Stop saying Harvey Milk was the first out gay person elected to public office

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Stop saying Harvey Milk was the first out gay person elected to public office He wasn't even second. Here are the women who were first. Reed Erickson was a trans man who bankrolled early LGBT movements Fundraising is central to the LGBTQ movement today. But decades ago, several organizations depended on one trans man. The ‘Black Cat gay riot’ is well-known… it’s also a myth When cops wreaked havoc at the Black Cat Tavern, history labelled it "a riot"... but what really happened there? The ballroom scene has been a place for LGBTQ people of color to grow for decades "Just seeing the joy and excitement of people when they hit the back of that runway, their talents come to life. It's overjoying for me." Remembering transgender pioneer Christine Jorgensen There was a media storm of coverage in the 1950's after she transitioned. The first organized gay rights protest was five years before Stonewall The world's first gay rights protest was over military service - 30 years before Don't Ask Don't Tell was implemented. Frank Kameny devoted his life to fighting for gay rights. He lived to see the end of DADT. Kameny replaced "Homosexuality is unfortunate" with "Gay is good" long before many LGBTQ historic figures were even out. Meet Perry Watkins, the gay soldier the Supreme Court wouldn’t let the Army discharge After 16 years of serving his country in the Army and 9 years fighting his country in court, Perry Watkins finally won. This gender non-conforming blues singer was a Harlem Renaissance super star She was famous for her bawdy performances and a chorus line of eight effeminate male dancers. The first St. Patrick’s Day parade to allow LGBTQ marchers didn’t happen where you’d imagine Long before gays and lesbians were fighting for the right to participate in cities like Boston, New York City and Chicago, an unlikely state capital welcomed LGBTQ marchers with open arms.