November 17 – National
“Transsexualism and Transgenderism” Written by a biopsychologist, this book describes and explains transsexualism and transgenderism (TSTG) from a scientific vantage point.
President Barack Obama
January 1 – Colorado
“Colorado LGBT Bar Association” The Colorado Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender (“GLBT”) Bar Association is a voluntary professional association of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender attorneys, judges, paralegals and law students and allies who provide a GLBT presence within Colorado’s legal community.
September 1 – National
Stephen Snyder-Hill is an American soldier, author, lecturer and LGBT rights activist who served under the United States Army's Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy and fought against the Defense of Marriage Act in collaboration with Freedom to Marry and the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network. He published “Soldier of Change: From the Closet to the Forefront of the Gay Rights Movement”
May 14 – National
“Appropriate Behavior” Shirin is struggling to become an ideal Persian daughter, politically correct bisexual and hip young Brooklynite but fails miserably in her attempt at all identities. Being without a cliché to hold onto can be a lonely experience.
January 1 – Pennsylvania
“Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center” The Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center Organization’s mission is to foster strength & vitality in the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender (GLBT) Community by providing news, information, advocacy, presentations, programs, events & other services.
Mark Herring
Virginia Attorney General
June 12 – California
Zoraida Reyes, 28, was found dead in a parking lot in Anaheim. Police said the circumstances of her death were suspicious and could not immediately say whether her death was a homicide. Reyes was well-known in the community as an immigration activist, having immigrated herself from Mexico.
Aniya Parker
August 29 - National
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Recognizes Married Same-Sex Couples
Elisha Walker
October 9 – National
“Vampires Lucas Rising” The on going Vampire saga that started with Vampires: Brighter in Darkness, Vampires: Lucas Rising tells the tale of the immortals Lucas Delmore and Toby Brighter and their fight to defend their Love and Mankind.
February 14 – National
“Date and Switch” Two guys who make a pact to lose their virginity before prom find their friendship tested when one of them comes out of the closet.
Brian Boitano
January 1 – National
"Jungle Fever" David Vance has enjoyed a successful career photographing advertising and editorial assignments for more than forty years. His work has been published in Cosmopolitan, Entertainment Weekly, Interview, Health, Rolling Stone, Tennis, Uomo, and Harper's Bazaar, Italia. Among his clients are Revlon, Rolex, Sony, Atlantic, and Arista records. Nine books of his work have been published
February 7 – National
Brian Boitano was named to the United States delegation to the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. In conjunction with that appointment, Boitano publicly came out as gay. The Sochi games and Russia have been the targets of criticism and LGBT activism because of a Russian anti-gay "propaganda" law passed in June 2013.
October 23 – National
“The Passion of Christ: A Gay Vision” Meet Jesus as a gay man of today in a contemporary city with The Passion of Christ: A Gay Vision. In stunning new images, the modern Christ figure is jeered by fundamentalists, tortured by Marine look-alikes, and rises again to enjoy homoerotic moments with God. His surprisingly diverse friends join him on a journey from suffering to freedom. Readers call it "accessible but profound." Some are moved to tears. The 24 paintings in the gay Passion cover Jesus' final days, including his arrest, trial, crucifixion, and resurrection. A queer Passion is important now because Christianity is being used to justify hate and discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. Each image is accompanied by insightful commentary, plus a short prayer and scripture. If Jesus came back today, would he be crucified all over again? Would we even recognize him? See for yourself in the gay vision of the Passion.
May 13 – Idaho
U.S. Magistrate Candy Dale strikes down Idaho's same-sex marriage ban, but the ruling is put on hold.
October 15 – National
“Gender” A lively exploration of current questions of gender and their application to students today. Wade and Ferree’s first edition textbook is a lively introduction to the sociology of gender. Probing questions, the same ones that students often bring to the course, frame readable chapters that are packed with the most up-to-date scholarship available―in language students will understand. The authors use memorable examples mined from pop culture, history, psychology, biology, and everyday life to truly engage students in the study of gender and spark interest in sociological perspectives.
April 1 – National
“Two Spirit Acts” In this collection of short but powerful two-spirit plays, characters dispel conventional notions of gender and sexuality while celebrating Indigenous understandings. With a refreshing spin, the plays in Two Spirit Acts touch on topics of desire, identity, and community as they humorously tackle the colonial misunderstandings of Indigenous people. From a female trickster story centered on erotic lesbian tales to the farcical story about a new nation of Indigenous people called the Nation of Mischief, this collection creates a space to explore what it means to be queer and Indigenous.
June 26 - Oregon
Rob Nosse, an openly gay man who has been a strong advocate for LGBGQ equality, is appointed to the Oregon House to fill a vacant seat. He also wins the Democratic nomination for that seat in the May primary, and he is very likely to win the November general election to retain that position.
February 11 – National
"Beyond Magenta" Author and photographer Susan Kuklin met and interviewed six transgender or gender-neutral young adults and used her considerable skills to represent them thoughtfully and respectfully before, during, and after their personal acknowledgment of gender preference. Portraits, family photographs, and candid images grace the pages, augmenting the emotional and physical journey each youth has taken. Each honest discussion and disclosure, whether joyful or heartbreaking, is completely different from the other because of family dynamics, living situations, gender, and the transition these teens make in recognition of their true selves.
June 16 – National
USDA’s Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights began a series of LGBT Rural Summits. The summits, which have been held across the country, are a collaboration with the National Center for Lesbian Rights and The True Colors Fund. The goal is to engage with LGBT rural communities and share information relating to policies, programs, and services that exist to protect, promote and strengthen LGBT rural communities. Issues ranging from rural housing loans, community facility grants and bullying are discussed. Each series includes a strong presence from local nonprofit organizations, sharing USDA's dedication to serving LGBT rural America.
January 1 – Nevada
“Northern Nevada Pride” Our long-term vision is to build a thriving, community-based organization to support the LGBTQA community in Northern Nevada. We dream of creating a safe and supportive space and environment where people of all ages and backgrounds can come together under one roof for cultural, educational, health, social, and wellness programs.
May 19 - Oregon
U.S. District Judge Michael McShane strikes down Oregon's same-sex marriage ban, and the state does not appeal. Oregon Becomes 18th State to Legalize Gay Marriage.
July 10 – National
“Boulevard” A married man's (Robin Williams) long-suppressed sexual identity slowly emerges when picks up a male hooker (Roberto Aguire) and pays him for companionship rather than sex.
January 1 – National
“Angels with Tethered Wings” Angels with Tethered Wings is an unusual, quirky and erotic three- part drama - a back-from-the-grave revenge flick about hope and forgiveness! The film follows what happens when a good man does a bad thing for a good reason. He tries to right a wrong by freeing two young lovers but instead forever entraps them to their mortal coils. In the end their collective love for each other will give an almost perfect stranger the wings to fly.
January 6 – Utah
The Supreme Court blocked same-sex marriages in Utah while state officials appeal a decision allowing such unions. The terse order, from the full court, issued a stay 'pending final disposition' of an appeal to the federal appeals court in Denver. It offered no reasoning.
November 6 – National
6th Circuit Court of Appeals Upholds Gay Marriage Bans
Gizzy Fowler
June 26 – Ohio
Tiffany Edwards, a 28-year-old transgender woman, was found shot to death and left on a street in the Walnut Hill neighborhood of Cincinnati. At the time, the Buckeye Region Anti-Violence Organization (BRAVO) said in a statement Edwards was targeted because of her gender identity and that her death was hate motivated. She was 28 years old.
