Exploring LGBTQ+ History: From Two-Spirit Leaders to LGBTQ Activism

This chapter delves into LGBTQ history, extending beyond the Stonewall Inn in 1969 to discuss the Two-Spirit tradition among Native American tribes and the impact of white settlers on LGBTQ acceptance. It covers key figures in LGBTQ+ history including Henry Gerber, Del Martin, Phyllis Lyon, Christine Jorgensen, Jose Saria, Bayard Rustin, Frank Kameny, Barbara Gittings, Sylvia Rivera, and Marsha P. Johnson, exploring their contributions to LGBTQ activism. The chapter also addresses the early days of the AIDS epidemic and the activism led by individuals like Larry Kramer, highlighting the formation and impactful actions of the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (Act Up).