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June 2020
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Selectors: Cassidy Ulsh and Meghan Courtney
June 28, 1970, one year after Stonewall, a number of activists launched the Christopher Street Liberation Day March, later known as the NYC Pride Parade. The idea caught on, and today LGBTQ communities across the world celebrate Pride Month in June.
We hope this guide will help you explore resources on LGBTQ history, culture, and advocacy.
This timeline is adapted from the PBS' Milestones in the American Gay Rights Movement timeline. It runs from 1924 to 2015, highlighting specific instances of struggles and triumphs in the LGBTQ+ movement to get equal rights and recognition in the U.S..
- Check out the other sections of this guide for articles and books that offer more information on the past, present, and future of the LGBTQ+ movement. If anything on this timeline sparked your interest, please check out those resources!
- Not finding resources you're interested in, or want to see more? Find many more LGBTQ+ resources on our library website here!
Local Archival Collections
- Ernest Horne Papers, 1975-2000Ernest L. Horne, a retired General Motors Research Laboratory Librarian and Archivist, has been an activist in the Detroit gay civil rights movement since 1979, when he became a member of SEMGLA (South Eastern Michigan Gay and Lesbian Association).
- Ruth Ellis Papers, 1910-2000Archival papers of Ruth Ellis, influential lesbian activist and community organizer in Detroit.
- Gay Liberator MagazinePublished from 1970-1976, the Gay Liberator also reflects growing political awareness during an important time for the nation as a whole.
Scholarly Articles, June 2020
These are just a few of the articles that can be found at WSU Libraries.
- "This Is 1975, Not 1875": Despair and Longings in Women’s Letters to Cambridge Lesbian Liberation and Daughters of Bilitis Counselor Julie Lee in the 1970s. Heather Murray. Journal of the History of Sexuality Vol. 23, No.1, (2014).
- The Gay and Lesbian Theatrical Legacy: A Biographical Dictionary of Major Figures in American Stage History in the Pre-Stonewall Era Stacy Wolf. Theatre History Studies; Pleasant Hill Vol. 27, (2007): 163-165.
- Lesbian and Gay Marriage and Romantic Adjustment in the 1950s and 1960s United States Stephen Vider. Gender & History. Vol. 29, No. 3 (2017).
- Radical Distribution: AIDS Cultural Activism in New York City, 1986-1992. Tara Burk. Space and Culture, Vol.18, No.4 (2015).
- Way Before the Word: Queer Organizing and Race When Beauty Still Counts. Becky Thompson Feminist Studies Vol. 39, No. 2, A SPECIAL ISSUE: CATEGORIZING SEXUALITIES (2013), pp. 526-548 (23 pages)
- 50 Years After Stonewall, the LGBTQ Health Movement Embodies Empowerment, Expertise, and Energy Landers, Stewart, JD, MCP; Kapadia, Farzana, PhD, MPH. American Journal of Public Health; Washington Vol. 109, Iss. 6, (Jun 2019): 849-850. DOI:10.2105/AJPH.2019.305087 The Stonewall riots in June 1969 unleashed a torrent of gay activism, and the arena of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning (LGBTQ) health grew from a tiny seed into an essential aspect of the emerging queer communities. There is no escaping that the audacity of gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and drag queens (labeled as such at the time, but likely inclusive of people we call "transgender" today) who fought the police at the Stonewall lit a fire of empowerment among LGBTQ people across the United States and around the world.
- Beyond Bathrooms — Meeting the Health Needs of Transgender People Schuster, Mark A; Reisner, Sari L; Onorato, Sarah E. The New England Journal of Medicine;Vol. 375, Iss. 2
- Reducing the Treatment Gap for LGBT Mental Health Needs: the Potential of Telepsychiatry. Emile Whalbeh et al. The Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research.(2019).
- Anti-Gay Curriculum Laws Clifford Rosky, Columbia Law Review. Vol. 117, No. 6 (October 2017).
- Opinion Backlash and Public Attitudes: Are Political Advances in Gay Rights Counterproductive? Benjamin G. Bishin, Thomas J. Hayes, Matthew B. Incantalupo and Charles Anthony Smith American Journal of Political Science Vol. 60, No. 3 (JULY 2016),
At Wayne State and in Detroit
- JIGSAW: Joining Intersectionality, GENDER, SEXUALITY, and ALLIES at Wayne
Joining Intersectionality, Gender, Sexuality, and Allies at Wayne (J.I.G.S.A.W.) is an all-inclusive organization designed to provide a medium for public exposure to and dialogue on past and current issues affecting LGBTQ individuals. - Ruth Ellis Center
Ruth Ellis Center (REC) provides trauma-informed services for lesbian, gay, bi-attractional, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ+) youth, and young adults, with an emphasis on young people of color, experiencing homelessness, involved in the child welfare system, and/or experiencing barriers to health and wellbeing. - LGBT Detroit
For over two decades, LGBT Detroit has been receiving unwavering support from neighboring communities in any capacity that promotes the wellbeing and integrity involved in fostering an environment conducive to lesbian, gay, bi and transgender individuals irrespective of race, culture or socio-economic status. - Equality Michigan
Established in 1991 as the Triangle Foundation, Equality Michigan (EQMI) has been working for nearly 30 years to achieve full equality and respect for all Michigan residents regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. - Affirmations
Affirmations provides a welcoming space where people of all sexual orientations, gender identities & expressions, and cultures can find support and unconditional acceptance, and where they can learn, grow, socialize and feel safe!