June 28 – National
“Boy Meets Girl” Boy Meets Girl is a funny, tender, sex positive romantic comedy that explores what it means to be a real man or woman, and how important it is to live a courageous life not letting fear stand in the way of going after your dreams.
February 7 – National
“Love is Strange” After Ben and George get married, George is fired from his teaching post, forcing them to stay with friends separately while they sell their place and look for cheaper housing -- a situation that weighs heavily on all involved.
December 26 - National
“Arresting Dress” In 1863, San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors passed a law that criminalized appearing in public in “a dress not belonging to his or her sex.” Adopted as part of a broader anti- indecency campaign, the cross-dressing law became a flexible tool for policing multiple gender transgressions, facilitating over one hundred arrests before the century’s end. Over forty U.S. cities passed similar laws during this time, yet little is known about their emergence, operations, or effects. Grounded in a wealth of archival material, Arresting Dress traces the career of anti-cross- dressing laws from municipal courtrooms and codebooks to newspaper scandals, vaudevillian theater, freak-show performances, and commercial “slumming tours.” It shows that the law did not simply police normative gender but actively produced it by creating new definitions of gender normality and abnormality. It also tells the story of the tenacity of those who defied the law, spoke out when sentenced, and articulated different gender possibilities.
May 1 – National
“Hollywood Gomorrah” Skip E. Lowe's memoirs of growing up in Hollywood, traveling all over the world as an entertainer and hobnobbing with the rich and famous. Sexual romps and heartbreaking adventures, this is a memorable, sexy, and poignant look at the lives of the stars when the camera is turned off. Follow the remarkable adventures of Skip E. Lowe through the glory of early Hollywood, New York, Europe, multiple wars, decades of globe-trotting, and non-stop sexual adventures. Artist salons with Paul Bowles, Truman Capote, and Tennessee Williams... buying produce for Marlon Brando, showering with James Dean, crashing with Barbara Hutton in Tangiers, cooking for Troy Donahue- here is a funny, poignant, and sexy look at the real people behind the celebrity names- from someone who partied, sheltered, and jumped in bed with the best of them. At times outrageously shocking, at times painfully touching, this a memorable read if you have ever wondered about the lives of the Hollywood stars.
December 3 - California
Ronin Shimizu, 12, died by suicide.
January 1 – Ohio
“Out Support” Our mission is to promote the health and well-being of LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning) persons and their family and friends through support, education and advocacy.
October 6 – National
One hundred and seven Victory Fund endorsed candidates win their races, including David Cicilline, who becomes the seventh openly LGBTQ American elected to Congress. In the South, endorsed candidate Jim Gray is elected mayor of Lexington, Kentucky, and Nickie Antonio becomes the first openly LGBTQ person elected to the Ohio state legislature. Victory Fund endorsed candidate Victoria Kolakowski also becomes the first openly transgender candidate elected to a judicial seat in the U.S. David Cicilline with Victory Fund Executive Director Chuck Wolfe as he receives confirmation he’s won the primary.
April 10 – National
The Family Foundation asks that others join them for “40 Days of Prayer, Fasting and Repentance for Marriage” from August 27 until October 5, 2014. They blame “Pagan philosophies, a secular humanist education establishment and an entertainment industry that is absolutely determined in pushing the envelope on decency and morality...”
July 1 – Georgia
A series of videos were posted on Vine showing a violent altercation outside of the Stratosphere Skateboard store in Atlanta. In the days after being posted, the videos were widely shared on Twitter with many saying the victim of the attack was a transgender woman. One of the videos shows a man throwing the victim to the ground and stomping on their head.
March 14 - Tennessee
U.S; District Judge Aleta Trauger says Tennessee must recognize three same-sex marriages from other states.
January 1 – Florida
Delta Lambda Phi is multicultural and diverse international social fraternity. We are an inclusive organization that prides itself of on acceptance of values and ideals. Our motto is “Make Your Presence Known” and brothers of Delta Lambda Phi do just that. We strive for social equality and making our presence known wherever we go.
Gentlemen of Delta Lambda Phi are legacy builders. We strive for greatness and never settle for less. Whether it’s in academics, campus activities or community involvement, brothers of Delta Lambda Phi pave the way and give everything they have…and then some. If you’re looking for a brotherhood experience like none other and men to hold you up and help you obtain your best, Delta Lambda Phi is the place for you.
December 20 – Utah
U.S. District Judge Robert Shelby strikes down Utah's gay marriage ban; more than 1,000 same- sex couples marry over the next two weeks. With Utah appealing, the Supreme Court on Jan. 6 stops further marriages from taking place.
July 26 - Louisiana
An African-American transgender woman was robbed and beaten in the Mid-City neighborhood of New Orleans. Authorities said the victim was robbed of her purse and beaten by three men and that she was targeted because of her gender identity.
Billy Gilman
June 30 – Delaware
There was a total of 2,092 same-sex marriages in Delaware's first year of marriage equality.
January 1 – Arizona
“Phoenix Pride LGBT Center” As a thriving community center, our primary focus is to effectively service, be a resource for, and to educate our LGBTQ community. The Center has a variety of services, resources and programs that are open to all. We offer support groups, wellness services, education, health, resource materials and more. Our programs and services are facilitated by experts, enthusiasts and volunteers alike.
August 16 - Pennsylvania
17 year old, Riley Moscatel a transgender youth throws himself in front of an Amtrak train.
August 1 - Oregon
Byron Beck is a blogger and activist in Portland. He filed suit in Oregon to challenge the ban on gay marriage. When the ban was lifted he made a tweet on prime time news that said “"Just asked Juan Martinez to marry me in front of Jamie Wilson & FOX12 cameras. JUAN SAID YES! #bigday".
February 12 – Kentucky
U.S. District Judge John Heyburn says Kentucky must recognize marriages of gay couples performed in other states.
February 27 – National
"Gayma Sutra" In, over and out? Not with the Gayma Sutra! This richly illustrated guide book will help spice up your sex life. More variety means more fun, and the variations are just about endless. Axel Neustaedter has tested all the ways to play and found the ones to give you all the pleasure you've always wanted. He answers crucial questions about the most exciting sport there is: How to practice for the longest and most intense sex? What are the best positions for masturbation? How can two bottoms have an over-the top experience together? And what toys can help make it even better? After reading this book, sex will never be boring again!
August 15 - Utah
U.S. Supreme declines review of NCLR Utah marriage case, resulting in marriages beginning in the state within days of decision.
June 25 - Utah
U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit upholds the ruling against Utah's gay marriage ban, but the ruling is blocked pending an appeal to the Supreme Court.
November 18 – National
"The Gay Gospel" What do gay 20somethings know when they set foot into the real world for the first time? Basically nothing! Meeting boys. Dating guys. Going to clubs. Drinking. Drugs. Sex. Love. Respect. Being yourself. These are only a few of the many trials every gay 20something has to tackle during this exciting yet life-defining decade. As you trek through this turbulent time, you will encounter many things for the first time. You will feel things you haven’t felt before. You’ll find yourself in situations where you don’t know right from up and left from down. You will make a ton of mistakes. You will have regrets and anxiety. You will mess up over and over again. Fear not! You now have a survival guide to help you through the tumultuous 20somethings. The Gay Gospel was created just for you and is packed full of the kind of advice that you need. From how to handle your alcohol and how to hook-up, to advice on breaking up and when to move in with a guy, this book covers many of the curveballs the 20somethings will throw at you which have all been lovingly broken down by one of New York City’s leading experts on gay 20somethings. Justin Luke Zirilli is a guy who’s already dealt with all the things that you are now facing. He spends his nights hanging out with thousands of 20somethings, observing them as they try their best to live their lives without blowing everything up. He’s a gay nightlife savant and the Co-Owner and Director of Promotions of BoiParty, the NYC-based event company responsible for the city’s largest young, gay dance parties. Justin survived his 20somethings and is now tackling the 30somethings. While he tries to figure that decade out he is happy to help you blaze a trail through your twenties without burning your hands off. It’s a simple fact of life: the 20somethings are a very difficult and important decade. Picking up this book is a great first step to the rest of your life!
