Gay and Lesbian History Month
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When Ruth Ellis died
peacefully in her sleep on October 5, 2000, at the age of
101, the LGBT community lost not only an inspiring, humble and
compassionate role model, but a powerful link to its past. Ellis was
alive when Oscar Wilde made his supposed
"deathbed conversion"
in 1900, when
Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas
met in 1907, and when
Billy Strayhorn
was composing music for Duke Ellington's orchestra during the
'40s. She lived to see the enormous strides toward progress the gay
community has seen in the decades since: the
Stonewall Riots; the
successive Marches on Washington in 1979, 1987, 1993 and 2000; the
elections of such openly gay officials as
Tammy Baldwin and
Barney Frank;
increasing instances of major companies granting domestic partner
benefits; and the very public coming out of gay celebrities in the news,
on stage and on television.
During this time of increased visibility, when gay and lesbian issues and
people seem to be in the eye of the mainstream media almost constantly,
it's more important than ever to remember our history. Join us during
this Lesbian and Gay History Month as we take a look at some of the
people and events that have combined to make our history unique, and our
future possible.
Peruse PlanetOut's
Queer History for stories ranging from
Emily Dickinson
to
lesbian pulp novels,
from
African American history to the
Lesbian Herstory Archives.
Check out our lists of the hottest and best
books and
movies
on lesbian and gay history. Share your experiences with fellow members and visitors, and
interact in our
chats and on our
message boards.
This passage in PlanetOut's Queer History is dedicated to the memory of
Ruth Ellis, with a special emphasis on her response when she was
(frequently) asked to name the most cherished period in her long life:
"This is the best part right now."
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