June 3 - New Hampshire
New Hampshire Legalizes Same-Sex Marriages. "The New Hampshire legislature approved revisions to a same-sex marriage bill, and Gov. John Lynch promptly signed the legislation, making the state the sixth to let gay couples wed.
The bill had been through several permutations to satisfy Mr. Lynch and certain legislators that it would not force religious organizations that oppose same-sex marriage to participate in ceremonies celebrating it. Some groups had feared they could be sued for refusing to allow same-sex weddings on their property.
Mr. Lynch, who previously supported civil unions but not marriage for same-sex couples, said in a statement that he had heard 'compelling arguments that a separate system is not an equal system.'
December 11 - National
“Hannah Free”. A film about a lifelong love affair between an independent spirit and the woman she calls home.
July 7 - New Mexico
Terri Benally was 42 years old. Her murder is unsolved.
April 21 - Washington D.C.
HRC releases a new video in conjunction with the campaign to pass federal hate crimes legislation. The video, "10 Years," features Judy Shepard. HRC also announces the #FightHateNow hashtag for Twitter users to contribute to and stay current on the status of the federal hate crimes bill.
April 30 - National
Dale Jennings an activist and writer and the Mattachine Society became the subjects of the play The Temperamentals by Jon Maran
December 3 - Georgia
Simone Bell in Georgia becomes the first African-American lesbian to win election to a state legislature.
June 15 - Colorado
Pat Steadman is appointed to the Colorado Senate, one of eight openly LGBT members of the Senate. A longtime advocate for gay rights, Senator Steadman is instrumental in the push for same- sex civil unions, introducing the bill two years after his official appointment.
Barbara Siperstein
May 6 - New Hampshire
Lawmakers in the states of New Hampshire, legalize same-sex marriage.
July 13 - Puerto Rico
Lawrence La Fountain-Stokes a writer publishes “Queer Ricans: Cultures and Sexualities in the Diaspora”
January 1 – Oregon
PFLAG Portland Black Chapter becomes the first PFLAG chapter in the country created by and for the black/African American community.
January 1 – Michigan
“Out for Business” Welcome to Out for Business (OFB) at Ross, the official lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) student association at the University of Michigan’s Stephen M. Ross School of Business. We provide professional and social networking opportunities for LGBT students at Ross while also raising awareness of LGBT workplace issues within the Ross community.
January 1 – Arizona
“LGBTQ Consortium” The mission of the LGBTQ Consortium is to work collaboratively to develop and sustain a healthy LGBTQ community in Arizona. Our focus is on health equity and supporting the health and wellness of the LGBTQ/GSM communities of Arizona.
March 15 - National
“Finding Me”. About a young gay black man's journey of self-discovery, affirmation and love.
February 1 - National
"The God Box" Paul, a religious teen living in a small conservative town, finds his world turned upside down when he meets Manuel—a young man who says he’s both Christian and gay, two things that Paul didn’t think could coexist in one person. Doesn’t the Bible forbid homosexuality? As Paul struggles with Manuel’s interpretation of the Bible, thoughts that Paul has long tried to bury begin to surface, and he finds himself re-examining his whole life. This is an unforgettable book on an extremely timely topic that strives to open minds on both ends of the spectrum.
January 19 - National
“La Mission”. A single-parent ex-con in a tough, minority neighborhood finds his personal values challenged when he discovers his son is gay.
September 23 - National
Modern Family, a mockumentary-style television comedy, debuts on ABC. The show features three interrelated families. One of the families is made up of Mitchell, his partner Cameron, and their adopted daughter, Lily. The series is a commercial and critical success, earning high ratings and multiples Emmys, including multiple wins for Best Comedy.
Marc Bosaw
Caprice Curry
July 1 - Colorado
Limited domestic partnership laws covering same-sex couples are passed in Colorado.
May 20 - National
Rip Taylor with his flamboyant nature in acting and live shows made a stand for writers that label him “openly gay”. In an email to Brent Hartinger "You don’t know me to summarize that I am openly gay. I don’t know that you’re not an openly heroin user. You see how that works? Think before you write."
Paulina Ibarra
October 29 - National
Joe Perez published his novel “Rising Up: Reflections on Gay Culture, Politics, Spirit”
June 27 - Oregon
The Oregonian runs a feature to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion.
October 1 - National
Mark Bibbins a writer produces his second book “The Dance of No Hard Feelings” taking its subject matter from life in George W. Bush’s America … These poems are made powerful by the bitter energy of a voice not silenced but made to sound ridiculous in a political culture in which disagreement with the government is unpatriotic.
August 12 - Washington D.C.
Harvey Milk is posthumously awarded the Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama.
December 31 - National
Since "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" was adopted in 1993, over 11,000 service members have been discharged from the armed forces.
May 15 - National
"Heavenly Bodies" David Vance seeks to make his models appear like Greek statues - and succeeds with brilliance. Every picture is a piece of timeless art that you want to blow up and hang on your wall.
November 13 - National
“Dare”. A drama centered around three high school seniors - an aspiring actress, her misfit best friend, and a loner - who become engaged in an intimate and complicated relationship.
May 25 - National
Foxy Ivy, 35, was fatally shot in the back of the head.
June 17 - Washington D.C.
President Obama signs a Presidential Memorandum allowing same-sex partners of federal employees to receive certain benefits. The memorandum does not cover full health coverage.
President Barack Obama has taken many definitive pro-LGBT rights stances. His administration reversed the Bush administrations policy and signed the U.N. declaration that calls for the decriminalization of homosexuality. President Obama became the first president to declare the month of June to be LGBT pride month; President Clinton had declared June Gay and Lesbian Pride Month. Frank Kameny stood beside President Obama during the signing of the Domestic Partners Benefits and Obligations Act, which provides benefits for same-sex partners of federal government employees.
Justin Goodwin
January 1 – Nebraska
“Outlinc” Outlinc is a nonprofit organization that engages in and fosters the well-being and advancement of the LGBTQ community through excellence in service, recreation, education, and celebration.
September 16 - Washington D.C.
The Respect for Marriage Act is introduced in Congress for the first time. It would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and provide all married same-sex couples the full range of federal benefits and responsibilities already associated with long-term, committed relationships.
Mike Penner
May 1 - National
Rakesh Satyal a writer from Cincinnati Ohio publishes “Blue Boy”
September 28 - Washington D.C.
