14 Historic LGBTQ+ Icons We Didn't Know (And Now We Won't Forget)

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14 Historic LGBTQ+ Icons We Didn't Know (And Now We Won't Forget)

Despite what many people think, LGBTQ individuals have existed for all of human history. Due to persecution, many queer icons of their time had to lie low. It’s not like in the 16th century Spain people could keep a record of all the transgender people doing awesome things, like Eleno de Céspedes whose legacy of being an accomplished surgeon only remains because he was tried by the Spanish Inquisition for being a trans man. 

That being said, a lot of queer history is assumed. Historians have to read between the lines since coming out wasn’t an option for a lot of people. Additionally, people didn’t have the same ability to talk about their experiences (and language is always evolving) so we may add labels like “trans” or “intersex” to the modern context that may not be representative of their actual experiences. 

With that being said, here are some LGBTQ trailblazers to add your Pride trivia. 

David Kato

LGBT Activist CRACKED.COM David Kato Considered by some the father of the Ugandan LGBT rights movement, Kato was a founding member of Integrity Uganda, which provided support to victims of anti-gay hate. Не became the first gay man to speak out in the Uganda press, distressed by the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, which was fueled by US missionaries and called for the execution of gay people.

Source: NY Times

Barbara Gittings

LGBT Activist CRACKED.COM Barbara Gittings In the 1950s, Gittings started a NY chapter of the lesbian organization Daughters of Bilitis. Within her lifetime of activism, she was essential to getting the APA to stop classifying homosexuality as a disorder and made huge strides in the ongoing battle to end workplace discrimination against LGBTQ people.

Source: LGBT 50

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