August 12 - Washington D.C.
The Pentagon announced Monday that it would extend 20 new benefits to same-sex military couples, including access to base facilities and groups as well as joint assignments, the latest move by the Obama administration to heed calls from gay and lesbians pressing for change.
October 6 - Washington D.C.
The United States Supreme Court denies review in five different marriage cases, allowing lower court rulings to stand, and therefore allowing same-sex couples to marry in Utah, Oklahoma, Virginia, Indiana and Wisconsin. The decision opens the door for the right to marry in Colorado, Kansas, North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia and Wyoming.
July 14 - Oregon
One Spirit Press publishes The Trans-Evangelist, The Life and Times of a Transgender Pentecostal Preacher by Sister Paula Nielsen. A candid coming-of-age memoir of an effeminate boy in Gresham, Oregon becoming possibly the only transgender Pentecostal evangelist in the United States.
May 20 - Georgia
Two transgender women of color, Janell Crosby and Tyra Woods, were verbally harassed and brutally beaten by men on a MARTA train in downtown Atlanta. Video of the violence surfaced online showing one of the women stripped nude during the attack while other passengers watched and photographed the incident.
Leelah Alcorn
(1999 - 2014)
Conversion Therapy - Suicide
September 6 - National
Mother Warrior Press publishes Voices from the Rainbow by Traci Leigh Taylor, a collection of interviews with more than 50 friends and acquaintances of her gay son Daniel about their experiences coming out and being queer at the turn of the 21st century.
July 21 - Washington D.C.
President Obama signed Executive Order 13672, adding "gender identity" to the categories protected against discrimination in hiring in the federal civilian workforce and both "sexual orientation" and gender identity" to the categories protected against discrimination in hiring and employment on the part of federal government contractors and sub-contractors. Obama made a surprise video appearance at the opening ceremony of the 2014 Gay Games.
September 19 - National
The movie “Pride” is released.
October 4 – California
Aniya Parker, 47, died by beating.
January 1 – National
"Poolside Pleasures" This compilation combines the qualities of Mark Henderson's bestsellers in a manner never seen before: The sculptural grace of Luminosity with the briskness of Poolside and the gleaming light of Suburban Pleasures. Mark Henderson ushered the style of last century s physique photographers into the modern age. Poolside Pleasures is a cross section through the recent work of this outstanding artist.
January 27 – Washington D.C.
A transgender woman was attacked and beaten with a handgun at a convenience store.
December 28 - Ohio
Cincinnati 15 year old, Leelah Alcorn jumps off an overpass in Ohio after conversion therapy failed.
June 3 – Maryland
Kandy Hall, a 40-year-old transgender woman, was found dead.
September 4 – National
"I Am Jazz" From the time she was two years old, Jazz knew that she had a girl's brain in a boy's body. She loved pink and dressing up as a mermaid and didn't feel like herself in boys' clothing. This confused her family, until they took her to a doctor who said that Jazz was transgender and that she was born that way. Jazz's story is based on her real-life experience and she tells it in a simple, clear way that will be appreciated by picture book readers, their parents, and teachers.
June 6 – Wisconsin
U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb strikes down Wisconsin's same-sex marriage ban; couples marry
for a week until the decision is put on hold pending appeal.
January 1 – Indiana
“The Sovereign Imperial Court of Indiana”. we are dedicated to serving our communities throughout the state of Indiana upholding the traditions and standards set forth by the International Court System.
November 21 – National
Billy Gilman interviewed on Entertainment Tonight about his coming out. He released his video titled "My Story by Billy Gilman" on One Voice Productions YouTube page only hours after another country singer Ty Herndon had come out. Gilman said in the video that Herndon's public acknowledgement inspired him to do the same.
August 15 - Michigan
Two transgender women were shot and wounded within the span of four days in Detroit. The first victim was shot Aug. 15, and the second victim was shot in the early hours of Aug. 18. Both were treated at local hospitals. Another victim police have identified as a man was also shot and died Aug. 15.
Sam Smith
June 25 - Indiana
U.S. District Judge Richard Young strikes down Indiana's same-sex marriage ban, and couples begin marrying that afternoon.
January 1 – Georgia
Tim'm T. West accepted a job with Teach for America where he is able to focus on helping LGBT students and building educational programs that can help them work past social injustice or other issues.
December 2 - Washington D.C.
Washington D.C. is the third jurisdiction in the country to protect LGBTQ youth from conversion therapy; #BornPerfect leaders testify before the UN. The goal is to eliminate conversion therapy by 2019.
May 29 - National
"Half Past Midnight" So far, it’s been a long summer for Parker Wells. Working the graveyard shift at a gas station in a rural Mississippi town, Parker is saving for college and looking forward to his freshman year at Queen’s Landing University. But the young jock’s world is forever changed when a mysterious midnight shopper turns out to be a criminal who wants more than just the gas station’s safe… This dark fantasy contains bondage, peril and kink. This short novel is 32,500 words.
January 1 – National
“Lady Peacock” When Conner first meets Gay newbie Devin, he feels an instant attraction for him. However, soon into the relationship Conner's nemesis, the Puerto Rican drag queen, Adora, wants Devin all to herself. Conner soon realizes the only way to compete with a drag queen is to become a drag queen. With the help of his club friends, Conner must make it his mission to destroy Adora if he wants to win back Devin.
September 5 - Tennessee
Alejandra Leos, 41, was murdered outside of her home.
April 14 - Ohio
U.S. District Judge Timothy Black says Ohio must recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states.
July 17 - National
"Road of no Return" Zak. Tattoo artist. Independent. Doesn’t do relationships.
Stitch. Outlaw biker. Deep in the closet. Doesn’t share his property.
On the day of Stitch’s divorce, lust personified enters the biker bar he’s celebrating at. Tattooed all over, pierced, confident, and hot as hellfire, Zak is the bone Stitch has waited for life to throw him. All Stitch wants is a sniff, a taste, a lick. What follows instead is gluttony of the most carnal sort, and nothing will ever be the same. Forced to hide his new love affair from the whole world, Stitch juggles family, club life, and crime, but it’s only a matter of time until it becomes too hard.
Zak moves to Lake Valley in search of peace and quiet, but when he puts his hand into the jaws of a Hound of Valhalla, life gets all but simple. In order to be with Stitch, Zak’s biker wet dream, he has to crawl right back into the closet. As heated as the relationship is, the secrets, the hiding, the violence, jealousy, and conservative attitudes in the town rub Zak in all the wrong ways. When pretending he doesn't know what his man does becomes impossible, Zak needs to decide if life with an outlaw biker is really what he wants. As club life and the love affair collide, all that’s left in Zak and Stitch’s life is mayhem.