In announcing Sept. 28 as Family Day, President Obama says, “Whether children are raised by two parents, a single parent, grandparents, a same-sex couple, or a guardian, families encourage us to do our best and enable us to accomplish great things.”
Edward Kennedy
January 20 - National
“The Mysteries of Pittsburgh”. Based on Michael Chabon's novel, the film chronicles the defining summer of a recent college graduate who crosses his gangster father and explores love, sexuality, and the enigmas surrounding his life and his city.
President Barack Obama
October 1 - National
The National Center for Lesbian Rights and the Women’s Sports Foundation initiative, It Takes A Team! co-sponsor the first United States National Think Tank, Equal Opportunity for Transgender Student-Athletes. On The Team.
January 1 – New York
“Brooklyn Community Pride Center” The BCPC provides services and support to the borough’s LGBTQ community through original programming and partnerships with existing organizations. Across the spectrum from young people to elders, the Brooklyn Center enables our community to actively participate in positive, life-affirming activities.
January 17 - North Carolina
Jimmy McCollough 34, who was killed near a club where he worked. Jimmy was a drag performer whose performance name was Image Devereux.
April 15 - Massachusetts
Christopher R. Barron is a political activist and founded GoProud. It represented conservative LGBT communities that were aligned with Republicans.
December 9 - California
Mariah Malina Qualls' body was found in a San Francisco hotel. She was a 23-year-old transgender woman who volunteered and was a member of the Asian & Pacific Islander Wellness Center's TRANS:THRIVE community.
October 11 - Washington D.C.
More than 200,000 individuals march on Washington, D.C. in support of equal protection for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in all matters governed by civil law in all 50 states.
Sherri Murrell
March 10 - Washington State
Limited domestic partnership laws covering same-sex couples are passed in Washington State.
January 1 – Minnesota
“Fargo-Moorhead LGBT Film Festival”. Since 2009 the festival has screened films from national and international sources, all with a focus on the lived experience of the Lesbian/ Gay/ Bisexual/ Transgender populations (we realize that those populations encompass more than the letters LGBT). Bringing current and relevant queer film to this northern community is our passion. When asked to develop a festival statement at its most concise, we landed on this:
April 10 - Massachusetts
Justin Goodwin, 36, of Salem, Massachusetts was attacked and beaten by as many as six people outside a bar in Gloucester, Massachusetts. Goodwin suffered a shattered jaw, broken eye socket, broken nose and broken cheekbone. Goodwin later committed suicide.
June 1 - National
“Homewrecker”. A hilarious comedy spoof of the Lifetime Channel for Women movies with a gay twist! What happens when you invite a young scheming "homewrecker" into your happy home? Three happily married gay couples living in Los Angeles are about to find out! An unsuspecting couple (Derrick Hardy and Collin Lawrence) open their home to a secretly aspiring actor. They are hard at work on their new top-secret TV series when unbeknownst them their house guest is really a "homewrecker". Worming his way into their complete trust and taking advantage of their neighbors welcoming attitude everyone is about to get taken for a ride. From sexy seductions to psychological manipulations everyone falls prey to this house-guest with an agenda for trouble" Warning this film contains nudity and adult language and situations.
August 5 - Delaware
By means of three official tributes, one from the Governor and Lt. Governor, one from the Senate, and one from the House, Corey and Douglas Marshall-Steele's 15-year same-gender relationship is recognized and commended, as is their work for social justice.
August 18 - National
“You’ve Changed” examines the philosophical questions raised by the phenomenon of sex reassignment and brings together the essays of scholars known for their work in gender, sexuality, queer, and disability studies, feminist epistemology and science studies, and philosophical accounts of personal identity. An interdisciplinary contribution to the emerging field of transgender studies, it will be of interest to students and scholars in a number of disciplines.
November 27 - National
“From Beginning to End”. Two brothers develop a very close relationship as they are growing up in an idyllic and happy family. When they are young adults their relationship becomes very intimate, romantic, and sexual.
January 1 – Pennsylvania
“Upper Delaware GLBT Center” The mission of The Upper Delaware GLBT Center is to provide a space and programs that welcome, support and empower the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender (GLBT) community living in and visiting the Upper Delaware region; to promote acceptance of GLBT individuals through education; and to be an advocate for social change that embraces diversity and eliminates oppression based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
May 17 - National
“Make the Yuletide Gay”. Olaf "Gunn" Gunnunderson, an out-and-proud gay college student, crawls back into the closet to survive the holidays with his family. He keeps his cool as his quirky Midwestern-hearted parents try to set him up with his high school sweetheart, Abby. But when his boyfriend, Nathan, shows up at their doorstep unannounced, Gunn must put on a charade to keep the relationship a secret.
November 3 - Maine
Maine Voters Repeal State’s Law Allowing Same-Sex Marriage
January 1 – Wisconsin
“LGBT of SE Wisconsin” The LGBT Center of SE Wisconsin is an open affirming environment for people of all sexual orientations and gender identity expressions. We provide support, education, resources and advocacy to achieve a stronger and healthier world for all LGBTQ+ people and allies. With collaborative networking in Racine, Kenosha, Walworth County and Northern Illinois we will empower our community to provide a safe space to support and celebrate LGBTQ+ diversity, equity, visibility and community building.
Jason Mattison Jr.
Don Belton
Brian Sims
July 9 - National
Cesar Torres an autopsy report says Cesar died from blunt force trauma. He had cuts around his eyes, broken ribs, a broken nose, a ruptured liver, wrenched neck and several stab wounds. Cesar was 39 years old.
Michael Goucher
August 9 - National
“The Big Gay Musical”. Paul and Eddie have just begun previews for the new Off-Broadway musical "Adam and Steve Just the Way God Made 'Em." Their lives strangely mirror the characters they are playing. Paul is looking for the perfect man and Eddie is dealing with how his sexuality and faith can mix. After yet another disastrous dating experience, Paul has an epiphany. He is done dating and just wants to be a slut like the sexy chorus boys that share his dressing room. Eddie has to tell his parents that he's gay and is starring in a show that calls the bible the "Breeder's Informational Book of Living Examples". Eddie comes out to his family and Paul goes on Manhunt. Eddie's parents are destroyed by the news and Paul can't even have a good one-night stand. But after musical numbers with scantily clad tap dancing angels, a retelling of Genesis, tele-evangelists, a camp that attempts to turn gay kids straight, and a bunch of showtunes, everyone realizes that life gets better once they accept who they really are. And they are just the way God made 'em.
