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Society for Human Rights
Established in Chicago, the Society for Human Rights becomes the country's earliest known gay rights organization in 1924. -
Sexual Behavior in the Human Male
Alfred Kinsey published his book, Sexual Behavior in the Human Male, in 1948 to reveal that homosexuality was far more widespread than the public believed. -
Mattachine Society
Harry Hay founded the Mattachine Society, the first national gay rights organization, in 1951. He was and still is considered the founder of the gay rights movement. -
Daughters of Bilitis
In 1955, the first lesbian-rights organization is established in San Francisco. It is officially founded in 1956. -
Joe Cino
This Italian-American producer first opened Cafe Cino in 1958, which was credited for starting the Off-Off-Broadway theatre movement. Six years after opening, Cafe Cino hosts the first ever gay plays. -
Decreminalization of Homosexuality
In 1962, Illinios becomes the first state to decriminalize homosexual acts between two consenting adults in private. -
National Transsexual Counseling Unit
The National Transsexual Counseling Unit, the worlds first transgender organization, was established in San Francisco in 1966. -
Stonewall riots
On June 27, 1969 the patrons of a gay bar in New York, the Stonewall Inn, fight back during an unjust police raid, sparking three days of rioting. The Stonewall riots transform the gay rights movement into a widespread protest for acceptance and equal rights. -
American Psychiatric Association
In 1973, the American Psychiatric Association removed homosexuality from their list of mental disorders. -
Harvey Milk
Harvey Milk ran for city supervisor of San Francisco in 1973. He came in tenth out of thirty two canidates, winning the Castro district and other liberal neighborhoods, making him the first openly gay city commissioner. -
Save Our Children
Activists in Miami, Florida passed a civil rights oridance, making sexual orientation discrimination illegal in Dade County. A Christian group started the Save Our Children campaign and petitioned to have the oridance overturned. In a special election, seventy percent of voters agreed, making this one of the most crushing defeats for gay activists. -
National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights
About 75,000 people participate in the National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights in Washington D.C. This is the biggest rally for gay rights in history. -
Democrats for Gay Rights
At the 1980 Democratic National Convention, a group of democrats stood up for gay rights, pledging that "All groups must be protected from discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, language, age, sex or sexual orientation." -
Outlawing Discrimination
Wisconsin becomes the first state to outlaw discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. -
Domestic-Partnership Benefits
The city of Berkeley, California becomes the first city to offer its employees domestic-partnership benefits. -
Coretta Scott King
Coretta Scott King, widow of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr., calls on the civil rights community to join the struggle against homophobia. She receives criticism from members of the black civil rights movement for comparing civil rights to gay rights. -
Massachusetts: Same Sex Marriage
Massachusetts becomes the very first state to legalize same sex marriage. -
California: Proposition 8
California voters approve Proposition 8, making same-sex marriage in California illegal once again. The proposition inspires the NOH8 campaign, a photo campaign that uses celebrities to promote marriage equality. -
California's First Time Around
California becomes the second state to legalize same sex marriage, but it is short lived due to the approval of Prop 8. -
The Presidential Memorandum
President Obama signs a Presidential Memorandum allowing same-sex partners of federal employees to receive certain benefits. It does not, however, cover full health coverage. -
Presidential Medal of Freedom
On August 12, 2009 President Obama posthumously awards Harvey Milk the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He presents the award to Milk's nephew, Stuart Milk. -
Don't Ask, Don't Tell
The U.S. Senate votes 65-31 to repeal the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in the U.S. Military. Lady Gaga -
New York: Same Sex Marriage
New York passes the Marriage Equality Act, becoming the largest state to legalize gay marriage thus far. -
Sports Illistrated
Sports Illistrated published an essay by Jason Collins of the NBA's Washington Wizardz, where he said, "I'm a 34-year-old N.B.A. center. I'm black and I'm gay," This makes him the first active ahtlete in the NBA, NFL, NHL, or MLB to come out as gay. -
Rhode Island: Same Sex Marriage
The same-sex marriage legistlation passes in both house of of Rhode Island's legislature, making them the tenth state to allow same-sex marriage. -
California: Same Sex Marriage
California gives it a second try after removing Prop 8 and relegalizing gay marriage. This makes them the second and the fourteenth state to allow gays to get married. -
New Jersey: Same Sex Marriage
Chris Christie's attempt to delay and appeal same sex marriage is shut down in an unaminous vote from the supreme court, making New Jersey the fourteenth state to allow same sex marriage. -
Illinois: Same Sex Marriage
Illinois became the fifteenth state to recognize same sex marriage. Gay couples will be allowed to marry starting June 1, 2014. -
Hawaii: Same Sex Marriage
Hawaii becomes the sixteenth state to allow same sex couples to get married. This will make Hawaii an even bigger cite for weddings, starting December 2.