November 1 - North Carolina
Elisha Walker, 20, disappeared and was found in early 2015.
March 21 – Michigan
U.S. District Judge Bernard Friedman strikes down Michigan's same-sex marriage ban following a
two-week trial. Gay couples marry until the next day, when a federal appeals court puts the ruling on hold.
April 22 – National
Matthew Vines who released his YouTube video “The Gay Debate: The Bible and Homosexuality” publishes his book that coincides with his message “God and the Gay Christian”.
June 11 – Washington State
A woman was taking pictures of a garbage problem near her home when she was attacked and beaten by two other women who shouted transphobic and anti-LGBT slurs, calling her a man, a transexual, and a tranny. The victim captured the attack on video with her cell phone.
June 26 – National
Sam Smith enters the US music market as the second highest sales behind Taylor Swift.
January 1 – National
"Dusk" Dusk features some of the most masculine, perfectly and naturally built, handsome and sensual naked men within a stunning array of hauntingly beautiful and raw outback settings. Paul Freeman has established himself at the pinnacle of his craft, not only as a photographer, but as a visual poet and artist eulogizing as he captures the spirit of the rugged yet sensitive Australian male in all his physical glory. His genius is to find the right men to photograph and then tell an enthralling story with his vision from behind the camera. From the quality of the compositions and the lighting through to the texture of the outback locations, these are some of the most perfectly executed and delightful photographs in any collection and set a tone of sophistication so rarely achieved in books of the male nude.
February 27 – National
"This is a Book for Parents with Gay Kids" Written in an accessible Q&A format, here, finally, is the go-to resource for parents hoping to understand and communicate with their gay child. Through their LGBTQ-oriented site, the authors are uniquely experienced to answer parents' many questions and share insight and guidance on both emotional and practical topics. Filled with real-life experiences from gay kids and parents, this is the book gay kids want their parents to read.
October 13 - Pennsylvania
24 year old, Andi Woodhouse died of suicide at the 10th street Bridge in Pittsburg.
July 9 – Colorado
Colorado District Judge Scott Crabtree strikes down the state's gay marriage ban, and the ruling is appealed to the state Supreme Court. Weeks later, a federal district judge also rules against the gay marriage ban, and the state appeals.
June 10 – National
“Trans Bodies Trans Selves” There is no one way to be transgender. Transgender and gender non-conforming people have many different ways of understanding their gender identities. Only recently have sex and gender been thought of as separate concepts, and we have learned that sex (traditionally thought of as physical or biological) is as variable as gender (traditionally thought of as social).
While trans people share many common experiences, there is immense diversity within trans communities. There are an estimated 700,000 transgendered individuals in the US and 15 million worldwide. Even still, there's been a notable lack of organized information for this sizable group. Trans Bodies, Trans Selves is a revolutionary resource-a comprehensive, reader-friendly guide for transgender people, with each chapter written by transgender or genderqueer authors. Inspired by Our Bodies, Ourselves, the classic and powerful compendium written for and by women, Trans Bodies, Trans Selves is widely accessible to the transgender population, providing authoritative information in an inclusive and respectful way and representing the collective knowledge base of dozens of influential experts. Each chapter takes the reader through an important transgender issue, such as race, religion, employment, medical and surgical transition, mental health topics, relationships, sexuality, parenthood, arts and culture, and many more.
July 1 – National
Tom Goss song writer and actor landed his first movie role in Out to Kill. This is after his music had been featured on Logo and being recognized in Washington D.C. for his contribution to LGBT culture.
January 24 – National
“Stranger by The Lake” Summertime. A cruising spot for men, tucked away on the shores of a lake. Franck falls in love with Michel, an attractive, potent and lethally dangerous man. Franck knows this but wants to live out his passion anyway.
May 6 – National
“The Last Straight Man” Lewis is a closeted gay man throwing a bachelor party for his straight best friend and secret crush, Cooper. After a night of drunken sex together, the two men decide to meet in the same hotel suite on the same night each year to hook up and catch up. Over the course of twelve years, we see four additional nights that depict how the two men grow and how their friendship changes.
Alejandra Leos
January 1 – West Virginia
“Rainbow Pride of West Virginia” Based in Charleston, Rainbow Pride of West Virginia is an all- volunteer 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides social and educational resources to the state's LGBT community and our friends and allies. We host numerous events throughout the year including our annual Parade and Festival each June in downtown Charleston. We also conduct and host the Mr. & Miss. Pride of West Virginia Pageant.
January 1 – Pennsylvania
“qFlix Philadelphia”. Our mission is to preserve the tradition of the exhibition of American and international lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer independent film that reflects the diversity of our community. qFLIX USA presents this film festival for, by, and about our community. We produce this festival for the education, entertainment, and enjoyment of past, present and future generations.
July 8 – Washington D.C.
More than 100 faith leaders from across the country ask President Obama to leave out a religious exemption in his upcoming executive order which seeks to ban job discrimination on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation among federal contractors. “As people of faith, we should be exemplary and not exempted,” said Rev. Dr. Serene Jones, president of Union Theological Seminary and one of five seminary presidents to sign the letter.
June 1 – National
Laverne Cox is an actress and trans rights activist, she became the first openly transgender person to appear on the cover of Time.
Reverend Charles Moore
January 20 – National
Writer Rob Byrnes releases “Best Gay Romance 2014”. A Gay romance anthology.
May 25 - National
“The Normal Heart” A gay activist attempts to raise H.I.V. and A.I.D.S. awareness during the early 1980s.
June 19 – Florida
Yaz'min Shancez, a Florida transgender woman, was found shot to death and burned behind a dumpster at a rental business in Fort Myers. She was 31.
January 1 – South Carolina
“Grand Strand Pride” Grand Strand PRIDE is the advocacy voice of the local LGBT community. Advancing acceptance of the Grand Strand LGBT community through increased visibility.
February 8 - Washington D.C.
The U. S. Department of Justice announces that legally married same-gender couples will
receive equal protection in every program it administers.
May 4 – National
The Star Trek luminary George Takei has become a leading light in the struggle for equality. He has been a vocal advocate for same-sex marriage and has appeared in a number of PSAs promoting equality. In 2014, he was awarded the GLAAD Vito Russo Award for his contributions. His Facebook page has over six million fans. Kris Perry, Sandy Stier, Paul Katami & Jeff Zarrillo
June 19 – National
Presbyterian Church Votes to Allow Gay Wedding Ceremonies
December 10 - Michigan
22 year old, Jay Ralko commits suicide and isn’t found for two weeks after his death.
February 1 – National
“Girltrash: All Night” The story of five girls and one epic night. The girls will find love, lust, girl-fights, rock and roll, and a whole lot of stoned sorority girls.
January 19 – National
Michael Lannan a screenwriter produced the HBO series “Looking” which focuses on a group of gay friends in San Francisco.
April 29 - Washington D.C.
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights publishes a 53-page document that offers “guidance” on sexual assault for schools that receive federal funding through Title IX, the 1972 civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in federally funded education programs and activities.
For the first time, the federal government says explicitly that “Title IX’s sex discrimination prohibition extends to claims of discrimination based on gender identity or failure to conform to stereotypical notions of masculinity or femininity” and that “the actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender
identity of the parties does not change a school’s obligations” In other words, transgender people are protected from discrimination under the law.