August 18 - National
Greg Herren a writer and editor, under the pen name Todd Gregory publishes “Rough Trade: Dangerous Gay Erotica”
January 1 – Michigan
In August of 2009, six gentlemen were inducted as the Epsilon class of what was then the Michigan State University colony. With their induction, Delta Lambda Phi returned to Michigan State University.Under the guidance and leadership of our colony mentors, Swen Ervin, Dak Aldrich, and Stephen “Chris” Christanto, the colony grew. The colonists worked hard to establish traditions and recruit new members.
Governor Jim Douglas
November 24 - National
Martin Eden creates a comic titled Spandex featuring an all LGBT team of superheroes and self publishes and distributes issues. A hardcover edition collecting three issues is published by Titan Books.
August 1- National
In X-Factor #45, writer Peter David reveals that Rictor and Shatterstar are gay and they begin a relationship.
July 28 - Delaware
Delaware residents Jose and Guy Weidner-Ahorrio, presenting their Social Security cards and their Massachusetts marriage license as proof of their newly hyphenated surname to the Delaware DMV, had been told that because Delaware does not recognize same-gender marriage, even their Social Security cards were insufficient to change their individual surnames on their licenses to their hyphenated surname: they would have to change their surnames in the Delaware Court of Common Pleas. At a Human Relations Commission hearing the deputy attorney general representing DMV apologized to the men and agreed to: be responsible for all costs involved in the Weidner-Ahorrios' name change and to expedite the process; revise the DMV Web site to clearly reflect that only court- altered names were acceptable; conduct and document training on name change for all staff, who would have to inform applicants on the procedure rather than just summarily rejecting the application; and consider a change of state regulation, accepting Social Security cards or passport identification as valid documentation for a license name change.
April 22 - Colorado
The first case in which a hate-crime law was applied in a murder trial where the victim was transgender, a Greeley jury convicts a man of first-degree murder, finding it a hate-crime under state law.
June 12 - Washington D.C.
The Department of Justice issues a brief defending the constitutionality of DOMA, despite President Barack Obama's campaign promise to fully repeal the Act. The brief is drafted in light of Smelt v. United States of America, which sought to reverse DOMA and Proposition 8 on the grounds of unconstitutionality.
June 6 - National
“Rivers Wash Over Me”. After his mother dies, Sequan, a sensitive teenager from Brooklyn, moves in with relatives living in a small town plagued with secrets hidden deep within its lush, rural Alabama terrain. Sequan finds refuge in a friendship with a troubled girl who astutely hones in on his true sexuality and introduces him to her cute brother.
January 1 – South Dakota
“Equality South Dakota” The mission of Equality South Dakota is to secure and protect the rights and wellbeing of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) South Dakotans and their families through full engagement in the political process.
January 1 – West Virginia
“Fairness West Virginia” Fairness West Virginia (Fairness) is the statewide civil rights advocacy organization dedicated to fair treatment and civil rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender West Virginians. Our mission is to ensure LGBT people can be open, honest and safe at home, at work, and in the community. We are open to everyone who believes in fundamental fairness.
January 1 – Michigan
Two men are arrested in a sting operation in Fenner Nature Center. The arrests were the result of interference from a police commissioner, and Lansing officials released the HIV status of one of the men arrested resulting in the city adopting more stringent Freedom of Information Act policies.
May 26 - California
Richmond rallies against the California Supreme Court decision upholding Proposition 8. VCU and community organizations protest Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli's request to state schools to eliminate nondiscrimination clauses, as well as Governor McDonnell's omission of sexual orientation from an Executive Order banning employment discrimination.
April 27 - National
Former college football captain Brian Sims tells his story to Outsports, launching his advocacy work and political career.
February 18 - Pennsylvania
Two men were arrested in Stroudsburg, PA for the stabbing death of gay veteran Michael Goucher.
May 4 - Washington D.C.
Rev. John H. Thomas, UCC General Minister and President and Episcopal Bishop V. Gene Robinson are among the speakers at the second HRC Clergy Call in Washington, DC. The theme of the event is "Moving to Acceptance to Advocacy," and will focus on advocacy for transgender inclusion in non-discrimination and hate crimes legislation to be considered by this Congress.
November 24 - National
Adam Shankman who sits on the board for The Trevor Projects co-founds the DizzyFeet Foundation with his friend Nigel Lythgoe. This was founded to support, improve, and increase access to dance education in the United States by providing grants to after school dance and arts programs in low income areas. The foundation is the biggest supporter for National Dance Day, hosting various events every July across the United States.
July 8 - National
“Pornography: A Thriller”. A gay porn star's mysterious disappearance becomes an obsession for both a writer and another adult film star, leading them into dark supernatural corners that were never meant to be explored.
July 19 - National
“Eating Out All You Can Eat”. A gay Internet connection is made, but entanglements ensue due to hiding behind the name and photo of a straight male stripper who happens to return to the area.
Patti Hammond Shaw
December 11 - Texas
“A Single Man”. Mourning the loss of his partner Jim, George Falconer, an English professor working in Los Angeles, is finding life increasingly difficult to face. After being ignored by the family of his partner upon his death, George has now decided to end it all by committing suicide. While preparing for his departure, George encounters some of the people he has met during his time in Los Angeles and they notice a change in the man.
October 1 - Nevada
Nevada allows civil partnerships.
January 1 – National
“GenderPAC” was a LGBT rights organization based in Washington, DC working to ensure that classrooms, communities, and workplaces were safe places for every person to learn, grow, and succeed, whether or not they conform to expectations for masculinity or femininity. Obsolete
August 1 - Washington D.C.
Barbara Siperstein becomes the first openly trans* member of the Democratic National Committee.
May 19 - National
Perry Deane Young publishes “Two of the Missing: Remembering Sean Flynn and Dana Stone”. He often and candidly writes about being gay.
August 5 - Washington D.C.
A fully inclusive version of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) was introduced in the Senate by Rep. Barney Frank with bipartisan support. Senator Jeff Merkley (DOregon), joined by Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Edward M. Kennedy (DMassachusetts), which would ban employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
December 29 - National
“Be Mine”. A gay man is about to be married. He thinks back to when he was a kissing virgin, waiting for the right person with whom to have that first kiss.
