Dont Erase Us: FAQ about Anti-LGBT Curriculum Laws, Lambda Legal

• Includes state-by-state information about laws to protect LGBT people and people with living with HIV

More than a dozen states propose "Don't Say Gay" bills

 

 

LGBTQ and Gender Studies in Schools

 

Incorporating LGBTQ and Gender Studies into Grade 9-12 History Curriculum: Sarah Pesaturo, 2016 University of Massachusetts Amherst Undergraduate Honors Thesis

 

 

LGBT Rights Milestones: Fast Facts, CNN
 
Unheard Voices:  Stories of LGBT History, GLSEN

 

LGBTQ Rights Timeline in American History, Teaching LGBTQ History

 

 

Five Myths about Transgender Students Educators Need to Unlearn

Gay-Straight Alliance Network's website with information, resources, events and school programs to "empower youth activists to fights homophobia and transphobia in schools"

 

And Tango Makes Three is a children's book from 2005 in which two male penguins from the Central Park Zoo are given an egg to raise. The book was one of the most challenged books between 2005 and 2010 because of its controversy with same-sex marriage and homosexuality.

 

• View the book in video form And Tango Makes Three

 

• Read about the book and the responses it got Wikipedia: And Tango Makes Three

 

Videos of 4th grade students and teachers discussing stereotypes, labels, and how kids learned the words not usually highlighted in class:
It's Elementary Part 1 
and It's Elementary Part 2

This free quarterly newsletter is designed to keep you informed about important school climate issues and NSCC's work nationwide with articles available via PDF download.
National School Climate Center


Welcoming Schools is a project of the Human Rights Campaign. The site provides resources for students and educators to learn how to deal with bullying and harassment situations.
Welcoming Schools

The Human Rights Campaign's trailers for bullying information and awareness:
Welcoming Schools Film: What Do You Know?

What Can We Do? Bias, Bullying and Bystanders

 

 How can teachers/tutors/adults/students talk with students about the terms transgender, gay, and lesbian and resist/oppose the use of offensive slurs?