Gays That Slayed
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In honor of pride month I thought id bring attention to a few names that have contributed greatly to the LGBTQ community. These icons have fought for years to be able to be where we are now and sadly its still a fight that continues on, its a fight that we are now facing. I can only hope to grow old in a place where no love is rejected, where my loved ones and I are free to be bare, vulnerable and naive to anything that made us different. I can only hope that we all fall in love.
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Marsha P. Johnson
August 24, 1945 - July 3, 1992A stonewall riot veteran, drag queen and activist. She became well known in the gay and art community in New York during the 1960s-1990s, attending events, parades and protests. The ‘P’ in her name, as she stated, stood for “pay it no mind”
James Baldwin
August 2, 1924 - December 1, 1987Known as one of the most intellectual thinkers of the 20th century, an essayist, novelist, playwright, poet and a social justice advocate. He was vocal about identity, creativity and freedom.
Worked along side Martin Luther King pushing him to lean towards non-violent tactics. He led and organized many protests, for example, the March on Washington in 1963. He was arrested in 1953 for having sex with a man in a parked car.
March 17, 1912 - August 24, 1987Bayard Rustin
Stood on the frontlines of the Stonewall dilemma in New York, 1969. She was kicked out of two colleges for wearing dresses and relied on sex and drag work for an income. Known for getting black trans woman off the street, feeding and housing them when money was low or violence was high.
October 25, 1946 - October 13, 2025Miss Major Griffin-Gracey
During WWII he was active in cracking the Germans enigma code and deciphering messages. He was arrested in 1952 when he made a police call to report a robbing that happened in his home, he ended up being the one arrested when they found out he was in a relationship with another man.
June 23, 1912 - June 7, 1954Alan Turing
A playwright and activist, published the essay ‘1,112 and Counting’ - commenting on the gay men’s health crisis. He founded ACT UP which was an attempt to encourage aids research and advocate for the LGBTQ people.
June 25, 1935 - May 27 2020Larry Kramer
Rumored to have thrown the first punch at Stonewall, she would patrol the streets of Greenwich Village with a concealed rifle, which she had a permit for, to protect the lesbians and the kids during the night.
December 24, 1920 - May 24, 2014Storme DeLarverie
Allegedly threw the second Molotov cocktail at the police raid in protest for the Stonewall riot. She was the co-creator, alongside Marsha P. Johnson, for STAR, a transgender rights organization.
July 2, 1951 - February 19, 2002