Decmeber 24 - National
“Oy Vey! My Son Is Gay!”. A romantic comedy featuring a Jewish family who struggles coming to terms with their son's non-Jewish and gay boyfriend. When the gay couple adopts a child and it makes headline news, their families come to defend them and realize how much they love them.
August 11 - Delaware
By means of three official tributes, one from the Governor and Lt. Governor, one from the Senate, and one from the House, Corey and Douglas Marshall-Steele's 15-year same-gender relationship is recognized and commended, as is their work for social justice.
October 22 - Washington D.C.
In October, the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act (formerly the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009) is passed by Congress and signed into law by President Barack Obama. The measure expands the 1969 U.S. Federal Hate Crime Law to
include crimes motivated by a victim’s actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability. It also is the first US federal law to extend legal protections to transgender persons. The law is named for two hate crime victims. On October 7, 1998, Matthew Shepard, a 21-year-old gay college student, was tortured, tied to a fence, and left to die near Laramie, Wyoming, because of his sexual orientation. In Jasper, Texas, on June 8, 1998, James Byrd, Jr., was abducted and beaten by three white men who then tortured him to death by dragging him behind a pickup truck for more than three miles.
Barney Frank
July 10 - National
“Brüno”. Flamboyant and gay Austrian Brüno looks for new fame in America.
June 18 - Washington D.C.
Patti Hammond Shaw, an African-American trans woman, turned herself into a police station in Washington, D.C. after receiving a letter saying there was a warrant for her arrest on charges of making a false police report. Despite producing documents supporting her right to be housed with other women, she was placed in a men's facility. According to her suit, officers “groped her breasts, buttocks and between her legs repeatedly and excessively”. She is now suing Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Marshals service for the treatment she received.
June 1 - Oregon
Sherri Murrell, women’s basketball coach at Portland State University becomes the first publicly out
lesbian coach in NCAA Division 1 basketball.
August 26 - National
“A Siren in the Dark”. Cameron, a Police Officer with psychic abilities, is called upon to interview an accused teen in hopes of finding the whereabouts of the teen's missing gay lover. His investigation immediately spirals into sordid tales of drug abuse, sexual obsessions, and a mysterious man living on a deserted mountain road. This handsome but very deadly "Siren" is a seeker of the lost and lonely, and revels in playing on their addictions. Has the lost lover met his end? Is the accused teen himself even among the living? As the tale unfolds, will Cameron find himself safe from the lure of the deadly and mysterious "Siren in the Dark?"
May 5 - Maine
Ken Seeley is the author of Face It and Fix It. The book is about overcoming the denial that leads to common addictions while bringing guidance to those struggling with addiction. Face It and Fix It has been said to "leave you with a greater sense of self-awareness and the skills you need to both improve your relationships and to live the life you deserve".
June 9 - New Mexico
Kelly (Frederick) Watson was murdered when she was 32 years old.
State equality and discrimination bills
Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover
April 1 - National
The United Church of Christ’s 27th General Synod passes the “Affirming Diversity/MultiCultural Education in the Public Schools” resolution. This resolution urges churches to assist public school efforts to protect children and help them understand people of other races and sexual orientations.
January 1 – National
“Equality Across America” Equality Across America (EAA) is working to build a national network of grassroots activists and organizations fighting in the national movement for federal queer equality and representation.
Tyler Long
June 7 - Puerto Rico
La Luli was murdered when she was 30 years old.
October 28 - Washington D.C.
President Obama signs the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act into law. Judy Shepard is the mother of the late Matthew Shepard and co-founder of the Matthew Shepard Foundation, which advocates for LGBT rights in America. For years, she lobbied for the Hate Crimes Prevention Act to be signed into law.
Jeff Merkley
June 21 - National
“Hollywood, Je t’aime”. A gay Parisian shows up in Hollywood at Christmas time, ready for his close-up.
January 1 – Georgia
“Georgia Safe Schools Coalition (GSSC)” The purpose of the Georgia Safe Schools Coalition (GSSC) is to eliminate LGBTQ oppression in Georgia schools. We educate and advocate on issues affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning students and families.
January 1 – Texas
“Pride Center San Antonio” The mission of Pride Center San Antonio is to serve the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and HIV communities by connecting them and their families to community resources and organizations related to health, wellness, support, education, activities, and advocacy.
August 11 - National
Chris Adrian LGBT PhD writer that received the Guggenheim Fellowship award for his short stories and novels that he has written throughout his career as a doctor. The Guggenheim Fellowship award writers that have demonstrated exception creativity in the arts.
July 29 - National
“House of Boys”. Two young soul mates find each other while working at an all-male performance club/brothel. Eventually, one contracts AIDS.
March 1 - Texas
Three men entered a bar in Galveston, Texas and attacked patrons with rocks. One of the victims, Marc Bosaw, was sent to the emergency room to have twelve staples in his head.
June 30 - National
"Affirming Diversity/Multi-Cultural Education in the Public Schools" resolution passed by the 27th General Synod of the UCC. This resolution urges churches to assist public school efforts to protect children and help them understand people of other races and sexual orientation.
October 28 - Indiana
The National Center for Lesbian Rights and the Women’s Sports Foundation initiative, It Takes A Team! co-sponsor the first United States National Think Tank, Equal Opportunity for Transgender Student-Athletes.
Steven Anderson
June 19 - National
“And Then Came Lola”. A talented, but distracted photographer, Lola, on the verge of success in both love and work, could lose it all if she doesn't make it to a crucial meeting on time. But, as usual, Lola is late. With her job and girlfriend on the line, she has three chances to make it right. In a desperate race through the streets and back rooms of San Francisco, time grows short-will Lola make it? Will she come at all? With a pop sensibility that mixes live action, animation and still photography, And Then Came Lola explores love's age old question in a fresh new way, "If you try, try again, will you finally get it right?"
January 1 – National
“American Foundation for Equal Rights” As the sole sponsor of the federal constitutional challenges to California’s Proposition 8 and Virginia’s discriminatory Marriage Amendment, AFER brought together bipartisan attorneys Theodore B. Olson and David Boies to fight for the fundamental right to marry for gay and lesbian Americans. In 2013, AFER secured a victory at the United States Supreme Court that restored marriage equality to our nation’s most populous state, California. One year later, AFER’s decisive victory at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit brought marriage equality to the first southern state in the nation, Virginia, and set binding precedent for the freedom to marry in North Carolina, South Carolina, and West Virginia.