January 1 – Kentucky
“Kentucky Youth Law Project” The Kentucky Youth Law Project, Inc. is Kentucky’s only legal services organization dedicated to protecting the legal rights and entitlements of LGBTQ youth through direct legal assistance, education, and public policy advocacy. Our goal is to reduce homelessness and promote equality for LGBTQ youth in social welfare agencies, government services, the courts, and public schools throughout Kentucky.
September 16 – California
Eli Lieb an independent singer song writer performs at the GLAAD Game Changer Gala. Many of his songs include a gay theme.
April 6 – National
“Kissing Darkness” A group of college boys, bored with the everyday "gay life" of LA, decide to skip Pride weekend in exchange for a camping trip in the woods. Quickly overcome with boredom in their new surroundings, the boys venture into a game that ultimately unleashes the vengeful spirit of a local legend known as Malice Valeria. Overcome by her deadly plan of tainted love and her thirst to take back what was lost long ago, the boys must now band together before they fall victim to the poisons of a broken heart.
July 18 - Oklahoma
U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit upholds lower court ruling that struck down Oklahoma's gay marriage ban, and the case is appealed to the Supreme Court.
October 23 – Indiana
Ashley Sherman, 25, was found dead in Indianapolis.
November 9 – National
Andrew Scott is ranked at number 22 in The Independent's Rainbow List 2014: 101 lesbian, bisexual, gay and transgender people who 'make a real difference'.
July 14 – National
Charlie Bondhus received the Thom Gunn Award for Gay Poetry for writing “All the Heat We Could Carry”
February 17 – Indiana
Gov. Pence supported HJR-3, a bill to add an amendment banning same-sex marriage to Indiana’s Constitution.
April 25 – Washington D.C.
Maulik Pancholy was named to President Barack Obama's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders as part of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
November 24 – Wisconsin
Karis Anne Ross, a transgender woman and teacher died by suicide.
June 25 - Washington D.C.
A group of about 140 religious leaders and advocates for religious freedom send a letter to President Barack Obama to try and secure an exemption for faith-based groups in a pending executive order which aims to protect LGBT government contract workers from discrimination.
September 20 – National
“The Dark Place” Keegan Dark returns to the the heart of California's wine valley to make peace with his long-estranged family. Instead, he finds a harrowing mystery that endangers his life and those he loves.
April 25 – National
Dan Haseltine, leader of the Christian band Jars of Clay comes out in favor of marriage equality, resulting in angry reactions from many of their fans, and their tracks being dropped from many Christian radio stations’ playlists.
Rob Nosse
June 14 – California
About 200 people were evacuated from a film event June 14 as part of the annual Trans Pride L.A. festival in Los Angeles due to a bomb threat. Organizers of the event said in a statement it was the second of two bomb threats made against the festival in the same day. At the time, the LAPD said it was investigating the threats but had no suspects or leads.
April 23 – National
“Erodditys” This four-story anthology offers a voyeuristic window into the lives of ten gay youths. Follow as they enter a world of the odd, the erotic and the supernatural.
May 27 - National
"The Invisible" A charming collection of vintage photos of gay couples privately and often secretly celebrating their relationships. This volume is a unique collection of photographs of gay couples from 1900 to 1960. While this is a time many now regard as the deeply closeted "dark ages," these photos show gay couples who were clearly out (at least for a moment)-some camping it up for the cameras while others in loving or clearly domestic poses. These photographs were discovered and collected by the author at flea markets and garage sales, the names of the subjects and their photographers lost to time. He was intrigued by the fact that the pictures show couples posed hand in hand, revealing happiness, serenity, and a surprising air of freedom so unlike the image of gays suffering in secret or fighting for their rights. This unique collection inspired Sebastien Lifshitz to restore to these nameless couples their voices in his documentary movie The Invisibles for which he was awarded the Cesar Award for Best Documentary in 2013.
July 16 - Maryland
Mia Henderson, a 26-year-old transgender woman, was found dead Baltimore.
Josh Barro
November 20 - South Carolina
South Carolina becomes 35th State to Legalize Gay Marriage
June 30 – National
“Saugatuck Cures” Drew and his best friend Brett set out on a road trip to pose as ex-gay ministers using exuberant high jinks to scam churchgoers, all in order to raise money for his mother's experimental cancer treatment.
September 3 - Louisiana
A federal judge to uphold Louisiana's ban on same-sex marriages. U.S. District Judge Martin Feldman upholds Louisiana's same-sex marriage ban, becoming the first judge to buck the gay marriage trend in nearly two years.
October 21 – Puerto Rico
U.S. District Judge Juan Manuel Perez-Giminez upholds Puerto Rico's ban against same-sex marriage.
January 1 – Tennessee
“East Tennessee Faith for Equality” Congregations Welcoming and Affirming Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Persons and Families. We are group of local congregations, clergy, and laypeople invested in justice for LGBT people and families. We are meeting each other, gathering support, and planning for the future.
October 7 – California
Jimmy Fowlie starts performing “Go-Go Boy Interrupted”, an LGBT-themed sketch comedy show, at The Groundlings theater. A few months later he adapted the show into a web series shown on YouTube. It chronicles the adventures of Danny Carter, a 30-year-old "washed up" male go-go dancer, based on Fowlie's own experiences as a go-go dancer in West Hollywood while attending the University of Southern California.
December 11 - Ohio
Emilie Olsen (2001–2014), age 13, Fairfield, Ohio, adopted from Southeast Asia, was ridiculed for wearing cowboy boots and camouflage clothing to school, and called gay, saying that she couldn’t be "country" because she was Asian. While she was in sixth grade, a girl followed Emilie into the restroom and handed her a razor and told her to "end her life". On another occasion the same student told Emilie on social media to "go cut one of your vanes and die cuz I will be glad". "Emilie is a whore" and "Go kill yourself Emilie" were scribbled on bathroom stalls. A fake social media account titled "Emilie Olsen is Gay" was created, where it was claimed that Emilie had sex with random people in the woods, according to the paper. In December 2014, Emilie put a loaded gun to her head and pulled the trigger.
July 28 - Virginia
A lawsuit against Virginia for violating the Fourteenth amendment by not permitting same-gender marriage
December 18 – National
"Something Like Spring" Nothing in this world is permanent. Friends, lovers, even family, can all disappear in the blink of an eye. Without these anchors, it's all too easy to find oneself drifting.
Jason Grant doesn't have much, aside from a beat-up old guitar and knack for getting kicked out of foster homes. His latest placement is set to be just another in a long line of failures. Then he meets Caesar Hubbard, a handsome guy who lives down the hall. For the first time in his life, Jason wants to stay, which means learning to be part of a family, and not letting his feelings--or his actions--ruin his first real chance of falling in love. Something Like Spring introduces a new character to the Seasons story, one with a troubled past and an equally turbulent future. Jason must traverse a winding road fraught with emotional conflicts and tough decisions... a road that might just lead to a certain couple in Austin.
May 8 – National
Sean Reinert is regarded as one of the most influential metal drummers of all time due to his album recordings from the early nineties that blew open the doors to the metal/jazz fusion style. He and one other band member of Cynic came out publicly.
July 1 – Kentucky
The Kentucky court ruling on out-of-state marriages is expanded to legalize all gay marriages in the state, but it's delayed while on appeal.
March 1 – National
"Jacob’s New Dress" Jacob loves playing dress-up, when he can be anything he wants to be. Some kids at school say he can't wear "girl" clothes, but Jacob wants to wear a dress to school. Can he convince his parents to let him wear what he wants? This heartwarming story speaks to the unique challenges faced by boys who don't identify with traditional gender roles.
