LGBTQ+ Civil Rights History in Washington, DC
LGBTQ+ Civil Rights History in Washington, DC
June is Pride Month, and each year, people around the globe attend parades and other festivities to celebrate LGBTQ+ communities. Although the acronym has changed in recent decades, LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer, plus other orientations and identities) now includes anyone who is non-heterosexual, non-cisgender, or nonbinary. Colorful and joyful, Pride events commemorate the gay rights movement sparked by the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in New York City.
However, it’s also important to honor the history of advocacy for LGBTQ+ civil rights that has brought us Pride Month as we know it today. As has been the case for other marginalized groups, the path toward equality for LGBTQ+ communities has been—and continues to be—a long and difficult one. As the US capital, Washington DC is ultimately the center of national American legislation around human rights. Here are a few of the most important watershed moments in the modern LGBTQ+ civil rights movement in Washington DC.
1957: Dr. Kameny appeals to the Supreme Court. Astronaut Dr. Frank Kameny was fired from his role at the US Army Map Service because of his homosexual status. He appealed his dismissal in a legal case that, although ultimately unsuccessful, has the distinction of ascending to the Supreme Court.
1961: The Mattachine Society of Washington DC was formed. This group was a chapter of the original Mattachine Society in Los Angeles and was the first gay activist group in the nation’s capital.
1963: National March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. The largest gathering for civil rights in its era, this march included several organizations representing disenfranchised groups of Americans. Much of its planning was overseen by Bayard Rustin, an openly gay nonviolent protest strategist.
1975: The first annual Gay Pride Day is held in Washington DC. The original event was held in the Dupont Circle neighborhood in front of the Lambda Rising bookstore. This organized one-day festival eventually became a month-long observance replete with the now-famous Pride Parades. Today, the annual Washington DC Pride Parade is organized by Capital Pride Alliance.
1979: National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights. This was the first large-scale American demonstration for LGBT rights, and about 200,000 people attended. The march organizers articulated 5 demands to ensure equality for non-heterosexuals. Subsequent marches were held in the capital in 1987, 1993, 2000, and 2009.
1990: ACT UP protests the AIDS pandemic at the National Institutes for Health. The Aids Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP) staged a “die-in” at the NIH to protest the inaction of the US government and pharmaceutical companies with regard to AIDS treatment.
1997: The first gay DC Council member, David Catania, was elected. Catania, originally a Republican who became Independent, was re-elected in 1998, 2002, 2004, and 2006. In the same year, Jay Fisette became the first openly gay elected official in the state of Virginia.
2000: President Bill Clinton officially declares June as Pride Month. The event was initially called “Gay and Lesbian Pride Month,” but in 2011, President Barack Obama expanded it to include bisexual and transgender groups. Today, it is simply called “Pride Month,” and activities include parades, parties, workshops, arts performances, and more.
2005: The DC Council made gender identity a protected status. Gender identity was added to other protected groups listed in the anti-discriminatory clause of Human Rights Law.
2009: Marriage equality is signed into law in DC. Mayor Adrian Fenty legalized same-sex marriage in Washington DC.
2015: Same-sex marriage is legalized in all 50 states. The Supreme Court ruled that same-sex marriage is a guaranteed Constitutional right and struck down bans against it in all 50 states.
In addition to participating in festivals and parades, an excellent way to celebrate Pride Month is to attend performances that highlight the trials and triumphs of LGBTQ+ individuals.
See IN HIS HANDS at Mosaic Theater Company June 22 - July 17, 202
The Mosaic Theater Company in Washington, DC produces bold, culturally diverse theater that illuminates critical issues, elevates fresh voices, and sparks connections among communities throughout our region and beyond amid the most important events of our times.
Dedicated to making our theater an inclusive model of diversity at every stratum, on stage and off, Mosaic invests in the new as we keep abreast of our changing and challenging times. We do this to ensure that our theater is a responsive gathering space, all the while nurturing and producing art of the highest order.
June is Pride Month! From June 22 through July 17, 2022, Mosaic will feature performances of Benjamin Benne’s IN HIS HANDS, directed by Jose Carasquillo. Join us to witness this radically contemporary queer rom-com that asks provocative questions about faith and desire, with a gentle and lyrical voice.
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