Pat Steadman
October 1 - California
LGBT activist Amy Andre was appointed as executive director of the San Francisco Pride Celebration Committee, making her San Francisco Pride's first openly bisexual woman of color executive director.
May 17 - National
“Making Gay History” From the Boy Scouts and the U.S. military to marriage and adoption, 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, originally published in 1992. Using the heartfelt stories of more than sixty people, he carries us through the compelling five-decade battle that has changed the fabric of American society. The rich tapestry that emerges from Making Gay History includes the inspiring voices of teenagers and grandparents, journalists and housewives, from the little-known Dr. Evelyn Hooker and Morty Manford to former vice president Al Gore, Ellen DeGeneres, and Abigail Van Buren. Together, these many stories bear witness to a time of astonishing change, as gay and lesbian people have struggled against prejudice and fought for equal rights under the law.
March 23 - Oregon
Two gay men were attacked in Seaside, Oregon and left lying unconscious on a local beach. The men regained consciousness and were treated at a nearby hospital.
April 27 - National
HRC holds a national call-in campaign for supporters to call their congressional representatives to urge quick passage of hate crimes legislation, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009.
August 1- National
"Enjoy" Enjoy is inspired by the ideal of the male physique: perfect curves and anatomically well- shaped muscles are set in aesthetic environments.
March 14 - New Jersey
A gay couple leaving a Britney Spears concert in Newark, New Jersey were attacked by 15 teens. Josh Kehoe and Bobby Daniel Caldwell were called "faggots" and beaten. Caldwell suffered a broken jaw.
Seaman August Provost
Barack Obama with Frank Kameny
April 1 - National
Randall Mann a writer from Provo Utah publishes “Breakfast with Thom Gunn”
April 4 - Iowa
In Iowa, the Iowa Supreme Court rules that same-sex couples should be permitted to marry in the state, making Iowa the third state to take this action. In Vermont, the state legislature overrides Governor Jim Douglas’s veto of legislation that legalizes same-sex marriage, with the first such marriages taking place in September.
November 20 - New York
Jason Mattison Jr., an openly gay 15-year-old boy, was violently murdered and raped at his aunt's house by 35-year-old Dante Parrish, a family friend who had been in prison for murder previously. Parrish was convicted for Mattison's murder and in April 2012 was sentenced to life without parole
(the conviction included a second life term for attempted sexual assault).
March 26 - National
Training Rules, a documentary is released about long-time women’s basketball coach Rene Portland’s “no drugs, no alcohol, no lesbians” policy at Penn State.
November 14 - Puerto Rico
Jorge Steven Lopez Mercado was found on the site of an isolated road in the city of Cayey, he was partially burned, decapitated, and dismembered, both arms, both legs, and the torso. Jorge was 19 years old.
May 30 - National
“The War Boys”. Three young vigilantes huddle on la linea ready to chase illegals back across the border into Mexico... but they soon learn that there are borderlines deep within each one of them that each of them has to cross.
April 6 - Washington D.C.
HRC launches http://www.fighthatenow.org/ to counter lies and distortions about federal hate crimes legislation. Stop the Hate provides supporters with the tools to directly contact their members of Congress to urge them to support the legislation.
April 6 - Massachusetts
Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover, an 11-year-old child in Springfield, Massachusetts, hanged himself with an extension cord after being bullied all school year by peers who said "he acted feminine" and was gay. He was found by his mother.
October 17 - National
Tyler Long, age 17, was a gay student with Asperger syndrome. Because of his sexuality and disability, students would steal from him, spit in his cafeteria food, and call him names like "gay" and "faggot". When his mother Tina Long went to the school to complain about the bullying, the school responded to them saying that "boys will be boys" or "he just took it the wrong way." He strapped a belt around his neck and hanged himself from the top shelf of his bedroom closet. The story of his suicide was later told in the 2011 documentary Bully.
Jimmy McCollough
October 13 - National
“Guyland” One of the most eminent scholars and writers on men and masculinity and the author of the critically acclaimed Manhood in America turns his attention to the culture of guys, aged 16 to 26: their attitudes, their relationships, their rules, and their rituals.
February 13 - National
In the first same-sex legal wedding ever televised on American daytime TV, ABC's All My Children airs the lesbian nuptials of Bianca Montgomery and Reese Williams. The characters also break ground by the level of physical intimacy between them on camera, something never seen before on American daytime television.
August 3 - National
David Drake produces a production of James Edwin Parker's “2 Boys in a Bed on a Cold Winter's Night” played to sold-out houses and rave reviews as part of the Dublin Gay Theatre Festival.
June 30 - California
Seaman August Provost was found shot to death and his body burned at his guard post on Camp Pendleton. LGBT community leaders "citing military sources initially said that Provost’s death was a hate crime." Provost had been harassed because of his sexual orientation. Military leaders have since explained that "whatever the investigation concludes, the military’s “Don't ask, don't tell” policy prevented Provost from seeking help." Family and friends believe he was murdered because he was openly gay (or bisexual according to some family and sources); the killer committed suicide a week later after admitting the murder, the Navy have not concluded if this was a hate crime.
January 1 – Nevada
“Our Center” We work to establish and maintain a safe, empowering, and supportive center in Northern Nevada that addresses advocacy, education and services. We will Build, Connect, and Strengthen the LGBT community to celebrate diversity and sustain a thriving, community-based organization for the empowerment and support of LGBT people and our allies in Northern Nevada.
July 16 - Washington D.C.
Senate cloture motion on the hate crimes bill passes by a 63-28 vote. The bill is added to the Defense Department Authorization bill.
September 1 - National
Greg Herren a writer and editor, under the pen name Todd Gregory publishes “Midnight Hunger: Erotic Tales of the Vampire”
October 25 - Maryland
Dee Green, a trans woman, was found by police unconscious, stabbed in the heart, and bleeding on a street in Baltimore, Maryland. She was taken to a hospital where she died half an hour later. Larry Douglas was charged with first-degree murder in April 2010
Jorge Steven Lopez Mercado
November 1 - Washington State & Colorado
Limited partnership laws passed in Colorado and Washington
July 1 - Pennsylvania
Christopher Jermaine Scott was shot multiple times in the face and torso. He was clad in a blond wig and pink clothing. He was 36 years old.