January 14 – Oklahoma
U.S. District Judge Terence Kern strikes down Oklahoma's gay marriage ban but blocks marriages while the state appeals.
November 10 – Tennessee
Gizzy Fowler, 24, was found dead.
May 9 – Arkansas
Circuit Judge Chris Piazza strikes down the state's gay marriage ban, and more than 400 couples receive licenses until the ruling is put on hold a week later.
February 14 – National
“Aban and Khorshid” Inspired by true events, Aban and Khorshid is an intimate portrait of two lovers, glimpsing into the world in which they met, moments before their execution for being gay.
August 2 - Washington D.C.
Authorities said they were investigating a crime against a transgender victim while walking to pay bills on Martin Luther King,Jr. Avenue SE. The victim said she felt a gun against the back of her head before the assailant said he would shoot and kill her if she didn't give him her money.
September 25 – National
"Out in the Open” College sophomore Ethan Follett never says what’s on his mind and never wants to rock the boat. After a high school social life spent anonymous and alone, things are finally falling into place for him. He’s found a group of friends just as studious as he and is on track for a promising legal career. Out in the open, things couldn’t be better, but secretly Ethan yearns for some real excitement in his life. He finds it in cocky frat boy Greg Sanderson, who challenges every rigid, preconceived notion Ethan lives by. Soon, their sparring relationship turns sexual, and these enemies-with-benefits get their freak on all over campus. Yet the more Ethan comes out of his shell, the more Greg retreats into his, working overtime to keep his ladies’ man public persona intact. As the sex gets hotter, and they get closer to getting caught, one part of their arrangement can’t stay hidden any longer: love.
Jipsta
October 4 – National
"Something Like Lightning” Never stop running. No matter how often life trips you up, or how many times your enemies knock you down, just get up and keep on moving until you find where you belong. Kelly Phillips has been out and proud since he was a young teenager, and thanks to the gay youth group he frequents, he's never been short on friends or lovers. But when you have almost everything, it's hard not to focus on what's just out of reach: A best friend, who would be Mr. Right if he wasn't already Mr. Straight. Or that handsome athlete at school, who would be easier to wrangle if not for his angel wings. And then there's the guy who might be a perfect fit, maybe even a soulmate... if only he wasn't convinced, he didn't need anyone. Kelly has always been good at running. Now he must learn to chase, which will not only test his endurance, but the durability of his heart as well. Something Like Lightning is a new beginning in the Something Like... saga, shifting the focus to a different set of characters while also revisiting a familiar face or two.
January 1 – Vermont
“Green Mountain Crossroads” Green Mountain Crossroads connects rural LGBTQ people to build community, visibility, knowledge, and power.
May 10 – Indiana
A 50-year-old transgender man was punched in the face at Big Baby's Bar and Grill in Anderson, leaving him with shattered bones around his eye and his jaw out of alignment.
July 30 - Washington D.C.
A 15-year-old transgender girl was stabbed on a southbound Metro Green Line train and suffered non-life-threatening injuries to her upper left back. Police intercepted the train and promptly arrested Reginald Anthony Klaiber, 24, in connection with the attack. Witnesses said Klaiber accosted the victim and insulted her for her wig and appearance, before stabbing her with a 3.5-inch folding knife.
June 23 – Texas
Reverend Charles Moore, 79, was a lifelong advocate for gay rights in his church among other high- profile issues in the United States, died by suicide. He wanted to raise awareness human rights and sacrificed himself.
June 5 – Louisiana
Arrests of three people in Natchitoches Parish, who kept an unidentified transgender woman as a slave and forced her to perform sexual acts against her will for several months.
Catalogued archive material by subject:
September 20 – National
Neil S. Plakcy publishes “Love on Stage” to continue his love on romance storylines.
February 26 – Texas
U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia strikes down Texas' gay marriage ban but blocks marriages while the state appeals.
January 28 – Utah
Demonstrators hold an anti-gay-marriage rally inside the Utah State Capitol
June 22 – National
“Tonight, It’s Me” A hot young hustler finds himself in uncharted waters when he spends the night with a client who's far from the "johns" he's used to servicing.
June 1 - Washington State
Ahmed Said, 27, and Dwone Anderson-Young, 23, were killed execution-style shortly after midnight
in the Leschi neighborhood of Seattle shortly after they left a gay nightclub. Both victims were gay, and Ahmed was apparently lured by being contacting on Grindr, a social app popular with gay men. Anderson-Young was receiving a ride home from Ahmed Said. The case was soon investigated as a possible hate crime.
January 16 – National
“Foxcatcher” U.S. Olympic wrestling champions and brothers Mark Schultz and Dave Schultz join "Team Foxcatcher", led by eccentric multi-millionaire John du Pont, as they train for the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea, but John's self-destructive behavior threatens to consume them all.
April 22 – Georgia
Lambda Legal files a lawsuit on behalf of nine plaintiffs challenging Georgia’s same-sex marriage ban.
April 14 – National
“Such Good People” A young gay couple discovers a secret room filled with cash while house- sitting for a rich couple who die while out of the country.
July 1 – National
"Queen Henry" Henry's a womanizing playboy. So why is he suddenly attracted to men? Heartthrob baseball player Henry Vaughn Jr.'s got it all. Money, fame, and women. He relishes his playboy reputation and guards it with his life. He'd be humiliated if anyone knew he suffered from the "geek disease" asthma. After taking part in a clinical trial in hopes of a cure, Henry suffers a horrifying side effect from the drug. His sex drive is as strong as ever, but now he's turned on by men instead of women. Henry finds that much harder to hide in the locker room than his asthma... Panicked, Henry pleads with the research assistant, Sam, to cure him. Sam, who is gay, is angered by Henry's raging homophobia. He certainly doesn't believe Henry's wild tale about turning gay overnight. Annoyed, Sam pawns Henry off on his best friend, Thomas. Thomas is gentle, compassionate, and has the most beautiful eyes Henry has ever seen... Henry falls helplessly in love with Thomas and is astonished to learn that Thomas feels the same way about him. Loving Thomas helps Henry see the world in a new and beautiful light, but he worries what will happen if the tabloids discover he has a boyfriend. Thomas is devoted to Henry, but he's proud of who he is and refuses to live a lie. Can love help Henry find the courage to speak out against hate? Get the book NOW and support the Harvey Milk Foundation in the process!
United States LGBT History for 2014
Laverne Cox
November 24 – North Carolina
During a presentation at the Charlotte City Council’s dinner meeting, Scott Bishop of MeckPAC, a Charlotte LGBT political organization, says he’s spoken with City Attorney Bob Hagemann and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Community Relations Committee about adding five categories—marital and familial status, sexual orientation, and gender identity and expression—to the list of “protected classes” in city ordinances with non-discrimination language. The city already prohibits discrimination, among contractors and in public housing, taxis, and public accommodations such as restrooms, against people on the basis of race, gender, religion, national origin, ethnicity, and age.
Bishop notes that 17 of the 20 largest American cities—Charlotte, Houston, and Jacksonville, Florida, are the only exceptions—have adopted similar protections for gay and transgender people. The council votes unanimously to have Hagemann prepare proposed language for the changes, to be discussed and voted on at a later meeting. Mayor Dan Clodfelter says he generally supports the idea of adding gay and transgender people to the list of protected classes. Word spreads about the proposal.
Britney Cosby & Crystal Jackson
January 1 – Nevada
“GLCCNV” The Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce Nevada (GLCCNV) advances the prosperity, equality and inclusivity of Nevada’s gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and allied business community through referrals, education, networking, advocacy and supplier diversity opportunities.