National Advocacy Organization Websites
- HRC
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) works to get equal rights for all LGBTQ+ peoples. - The Trevor Project
The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing suicide prevention services and crisis intervention to LGBTQ+ youth. - InterACT
InterACT advocates for the human rights of people born with intersex traits, using both outreach and legal strategies. - PFLAG
PFLAG is the extended family of the LGBTQ community. They are made up of LGBTQ individuals, family members, and allies.
These are only some of the many Pride flags that are part of the LGBTQ+ community.
Click on each of the flags to learn more about them!
(Please note that some of these flags also have accepted variations within their communities and that there are many more flags that could have been added here to represent other gender and sexual identities that are part of the LGBTQ+ umbrella).
- LGBTQ GlossarySome terms and definitions pertaining to the LGBTQ+ community, hosted on the County of San Mateo's LGBTQ Commission website.
Stonewall: Its History and Impact
Hear from some of the people who were part of the Stonewall Uprising and the Gay Liberation Movement using the tabs in this box. The videos provided are primary sources from the Stonewall National Monument's Oral History Project.
A Brief History of Stonewall
The Stonewall Uprising began on June 28th, 1969 after the New York City police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay club in Greenwich Village. As police roughly arrested patrons, some fought back. Neighborhood residents joined in the protest. Protests and violent clashes with police continued over the next 6 days. One year later, to commemorate the uprising and express pride in their community, a number of activists launched the Christopher Street Liberation Day March, later known as the NYC Pride Parade. The idea caught on, and today LGBTQ+ communities across the world celebrate Pride Month in June.
Below you can find some other Stonewall resources, talking about the history and the creation of the mythos surrounding the event and how it sparked revolution.
- Stonewall Uprising Documentary on PBS When police raided the Stonewall Inn, a popular gay bar in the Greenwich Village section of New York City on June 28, 1969, the street erupted into violent protests that lasted for the next six days.The Stonewall riots, as they came to be known, marked a major turning point in the modern gay civil rights movement in the United States and around the world.
- Movements and Memory: The Making of the Stonewall Myth. Elizabeth Armstrong & Suzanna Crage. American Sociological Review, Vol.71, No.5.(2006). This article examines why the Stonewall riots became central to gay collective memory while other events did not. It does so through a comparative-historical analysis of Stonewall and four events similar to it.
Stonewall by
In 1969, a series of riots over police action against The Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City's Greenwich Village, changed the longtime landscape of the homosexual in society literally overnight.
ISBN: 9780312342692Publication Date: 2005-06-01
There are 64 videos in this series, check them all out here!
There are 64 videos in this series, check them all out here!
There are 64 videos in this series, check them all out here!
There are 64 videos in this series, check them all out here!
eBooks to Explore, June 2020
An Archive of Hope by
Harvey Milk was one of the first openly and politically gay public officials in the United States, and his remarkable activism put him at the very heart of a pivotal civil rights movement reshaping America in the 1970s. An Archive of Hope is Milk in his own words, bringing together in one volume a substantial collection of his speeches, columns, editorials, political campaign materials, open letters, and press releases, culled from public archives, newspapers, and personal collections. The volume opens with a foreword from Milk's friend, political advisor, and speech writer Frank Robinson, who remembers the man who "started as a Goldwater Republican and ended his life as the last of the store front politicians" who aimed to "give 'em hope" in his speeches. An illuminating introduction traces GLBTQ politics in San Francisco, situates Milk within that context, and elaborates the significance of his discourse and memories both to 1970s-era gay rights efforts and contemporary GLBTQ worldmaking.
ISBN: 0520275497Publication Date: 2013-02-15
Before Stonewall: Activists for Gay and Lesbian Rights in Historical Context by
Explore the early history of the gay rights movement! In the words of editor Vern L. Bullough: "Although there was no single leader in the gay and lesbian community who achieved the fame and reputation of Martin Luther King, there were a large number of activists who put their careers and reputations on the line. It was a motley crew of radicals and reformers, drawn together by the cause in spite of personality and philosophical differences. Their stories are told in the following pages." Before Stonewall: Activists for Gay and Lesbian Rights in Historical Context illuminates the lives of the courageous individuals involved in the early struggle for gay and lesbian civil rights in the United States. Authored by those who knew them (often activists themselves), the concise biographies in this volume examine the lives of pre-1969 barrier breakers.