December 2 - Washington D.C.
The District of Columbia allows same-sex marriage.
January 6 - Washington D.C.
Members of Congress raised their right hand and swore to uphold the Constitution as they began the new legislative session of the 111th Congress of the U.S.
ENDA is the Employment Non-Discrimination Act that protects all lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. Make sure one of the first things they hear about is the importance of an Employment Non-Discrimination Act that includes sexual orientation and gender identity and
expression.
United States LGBT History for 2009
July 8 - Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts sued the US government over the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which was enacted in 1996.
October 25 - National
In the middle of the spring semester in 2009, Vincent Foster began to research his options for which fraternity to rush in the fall. Foster had been looking at various fraternities but remained weary because of the reaction the brothers of those chapters would have to his sexual orientation. Vincent was openly gay and had reservations about hiding this for the sake of going Greek, so a friend of his suggested he just start a fraternity for homosexual men. With his interests piqued, Vincent conducted extensive research late into the night. Finally, he decided not to start his own fraternity, but to bring a previously established and nationally recognized fraternity to the University of Miami and that fraternity was Delta Lambda Phi.
Susan Collins
January 17 - California
Caprice Curry, a 31-year-old trans woman in San Francisco, California, was stabbed to death.
August 16 - Arizona
Pastor Steven L. Anderson preaches a sermon entitled “I Hate Barack Obama” in which he talks
about his praying for the president to die. He also calls for the U.S. Government to execute all homosexuals.
November 30 - National
“Cruising Utopia” The LGBT agenda for too long has been dominated by pragmatic issues like same-sex marriage and gays in the military. It has been stifled by this myopic focus on the present, which is short-sighted and assimilationist.
Cruising Utopia seeks to break the present stagnancy by cruising ahead. Drawing on the work of Ernst Bloch, José Esteban Muñoz recalls the queer past for guidance in presaging its future. He considers the work of seminal artists and writers such as Andy Warhol, LeRoi Jones, Frank O'Hara, Ray Johnson, Fred Herko, Samuel Delany, and Elizabeth Bishop, alongside contemporary performance and visual artists like Dynasty Handbag, My Barbarian, Luke Dowd, Tony Just, and Kevin McCarty in order to decipher the anticipatory illumination of art and its uncanny ability to open windows to the future. In a startling repudiation of what the LGBT movement has held dear, Muñoz contends that queerness is instead a futurity bound phenomenon, a "not yet here" that critically engages pragmatic presentism. Part manifesto, part love-letter to the past and the future, Cruising Utopia argues that the here and now are not enough and issues an urgent call for the revivification of the queer political imagination.
April 29 - Washington D.C.
U.S. House of Representatives voted to extend federal law to classify as "hate crimes" attacks based on a victim's sexual orientation or gender identity (as well as mental or physical disability).
January 1 – National
David M. Halperin a theorist and historian publish “Gay Shame”
August 26 - Washington D.C.
Tyli’a Mack also known as NaNa Boo murder remains unsolved because it occurred in broad daylight in a busy section of the city’s Shaw neighborhood where many people were on nearby streets and sidewalks. She was 21 years old.
September 1 - Vermont
Vermont allow same-sex marriage.
June 9 - National
Chris Glaser a writer publishes “As My Own Soul: The Blessing of Same-Gender Marriage”
July 23 - Washington D.C.
The Senate passes the Defense Department Authorization bill, on which the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act is attached as an amendment. The bill goes to a conference committee to work out differences between the House and Senate versions of the legislation.
May 6 - Maine
The governor of Maine legalized same-sex marriage; however, citizens voted to overturn that law when they went to the polls in November, and Maine became the 31st state to ban the practice.
December 21 - Florida
Norm Kent started publishing “South Florida Gay News”
January 1 – National
“StartOut” StartOut connects and educates LGBTQ entrepreneurs to empower great leaders and businesses. Our goal is to create jobs and prosperity for LGBTQ individuals and for the local communities in which they do business, and to be recognized and respected for our contributions.
August 5 - Michigan
Charles Pugh becomes the first openly gay elected official in Detroit, winning the presidency of the city council after finishing first in a crowded field.
May 19 - National
Neil S. Plakcy publishes “Gaylife.com” and starts his writing in the genre of romance novels. He also starts writing his “Have Body, Will Guard Adventure Romance Series” He also begins a series of anthologies of short stories including “Surfer Boys”, “Skater Boys”, “Active Duty”, and other collections.
December 4 - California
Women’s basketball coach Lori Sulpizio, who is lesbian, wins a lawsuit against Mesa Community College for being fired without just cause.
June 1 - Delaware
The best year and legislative session to date in Delaware history, in terms of gay-supportive legislation. After over 11 years of trying, sexual orientation antidiscrimination legislation, S.B. 121, is finally passed and by large margins in both chambers. A hospital visitation bill, H.B. 112, allowing hospitalized patients to choose who may visit them (including their same-gender significant others) is passed overwhelmingly in both chambers. S.B. 84, de facto parent legislation, is also passed overwhelmingly in both Senate and House: it solidifies the adoption and parenting rights of gay and other second parents. S.B. 27, Sen. Robert Venables' attempt to change the Delaware Charter to ban same-gender marriage, fails by a large margin. H.B. 10, requiring same-gender domestic partner benefits for state employees, is the only unsuccessful legislation, being tabled by its sponsors in light of Delaware's huge economic deficit.
May 19 - National
Fox debuts Glee, an American musical comedy-drama, which focuses on a high school glee club. Over the course of the show, the glee club members deal with social issues, their relationships and sexuality. The show is a commercial success for Fox and wins several awards.
July 17 - National
“Fruit Fly”. Filipina performance artist Bethesda moves into an art commune to search for her long missing biological mother. Along the way, she comes to realize that she just might be a fairy princess, fag hag, fruit fly.