May 6 – National
"Capturing Love" These are exciting times for marriage equality—but capturing memorable LGBTQ portraits requires a novel approach to posing, which until now has been nearly exclusively oriented toward pairing a taller man in black with a smaller woman in white. What works for Jack and Jill won’t necessarily work for Jack and Michael, let alone Jill and Louise. The New Art of Capturing Love shatters the “old standards” of wedding and engagement photography by showing how inappropriate they can be for today’s diverse couples, then shares easy-to-implement poses and techniques that can be applied to any couple (and wedding party), no matter their orientations, to create lasting memories.
Featuring a collection of more than 180 same-sex portraits from 46 photographers, this guide is proudly the first—and most comprehensive—of its kind. Whether you are a wedding photographer looking to enter this burgeoning market, or a gay or lesbian couple looking for visual inspiration, these gorgeous images will both instruct and inspire.
October 23 – Delaware
The Delaware ACLU takes on the case of Lakisha Lavette Short, a trans man who was not permitted by Superior Court Judge Jane Brady to change his name to Kai while serving a prison sentence in Delaware. Brady relied upon state law that permits incarcerated persons to change their names only for "sincerely held religious belief." Among other reasons for appeal to the Delaware Supreme Court, the plaintiff argues that the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment trumps this state law that prefers religious belief over non-religious belief. The News Journal editorialized on behalf of the plaintiff.
January 1 – Oklahoma
“Everyone is Gay” Everyone Is Gay works to improve the lives of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning/Queer (LGBTQ) youth using a three-pronged approach: providing honest advice to these youth while keeping them laughing; talking to students across the country in an effort to create caring, compassionate school environments; and working with parents of LGBTQ kids to help foster an ongoing dialogue and deeper understanding.
September 16 – California
Dan Vera a writer is included in the compilation “The Queer South: LGBTQ Writers on the American South”
November 18 – National
“More Scenes from a Gay Marriage” Leigh has made a film about how Darren and Joe met and fell in love. Due to its exaggerated nature, personal complications ensue.
December 5 – National
Afdhere Jama a writer publishes “Queer Jihad: LGBT Muslims on Coming Out, Activism, and the Faith”
February 16 - Washington D.C.
Obama criticized Uganda's anti-gay law.
May 1 – National
“Pink Triangle” One hot summer night in 1945, three young American writers, each an enfant terrible, came together in a stuffy Manhattan apartment for the first time. Each member of this pink triangle was on the dawn of world fame—Tennessee Williams for A Streetcar Named Desire; Gore Vidal for his notorious homosexual novel, The City and the Pillar; and Truman Capote for Other Voices, Other Rooms, a book that had been marketed with a photograph depicting Capote as a underaged sex object that caused as much controversy as the prose inside.
Each of the three remained competitively and defiantly provocative throughout the course of his writing career. Initially hailed by critics as “the darlings of the gods,” each of them would, in time, be attacked for his contributions to film, the theater, and publishing. Some of their works would be widely reviewed as “obscene rantings from perverted sociopaths. ”From that summer night emerged betrayals that eventually evolved into lawsuits, stolen lovers, public insults, and the most famous and flamboyant rivalries in America’s literary history. The private opinions of these authors about their celebrity acquaintances usually left scar tissue.
January 1 – Indiana
“Indianapolis GLBT Film Festival” is founded.
September 11 – National
Joe Kort publishes “Is My Husband Straight, Gay, or Bi?”
March 1 – National
"Eating Fire: My Life as a Lesbian Avenger" When Kelly Cogswell plunged into New York’s East Village in 1992, she had just come out. An ex–Southern Baptist born in Kentucky, she was camping in an Avenue B loft, scribbling poems, and playing in an underground band, trying to figure out her next move. A couple of months later she was consumed by the Lesbian Avengers, instigating direct action campaigns, battling cops on Fifth Avenue, mobilizing 20,000 dykes for a march on Washington, D.C., and eating fire—literally—in front of the White House. At once streetwise and wistful, Eating Fire is a witty and urgent coming-of-age memoir spanning two decades, from the Culture War of the early 1990s to the War on Terror. Cogswell’s story is an engaging blend of picaresque adventure, how-to activist handbook, and rigorous inquiry into questions of identity, resistance, and citizenship. It is also a compelling, personal recollection of friendships and fallings- out and of finding true love—several times over. After the Lesbian Avengers imploded, Cogswell describes how she became a pioneering citizen journalist, cofounding the Gully online magazine with the groundbreaking goal of offering “queer views on everything.”
January 1 – Arkansas
“Kaleidoscope - The Little Rock LGBT Film Festival”. Kaleidoscope's mission is to provide innovative and unique programming that will engage the hearts and minds of audiences in the State of Arkansas and the surrounding region. The festival celebrates the diversity of the LGBT community and filmmakers by presenting poignant and thought-provoking films documenting LGBT lives truthfully and with respect. The festival exhibits the power of film to transform lives and opinions of those both inside and outside the LGBT community through the universal medium of the cinema.
June 15 – National
“Eat with Me” When Emma moves in with her estranged, gay son, the pair must learn to reconnect through food where words fail, and face the foreclosure of the family's Chinese restaurant and a stubborn fear of intimacy.
October 13 - New York
Mitchell Pope was savaged by a man who called him a “f*cking f*ggot” in the lobby of his Brooklyn apartment. The 33-year-old, who suffered severe head injuries, committed suicide 18 months after
the attack.
July 27 - National
“Best Day Ever” David's turning 50 and having a Mid-life Crisis! He isn't sure his "perfect husband" loves him, and if he's chosen the right career. Aging is something he never thought about, but now he is faced with making the rest of his life count and hopes his close friends can help. Realizing that he may only have about 35 years left, he must figure out his life to ensure happiness and fulfillment. Fate changes everything when he meets a 15-year younger man who shows him that age does not matter, and that maybe his future happiness is right in front of him. Based on the true story of filmmaker Jeff London and how after being single for 48 years, his life changed when he met the love of his life and found his true purpose.
April 5 – National
John Stewart Wynne published “The Red Shoes” and was nominated for a Lambda Literary Award in the Gay Fiction category
George Takei
July 23 – New York
A transgender woman suffered cuts to her lips and one of her ears after she was followed near East 149th Street in the Bronx and reportedly beaten by two men.
January 23 - Virginia
Attorney General Mark Herring announces that he will not defend the Commonwealth’s marriage laws that prohibit same-gender marriage, and that he believes the laws to be unconstitutional
July 17 - Florida
U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle strikes down Florida's same-sex marriage ban following several similar rulings by state and county judges. All the rulings have been appealed.
June 5 – Texas
The Texas Republican Party state convention takes place and a draft of their 2014 platform is obtained that reveals their party’s support for gay “reparative therapy” which was adopted without allowing debate. Further, “We support the definition of marriage as a God ordained, legal and moral commitment only between a natural man and a natural woman.”
State equality and discrimination bills
November 12 - Kansas
Kansas becomes 33rd State to Legalize Gay Marriage
March 11 – New York
Jipsta a musician was the victim of a bias attack in a New York City subway station as he and his partner were celebrating their 10-year anniversary. The assailant hurled vicious homophobic slurs at the couple, and following a verbal disagreement, Jipsta was brutally beaten by the unidentified subject.