ISBN: 9781560231936Publication Date: 2002-11-18
The Children of Harvey Milk by
Part political thriller, part meditation on social change, part love story, The Children of Harvey Milk tells the epic stories of courageous men and women around the world who came forward to make their voices heard during the struggle for equal rights. Featuring LGBTQ icons from America to Ireland, Britain to New Zealand; Reynolds documents their successes and failures, heartwarming stories of acceptance and heartbreaking stories of ostracism, demonstrating the ways in which an individual can change the views and voting behaviors of those around them. The book also includes rare vignettes of LGBTQ leaders in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean who continue to fight for equality in spite of threats, violence, and homophobia. A touchstone narrative of the tumultuous journey towards LGBTQ rights, The Children of Harvey Milk is a must-read for anyone with an interest in social change
ISBN: 9780190460952Publication Date: 2018-11-01
Comprehensive Care of the Transgender Patient by
From a renowned specialist at the Cleveland Clinic and medical and surgical experts in this growing field comes an up-to-date, multidisciplinary resource on transgender health care and surgery. Comprehensive Care of the Transgender Patient, by Dr. Cecile Unger, covers all aspects of transgender health care, beginning with epidemiology and history and progressing to an in-depth review of the complex transition for patients, including mental health services, endocrine and hormone therapy treatment, and surgical options. Incorporates all of the latest guidelines for providers and patients, written by experts from a wide variety of disciplines involved in transgender patient care. Contains outstanding surgical chapters contributed by prominent surgeons who regularly perform these procedures, providing clear guidance on male-to-female and female-to-male surgical options. Features high-quality, full-color illustrations throughout. Covers key topics in every area of transgender health care, including Mental Health Care for the Adult and for the Child and Adolescent Transgender Patient; Hormone Treatment for the Adult and Adolescent Transgender Patient; Facial Surgery for Transgender Patients; Breast and Genital Surgeries for Transgender Patients; and Primary, Preventive, and Gynecologic Care. Expert ConsultT eBook version included with purchase. This enhanced eBook experience allows you to search all of the text, figures, Q&As, and references from the book on a variety of devices.
ISBN: 9780323496421Publication Date: 2019-03-25
LGBT Psychology and Mental Health: Emerging Research and Advances by
This guide spotlights some of the most exciting emerging discoveries, trends, and research areas in LGBT psychology, both in science and therapy. Presents a concise history of LGBT psychology as well as coverage of current LGBT psychology in various subfields, including social, developmental, psychoanalytical, minority psychology, and women's psychology. Addresses issues in the LGBT community ranging from health disparities (physical, biological, and psychological illnesses that disproportionately affect the LGBT community) to addictions and substance abuse, stressors, and emerging policy issues.
ISBN: 9781440843389Publication Date: 2017-10-27
Making Gay History by
...the gay civil rights movement has exploded on the national stage. Eric Marcus takes us back in time to the earliest days of that struggle in a newly revised and thoroughly updated edition of Making History...
ISBN: 9780060933913Publication Date: 2002-05-28
Violence Against Queer People by
Violence against lesbians and gay men has increasingly captured media and scholarly attention. But these reports tend to focus on one segment of the LGBT community--white, middle class men--and largely ignore that part of the community that arguably suffers a larger share of the violence--racial minorities, the poor, and women. Doug Meyer offers an investigation of anti-queer violence that focuses on the role played by race, class, and gender. Drawing on interviews with forty-seven victims of violence, Meyer shows that LGBT people encounter significantly different forms of violence--and perceive that violence quite differently--based on their race, class, and gender.
ISBN: 9780813573175Publication Date: 2015-10-11
LGBTQ Libraries, Archives, and Museums
LGBTQ+ archives and museums offer access to primary sources, allowing you to hear directly from those involved in activism and organizing in the LGBTQ+ community over time. These repositories exist all over the United States. Examples include:
- GLBT History Museum (San Francisco)
The GLBT Historical Society collects, preserves, exhibits materials and knowledge to support and promote understanding of LGBTQ+ history, culture and arts. - Leslie-Lohman Museum of Gay & Lesbian Art
The Leslie-Lohmann Museum has a collection of over 1300 objects from incredible LGBT artists including Rober Mapplethorpe, Catherine Opie, and David Hockney. - Stonewall National Museum & Archives
The Stonewall National Museum and Archives (SNMA) is one of the largest gay archives and libraries in the United States. They were founded in 1972 and founder Mark Silber chose the name to recognize the fight for LGBTQ+ liberation that began in 1969 with the Stonewall riots. - Transgender Archives from the University of VictoriaThe Transgender Archives at the University of Victoria is committed to the preservation of the history of pioneering activists, community leaders, and researchers who have contributed to the betterment of trans, nonbinary, Two-Spirit, and other gender-diverse people.
For many more libraries, archives, and museums check out Brown University's LGBTQ Center
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