May 17 - National
“For the Thrill of It” It was a crime that shocked the nation: the brutal murder in Chicago in 1924 of a child by two wealthy college students who killed solely for the thrill of the experience. Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb were intellectuals—too smart, they believed, for the police to catch them. When they were apprehended, state's attorney Robert Crowe was certain that no defense could save the ruthless killers from the gallows. But the families of the confessed murderers hired Clarence Darrow, entrusting the lives of their sons to the most famous lawyer in America in what would be one of the most sensational criminal trials in the history of American justice. Set against the backdrop of the 1920s—a time of prosperity, self-indulgence, and hedonistic excess in a lawless city on the brink of anarchy—For the Thrill of It draws the reader into a world of speakeasies and flappers, of gangsters and gin parties, with a spellbinding narrative of Jazz Age murder and mystery.
March 3 - Washington D.C.
Representative Ellen Tauscher (D-CA) introduced HR 1283, or the Military Readiness Enhancement Act (MREA).
January 1 – North Carolina
“Youth OUTright” Youth OUTright empowers lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning youth to be confident and vital members of our community in which youth of all gender and sexual identities can live in safe and inclusive environments. We believe that no youth – regardless of their sexual identity, gender expression or gender identification – should be bullied, harassed or discriminated against because of who they are or are perceived to be.
January 1 – South Carolina
“South Carolina Black Pride” The mission of the South Carolina Black Pride (SCBP), is to unify and celebrate the diversity, creativity, and beauty of South Carolina’s LGBTQ communities of color and our supporters, in order to empower and promote the human rights of all families and communities.
Simone Bell
June 24 - National
“Redwoods”. An unfulfilled gay man in a stagnant relationship finds his life changed forever when he meets a struggling writer visiting the Redwoods Country.
August 1- National
“Out in The Country” From Wal-Mart drag parties to renegade Homemaker’s Clubs, Out in the Country offers an unprecedented contemporary account of the lives of today’s rural queer youth. Mary L. Gray maps out the experiences of young people living in small towns across rural Kentucky and along its desolate Appalachian borders, providing a fascinating and often surprising look at the contours of gay life beyond the big city. Gray illustrates that, against a backdrop of an increasingly impoverished and privatized rural America, LGBT youth and their allies visibly—and often vibrantly—work the boundaries of the public spaces available to them, whether in their high schools, public libraries, town hall meetings, churches, or through websites. This important book shows that, in addition to the spaces of Main Street, rural LGBT youth explore and carve out online spaces to fashion their emerging queer identities. Their triumphs and travails defy clear distinctions often drawn between online and offline experiences of identity, fundamentally redefining our understanding of the term ‘queer visibility’ and its political stakes. Gray combines ethnographic insight with incisive cultural critique, engaging with some of the biggest issues facing both queer studies and media scholarship. Out in the Country is a timely and groundbreaking study of sexuality and gender, new media, youth culture, and the meaning of identity and social movements in a digital age.
January 1 – Minnesota
Charles Nolte an actor and director donated his life’s work which included personal papers, journals, manuscripts, personal photographs, lecture notes, playbills, and films, to the “Jean-Nickolaus Tretter Collection in Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Studies” at the University of Minnesota. Charles died the following year and was survived by his partner Terry Kilburn of 50 years.
July 18 - National
“Just Say Love”. After what is supposed to be a no-strings hook up, two men discuss their dreams, what ideal happiness might be like, and maybe a future together.
June 17 - Washington D.C.
NCLR’s Legal Director Shannon Minter testifies in the first-ever congressional hearing on gender identity discrimination
August 26 - Washington D.C.
Paulina Ibarra was found dead inside her apartment, she had been stabbed to death. Paulina was 24 years old.
April 20 - National
“Fagbug”. On the 11th Annual National Day of Silence, Erin Davies was victim to a hate crime in Albany, New York. Because of sporting a rainbow sticker on her VW Beetle, Erin's car was vandalized, left with the words "fag" and "u r gay" placed on the driver's side window and hood of her car. Despite initial shock and embarrassment, Erin decided to embrace what happened by leaving the graffiti on her car. She took her car, now known worldwide as the "fagbug," on a 58-day trip around the United States and Canada. Along the way, Erin discovered other, more serious hate crimes, had people attempt to remove the graffiti, and experimented with having a male drive her car. After driving the fagbug for one year, Erin decided to give her car a makeover.
February 1 - California
The General Synod of the United Church of Christ joins an Amicus Curiae (friend of the court) brief with the California-Nevada Conferences, the California Council of Churches, and others in support of the petitioners claiming that California’s Proposition 8 should be ruled invalid.
May 11 - National
William J. Mann publishes “Object of Desire”
October 30 - National
“In The Closet”. In the Year 2045, some of us will still be alive. Lamont A. Maxwell, an old Conservative Politician will make an extraordinary journey through the Alpha and the Omega of his life. From his legislation, he will change America's mind regarding reparations, but his youngest son, Jonathan, has another idea. In The Closet examines the life of a boy who grew up in the struggle of racism and hatred and the affects it had on him. In 1988, a young Lamont Maxwell watched three men and the local sheriff kill his parents. His innocence slowly becomes corrupted with sin and resentment as he becomes an adult. His struggles with his corruption become unbearable when he is called to be pastor of his church. Stuck in sin, Lamont leaves his wife, Florence, and two boys to pursue his political career and a romantic relationship with his office assistant. If elected Lt. Governor his life will change dramatically. His decision to turn his back on God and divorce his faithful wife leads to Florence's destruction. His two sons, Jonathan and Luke emerge from this twisted life corrupted with evil to govern the Black Foundation. The Black Foundation is a movement in the United States, which suggests that the Government apologize to slave descendants for their hardships, and bestow on them reparations, whether it be in the form of money, land, or other goods. In the year 2045, the Black Foundation is a new movement to secure reparations for African Americans. They demand a clear apology for the slavery from the former slave-trading countries and the United States of America. By any means necessary.. "..Or Holy Hell will break loose.." It isn't late before Luke, the oldest son, discovers the power and guidance of Christ and not only tries to save himself but his brother and father as well. We all know Christ will prevail, but will it be too late for the Maxwell Family?
June 20 - National
“The Butch Factor”. A multicultural examination of modern gay male society and how masculinity is expected, defined, accepted, and expanded.
June 24 - National
Batwoman, by Greg Rucka and J H Williams III, takes over the feature slot in Detective Comics #854 through #863.
November 1 - National
Steve Balderson is a film director that produced “Pep Squad” which predicted school violence in the United States. It was originally released in the 90’s but after school violence start to rise in the 2000’s the right were sold and distribution started.