Karis Anne Ross
March 6 – Texas
Britney Cosby, 24, and Crystal Jackson, 24, were murdered by Britney's father, James 'Larry' Cosby. The victims were a lesbian couple survived by Britney's five-year-old daughter. Britney was strangled and beaten to death. Crystal was also beaten and strangled, though a gunshot wound to her temple was the cause of death.
July 18 - National
“Tiger Orange” In the small Central California town where they grew up, two estranged gay brothers struggle to reconnect after the recent death of their father.
March 1 – National
“Nobody Is Supposed to Know” In Nobody Is Supposed to Know, C. Riley Snorton traces the emergence and circulation of the down low in contemporary media and popular culture to show how these portrayals reinforce troubling perceptions of black sexuality. Reworking Eve Sedgwick’s notion of the “glass closet,” Snorton advances a new theory of such representations in which black sexuality is marked by hypervisibility and confinement, spectacle and speculation. Through close readings of news, music, movies, television, and gossip blogs, Nobody Is Supposed to Know explores the contemporary genealogy, meaning, and functions of the down low. Snorton examines how the down low links blackness and queerness in the popular imagination and how the down low is just one example of how media and popular culture surveil and police black sexuality. Looking at figures such as Ma Rainey, Bishop Eddie L. Long, J. L. King, and Will Smith, he ultimately contends that down-low narratives reveal the limits of current understandings of black sexuality.
July 28 - National
“Blackbird” Randy, a devout high school choir boy, struggles with his sexuality while living in his conservative Mississippi town. His mother blames him for his sister's disappearance as his father guides him into manhood.
June 24 – National
Josh Barro a well-respected journalist that is on Barrack Obama’s favorite list, challenges the anti- lgbt organizations as they are a detriment to the community. “Anti-LGBT attitudes are terrible for people in all sorts of communities. They linger and oppress, and we need to stamp them out, ruthlessly.”
December 18 – National
"A Scout Is Brave" In the months following the brutal murder of Matthew Shepard, fourteen-year- old Joshua, a half Native American boy, is new to a Boy Scout troop and spending a week camping in northern Wisconsin. The weaker kids in the troop soon realize Joshua is not afraid to stand up to the troop's ruthless bullies. Joshua’s bravery and kindness is infectious, and the bullied Scouts quickly find their own inner strength. Joshua, however, is plagued by self-doubt as he realizes he has feelings for Cody, the son of the troop’s harsh and puritanical Scoutmaster. The two discover they have more in common than Scouting as they share their deepest secrets and develop a close friendship. That friendship faces its greatest challenge as the homophobic bullies claim a “faggot” has “infected” their troop. As if struggling to come to terms with his sexuality while dealing with hatred and bigotry isn’t enough, Joshua discovers the camp holds another dark mystery, one that will make him summon all his courage and learn for the first time what it truly means to be brave.
February 28 – National
"Best Kept Boy" "Denny, long before he surfaced in my cove, was a legend well-known to me, a myth entitled: Best-Kept Boy in the World.”—Truman Capote Denham (Denny) Fouts, the twentieth century's most famous male prostitute, was a socialite and literary muse whose extraordinary life started off humbly in Jacksonville, Florida. But in short order he befriended (and bedded) the rich and celebrated and in the process conquered the world. No less an august figure than the young Gore Vidal was enchanted by Denny's special charms. He twice modeled characters on Denny in his fiction, saying it was a pity that Denny never wrote a memoir. To Vidal he was “un homme fatal.” Truman Capote, who devoted a third of Answered Prayers to Denny's life story, found that “to watch him walk into a room was an experience. He was beyond being good-looking; he was the single most charming-looking person I've ever seen.” Writer Christopher Isherwood was more to the point: he called Denny “the most expensive male prostitute in the world.” In his short life, Denny achieved a mythic status, and Best-Kept Boy in the World for the first time follows him into his rarefied world of barons and shipping tycoons, lords, princes, heirs of great fortunes, artists, and authors. Here is the story of an American original, a story with an amazing cast of unforgettable characters and extraordinary settings, the book Gore Vidal wished Denny had written.
December 16 – National
“Proud Heritage” This groundbreaking three-volume reference traces the roots and development of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights and issues in the United States from the pre- colonial period to the present day.
• Highlights the social, cultural, and political developments of LGBT issues through biographies of key people, entries, legislation, and primary documents
• Covers content mandated by the Fair, Accurate, Inclusive, and Respectful (FAIR) Education Act in California
• Encourages critical inquiry and thinking by integrating factual content with speeches, letters, and biographies
• Contains contributions from more than 70 academic scholars from across disciplines to give a broad perspective on the content• Includes state-by-state examinations of LGBT history and laws
February 13 - Virginia
In the case Bostic v. Schaefer, U.S. District Court Judge Arenda L. Wright Allen rules that Virginia’s ban on same-gender marriage is unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen strikes down Virginia's same-sex marriage ban but blocks marriages during the appeal process.
January 1 – California
NCLR drafts and helps pass California’s Senate Bill 274, the first comprehensive statute in the country explicitly allowing children to have more than two legally recognized parents in limited circumstances
November 4 - National
Maura Healey and Steve Kerrigan win their primary races for Massachusetts Attorney General and Lieutenant Governor, marking the first time two openly LGBTQ candidates won statewide races on
the same night. Maura Healey goes on to win the general election, making her America’s first openly LGBTQ state Attorney General. Victory Fund announces Maura Healey’s win on social media.
May 20 - Pennsylvania
U.S. District Judge John Jones strikes down Pennsylvania's gay marriage ban, and the state does not appeal. Pennsylvania becomes 19th State to Legalize Gay Marriage
April 7 – National
Doug Spearman wrote and directed “Hot Guys With Guns”
Eli Lieb
July 29 - National
"Educating Simon” Everything sixteen-year-old Simon Fitzroy-Hunt loves is in England. There's his school, his boyfriend, his cat, and especially Oxford University, which Simon plans to attend just as his beloved late father planned. But all of Simon's certainties come crashing down when his mother remarries and drags him to Boston with her.
Furious and unforgiving, Simon finds plenty to resent in America. His stepsister, Persie, is overindulged by her father and struggling with Asperger syndrome. And Simon's school project-- coaching a young student for the national Spelling Bee--hits a complication when eleven-year-old Toby makes a confession: there's a girl trapped inside his body, and her name is Kay.Helping Kay find her way begins changing Simon too, opening him to different perspectives, revealing a strength that's gone untapped until now. And as the life he's known and the future he envisioned slip further away each day, he realizes he can either lose his direction entirely or forge a new--and perhaps even better--path.
February 27 – National
"Do Me" This is a sex guidebook that picks up where the others leave off. It doesn’t just repeat for the hundredth time the same old recipes for how to give a blow job or how-to user your fingers in bed; it shows you how to go from the sexual little league to the erotic world series! With the techniques in this book, you’ll amaze any guy, be it a one-night stand or your long-time lover. There’s plenty of lust and desire to be discovered, even in a long-term relationship! Do Me! will take you on a journey of sexual awakening. Whether on your own or together with your partner, you’ll discover a whole new world of erotic adventures and sensual fulfillment.
July 24 – National
Marc Andreyko an openly gay comic writer announces his work in ‘Wonder Woman” #77.
January 8 – New York
A transgender woman was at the Neptune Diner in the Astoria Queens neighborhood, when she and another person were hit with a plate by two women who were verbally assaulting her. At the time, NYPD said detectives were investigating the incident as a hate crime.
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