This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at VCU chapter.
In America, October brings manyIn America, October brings many holidays and month-long celebrations. From Halloween to Breast Cancer Awareness, different groups of people from all over the country enjoy the fall month for different reasons. One of those groups who have been getting more recognition in the media and elsewhere are the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community. October is LGBT History Month, and LGBT icons are being nationally recognized and respected for their great contributions to history.
In America, October brings many holidays and month-long celebrations. From Halloween to Breast Cancer Awareness, different groups of people from all over the country enjoy the fall month for
different reasons. One of those groups who have been getting more recognition in the media and elsewhere are the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community. October is LGBT History Month, and LGBT icons are being nationally recognized and respected for their great contributions to history.
According to the official LGBT History Month website, www.lgbthistorymonth.com, the celebration began in 1994 when Rodney Wilson, a Missouri high school teacher, came up with the idea. Rodney, other community leaders, and teachers thought a month should be dedicated to celebrating gay and lesbian history. October was the best month to dedicate the awareness because it was during the school year and “Coming Out Day” happens the same month on October 11th.
On the website, each day a different LGBT icon is presented with video, a biography, a bibliography, downloads and other resources.
Out of all 31 icons, only 12 are women. Although women do not make up a large portion of the list, the ones who are on the list are important, nonetheless. Here is a list of those females so fortunate to make this year’s list.
- Alison Bechdel (born Sept. 10, 1960): cartoonist and author of “Dykes to Watch Out For”; she also created a graphic memoir entitled “Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic,” which won the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Comic Book.
- Rita Mae Brown (born Nov. 28, 1944): lesbian and civil rights activist; author and screenwriter best known for “Rubyfruit Jungle,” a semi-autobiographical lesbian-themed novel.
- Denise Eger (born March 14, 1960): one of the first openly gay rabbis, who served as rabbi for the world’s first gay and lesbian synagogue; first female and openly gay president of the Board of Rabbis in southern California.
- Lady Gaga (born March 28, 1986): a popular music singer and performer known for her flamboyant videos, costumes and stage performances; she’s won five Grammys and has two Guinness World Records; she’s been named 2010 Artist of the Year by Billboard and the 2011 Most Influential Artist by Time; she is bisexual and a LGBT advocate.
- Frida Kahlo (July 6, 1907 – July 13, 1954): a Mexican painter known for her feminist and national themes and her self-portraits.
- Victoria Kolakowski (Aug. 29, 1961): a lawyer and judge of the Alameda County Superior Court; she assumed office Jan. 4, 2011; she is the first openly transgender person to serve as a trial judge in the U.S.
- Amélie Simone Mauresmo (born July 5, 1979): a French former professional tennis player and former World No. 1; won two Grand Slam single titles (Australian Open and Wimbledon); according to gayrva.com, she came out at publicly at the Australian Open in 1999, when she won and attributed that win to finding love and “coming to terms with” her sexuality.
- Constance McMillen (born 1992): successfully sued Itawamba County Agricultural High School for not allowing her to bring her girlfriend to the school’s prom.
- Amanda Simpson (born March 26, 1961): special assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Army; works in the U.S. Department of Defense; she’s the first openly transgender woman political appointee in any administration
- Wanda Sykes (born March 7, 1964): writer, comedienne, actress and voice artist; earned the 1999 Emmy Award for writing on the Chris Rock Show and was named one of the 25 funniest people by Entertainment Weekly in 2004; she is a same-sex marriage advocate who got married to her female partner a few years ago; she and her wife have 2-year-old twins
- Lilli Vincenz (born Sept. 26, 1937): a pioneering gay rights activist; she was the only lesbian to participate in the first White House picket in 1965; held Annual Reminders, a demonstration which launched the LGBT civil rights movement, every Independence Day from 1965 to 1969 in front of Independence Hall
- Virginia Woolf (Jan. 25, 1882 – March 28, 1941): famous English author, essayist, publisher, and short story writer; had relations with the likes of Violet Dickinson, Ethel Smyth and Vita Sacksville-West; she had experienced spells of depression throughout her life; her last depression led her to putting on her overcoat, filling its pockets with stones, and drowning in the River Ouse in 1941.
holidays and month-long celebrations. From Halloween to Breast Cancer Awareness, different groups of people from all over the country enjoy the fall month for different reasons. One of those groups who have been getting more recognition in the media and elsewhere are the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community. October is LGBT History Month, and LGBT icons are being nationally recognized and respected for their great contributions to history.