June 9 - National
“The Boy with the Sun in His Eyes”. A funeral rockets John into the orbit of the flamboyant Solange, a B-movie actress best known in Europe for her roles in '80s Italian horror movies. As John follows her into heady whirlwind romances with cute French pop stars and deadly (but hot!) Milanese model managers, he begins to realize that Solange's world is far more complex and dangerous than he could possibly have imagined.
January 1 – National
Alec Mapa is the host of “The Gossip Queens”
Rip Taylor
February 15 - New York
Efosa Agbontaen and Branden McGillvery-Dummett were attacked in New York City by four young men with glass bottles and box cutters who used anti-gay slurs during the attack. Agbontaen and McGillvery-Dummett both required emergency room treatment for their injuries.
August 1- New York
Alex Dimitrov founds “Wilde Boys” as a gay poetry reading group.
June 1 - National
Secretary Tom Vilsack signed USDA Regulation 4230-002 creating a Special Emphasis Program (SEP) for LGBT employees. The LGBT SEP is managed by more than a 100 LGBT Special Emphasis Program Managers at every level of USDA. Seventeen national managers represent each agency/mission area, with other managers serving at regional, state, and other jurisdictional levels.
The Secretary’s Advisory Council on Sexual Orientation was established: Gay, Lesbian Employees Advisory Council (GLEAC). The group advised USDA leadership on issues affecting LGBT employees, assisted in the implementation of Departmental polices, and developed/delivered training addressing sexual orientation and gender identity non-discrimination. GLEAC acted in this capacity for nearly a decade.
April 7 - Vermont
The Vermont Legislature votes to override Gov. Jim Douglas's veto of a bill allowing gays and
lesbians to marry, legalizing same-sex marriage.
January 1 – Kentucky
“LGBTQ Nation” LGBTQ Nation is an online news magazine, reporting on issues relevant to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer community.
June 1 - Washington D.C.
A 1996 Pentagon document surfaces that places homosexuality as a mental disorder alongside mental retardation, impulse control disorders, and personality disorders. Under recommendation by the American Psychiatric Association and a handful of lawmakers, the Pentagon removes the language, stating ""Homosexuality should not have been characterized as a mental disorder in an appendix of a procedural instruction." The reversal has no impact on U.S. policy prohibiting openly gay people from serving in the military.
January 24 - National
“Prayers for Bobby”. True story of Mary Griffith, gay rights crusader, whose teenage son committed suicide due to her religious intolerance. Based on the book of the same title by Leroy Aarons.
January 1 – Massachusetts
“National LGBT Health Education Center” The National LGBT Health Education Center provides educational programs, resources, and consultation to health care organizations with the goal of optimizing quality, cost-effective health care for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people.
July 26 - Louisiana
Beyonce (Eric) Lee was a drag performer who dressed and performed as the famous singer Beyonce. Eric was found in his apartment where he had been stabbed to death. Eric was 21 years old.
August 5 - National
“Out in the Silence”. The announcement of filmmaker Joe Wilson's wedding to another man ignites a firestorm of controversy in his small hometown and a plea for help from the mother of a gay teen being tormented at school.
February 10 - Delaware
The City of Newark's personnel policy is amended to prohibit discrimination based on gender identity and expression.
May 1 - National
Dale Peck publishes “Sprouts”
June 3 - Washington D.C.
NCLR’s Legal Director Shannon Minter testifies in the first-ever congressional hearing on gender identity discrimination
Tyli'a Mack
November 30 - National
“Like A Moth To A Flame”. An anthology film featuring three stories of closeted men and how their sexual obsessions lead to violence.
August 21 - National
The Minneapolis Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America passes four ministry policy resolutions that permit clergy in committed homosexual partnerships to be rostered leaders within the ELCA.
February 17 - National
The Religious Institute begins working to collect as many signatories as possible to demonstrate strong support from religious leaders for comprehensive sexuality education in order to support equal rights. “Open Letter to Religious Leaders About Sex Education”
June 1 - Washington D.C.
President Obama declares June Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month
March 1 - National
“Aaron... Albeit a Sex Hero”. What starts as a miserable day in a dead-end job turns into a fight for survival as Aaron. Albeit the odds are against him, Aaron rises to the challenge to conquer his fears and vanquish his enemies.
July 11 - National
“Wrecked”. An edgy drama about a gay teen's tumultuous decent into drugs and anonymous sex, Wrecked smashes cinematic taboos while it spins its cautionary tale. Ryan is an earnest 18-year-old trying to develop a career as an actor and getting his life on the right track. This course is quickly threatened with the sudden arrival of his sort-of ex, Daniel, who arrives at Ryan's door wanting a place to stay and offering the promise of a normal, loving relationship. But Daniel's drug addiction and attitude towards casual sex derail any hope for normalcy and soon ensnares Ryan in his own downward spiral. Handheld cameras, a hot young cast and a boldly upfront approach to sex combine to make Wrecked a unique film experience.
March 31 - National
Rory O'Malley established the activism group “Broadway Impact” with Gavin Creel and Jenny Kanelos. Broadway Impact has held rallies for equality in New York City, made thousands of calls, and organized 25 buses to Washington, D.C. so that 1,400 people could attend the National Equality March for free.
April 1 - National
"Watermark" His eye for masterful compositions and lighting leads collectors and critics to drawing strong comparisons to Robert Mapplethorpe.
May 20 - Washington D.C.
President Obama meets with Judy Shepard and reiterates his commitment to ensuring that the Senate finalize the hate crimes bill.
December 12 - Texas
Victory Fund endorsed candidate Annise Parker is elected mayor of Houston, becoming the first openly LGBTQ person elected mayor of a major U.S. city.
January 7 - National
“I Love You Phillip Morris”. A cop turns con man once he comes out of the closet. Once imprisoned, he meets the second love of his life, whom he'll stop at nothing to be with.
June 14 - Ohio
Rally at Burnet Woods, parade to Northside, festival (2 days) at Hoffner Park (Greater Cincinnati Gay & Lesbian Community Center - organizer)
September 9 - National
David Pevsner was cast in the theater production “F**cking Men”
November 27 - California
Mike Penner, 52, died by suicide.
December 29 - Indiana
Professor Don Belton an openly gay novelist was found murdered “for a sexual assault” in Michael Griffin.
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