According to the official LGBT History Month website, www.lgbthistorymonth.com, the celebration began in 1994 when Rodney Wilson, a Missouri high school teacher, came up with the idea. Rodney, other community leaders, and teachers thought a month should be dedicated to celebrating gay and lesbian history. October was the best month to dedicate the awareness because it was during the school year and “Coming Out Day” happens the same month on October 11th.
On the website, each day a different LGBT icon is presented with video, a biography, a bibliography, downloads and other resources.
Out of all 31 icons, only 12 are women. Although women do not make up a large portion of the list, the ones who are on the list are important, nonetheless. Here is a list of those females so fortunate to make this year’s list.
Alison Bechdel (born Sept. 10, 1960): cartoonist and author of “Dykes to Watch Out For”; she also created a graphic memoir entitled “Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic,” which won the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Comic Book.
Rita Mae Brown (born Nov. 28, 1944): lesbian and civil rights activist; author and screenwriter best known for “Rubyfruit Jungle,” a semi-autobiographical lesbian-themed novel.
Denise Eger (born March 14, 1960): one of the first openly gay rabbis, who served as rabbi for the world’s first gay and lesbian synagogue; first female and openly gay president of the Board of Rabbis in southern California.
Lady Gaga (born March 28, 1986): a popular music singer and performer known for her flamboyant videos, costumes and stage performances; she’s won five Grammys and has two Guinness World Records; she’s been named 2010 Artist of the Year by Billboard and the 2011 Most Influential Artist by Time; she is bisexual and a LGBT advocate.
Frida Kahlo (July 6, 1907 – July 13, 1954): a Mexican painter known for her feminist and national themes and her self-portraits.
Victoria Kolakowski (Aug. 29, 1961): a lawyer and judge of the Alameda County Superior Court; she assumed office Jan. 4, 2011; she is the first openly transgender person to serve as a trial judge in the U.S.
Amélie Simone Mauresmo (born July 5, 1979): a French former professional tennis player and former World No. 1; won two Grand Slam single titles (Australian Open and Wimbledon); according to gayrva.com, she came out at publicly at the Australian Open in 1999, when she won and attributed that win to finding love and “coming to terms with” her sexuality.
Constance McMillen (born 1992): successfully sued Itawamba County Agricultural High School for not allowing her to bring her girlfriend to the school’s prom.
Amanda Simpson (born March 26, 1961): special assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Army; works in the U.S. Department of Defense; she’s the first openly transgender woman political appointee in any administration
Wanda Sykes (born March 7, 1964): writer, comedienne, actress and voice artist; earned the 1999 Emmy Award for writing on the Chris Rock Show and was named one of the 25 funniest people by Entertainment Weekly in 2004; she is a same-sex marriage advocate who got married to her female partner a few years ago; she and her wife have 2-year-old twins
Lilli Vincenz (born Sept. 26, 1937): a pioneering gay rights activist; she was the only lesbian to participate in the first White House picket in 1965; held Annual Reminders, a demonstration which launched the LGBT civil rights movement, every Independence Day from 1965 to 1969 in front of Independence Hall
Virginia Woolf (Jan. 25, 1882 – March 28, 1941): famous English author, essayist, publisher, and short story writer; had relations with the likes of Violet Dickinson, Ethel Smyth and Vita Sacksville-West; she had experienced spells of depression throughout her life; her last depression led her to putting on her overcoat, filling its pockets with stones, and drowning in the River Ouse in 1941.