Special to News is Out from Philadelphia Gay News Although no law can truly prevent unfair treatment, nondiscrimination laws act as a deterrent and offer a path to accountability when problems arise. But many state statutes do not explicitly protect LGBTQ+ people — and without federal nondiscrimination laws pertaining to the queer community, most LGBTQ+ people […]
Category: History
Posted inTop Stories
Save the date: News is Out to host “We Were Here” virtual event for LGBTQ+ History Month
Join us October 28 for We Were Here, a live virtual event celebrating LGBTQ+ History Month, presented by News is Out and hosted by Dana Piccoli. This special program brings together history makers and community leaders from across the country to reflect on the people, moments, and movements that shaped our shared story. Featured guests […]
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GayBarchives keeps our history on the record — and our memories alive
For generations, LGBTQ+ bars have been more than nightlife: they’ve been sanctuaries. Over vodka sodas and jukebox tunes, they offered connection, safety, and visibility during times where simply existing as a queer or transgender person could be dangerous. Yet, like so much of queer history, the stories of these bars often fade when the lights […]
Posted inCommunity
The need to preserve LGBTQ+ histories of rural America
Special to News is Out from Philadelphia Gay News “People think of big cities when they think about the LGBTQ community because it’s just more visible there,” said Barry Loveland, co-founder of the LGBT Center of Central PA History Project, explaining that it’s often easier to find and document the stories of queer urban pasts. “The more rural […]
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From silence to action: Day of Silence co-founder vows ‘We’re not going anywhere’
Special to News is Out from Philadelphia Gay News Maria Pulzetti said many folks will tell her that their first exposure to LGBTQ+ activism was in middle school or high school, through the national youth movement known as Day of Silence. However, these same folks do not realize a key detail about the annual event […]
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U.S. monuments that tell LGBTQ+ history
Public memory matters, and for LGBTQ+ communities, monuments have long lagged behind. But in recent decades, visible landmarks have begun to claim space in cities across the country. These sites do more than decorate: they insist our stories belong in public record and place. Below is a tour of notable LGBTQ+ monuments and memorials in […]
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LGBTQ+ Media Mapping Project finds increasing challenges for local outlets
Link to report and map online here September 8, 2025 — The LGBTQ+ Media Mapping Project today released a groundbreaking look at local LGBTQ+ media, with in-depth analysis of all aspects of their reach, size, impact and increasing need in a hostile and threatening political and cultural climate for LGBTQ+ people. The LGBTQ+ Media Mapping […]
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The rainbow emoji’s path from weather icon to LGBTQ+ shorthand
You see it in text messages, bios, and Pride posts: 🌈 The rainbow emoji has become one of the most recognizable digital symbols of LGBTQ+ identity. What started as a simple weather icon has evolved into a global sign of Pride and community. The rainbow beginnings Emoji first appeared in Japan in the late 1990s […]
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The OutLook: July 11, 2025
The OutLook is our weekly roundup of political issues that affect the LGBTQ+ community. The Stonewall National Monument page has removed the word “bisexual” from its National Park Service site. Earlier this year, the words “transgender” and “queer” were removed, as well as the Q and T in LGBTQ. Illinois state Sen. Mike Simmons has […]
Posted inHistory
Gay Men’s Health Crisis showed how everyday people stepped up when institutions failed during the height of the AIDS epidemic – providing a model for today
The story of the AIDS movement is one of regular people: students, bartenders, stay-at-home mothers, teachers, retired lawyers, immigrants, Catholic nuns, newly out gay men who had just arrived in New York, and many others. Some had lost friends or lovers. Some felt a moral calling. Some were just trying to balance their sexual karma. […]
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Alice Austen photo collection reunited with LGBTQ+ landmark after 80 years
After decades in the care of Historic Richmond Town in Staten Island, more than 7,000 photographs by trailblazing lesbian photographer Alice Austen will return to the Alice Austen House on June 21. The handover will take place during a celebration for the new book Too Good to Get Married, which explores Austen’s life, work, and her […]
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Tennessee can enforce ban on gender-affirming care, Supreme Court rules
The U. S. Supreme Court has ruled today that Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors can remain in effect. In a 6-3 decision, the court upheld the law in U.S. v. Skrmetti, dealing a major blow to legal efforts challenging anti-trans legislation nationwide. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the majority opinion, stating the […]
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Chinese only introduced a feminine pronoun in the 1920s. Now, it might adopt a gender-inclusive one
Including pronouns in introductions, your email signature or your social media bio may seem like a minor detail. Pronouns are just small words we use in place of names all the time. But, like names, pronouns have personal significance. They say something about who we are. Trans, nonbinary and gender-diverse people face many issues more […]
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What we can learn from the Lavender Scare of the 1950s
While most people are familiar with the “Red Scare” of the 1950s, the Lavender Scare was a lesser known but equally dangerous part of this period. During the Red Scare, federal workers were interrogated, fired, and some, including Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, were even executed with the justification that the government was rooting out communist spies. The full extent […]
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Preserving history through The Dallas Way archives
What started more than 10 years ago as a simple suggestion has grown into one of the nation’s largest LGBTQ archives. Since 2011, The Dallas Way has led the effort to preserve the stories of Dallas’s LGBTQ community. The idea for the organization was sparked when a Dallas Voice reporter was interviewing community leaders Jack […]
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How the LGBTQ+ community can use the lessons of ACT UP to fight what comes next
Since the election, I haven’t been sleeping much, and I know I’m not alone. When it became clear that Donald Trump—convicted felon, opponent of LGBTQ+ rights, and found liable of sexual abuse—had won the election, many queer people feared the worst. The Trevor Project reported a 700% increase in use of their crisis services by […]
Posted inHistory
The dark history of ‘Witch’ as a weapon against LGBTQ+ women
Witch. We hear women called this all the time. Sometimes it’s meant as a substitute for the misogynist b word. But “witch” is not a benign slur to fling at women. The history of women being called witches is grim. Demonizing, torture and killing of women — particularly lesbians or women thought to be lesbians […]
Posted inHistory
The Lavender Scare: The case against homosexuals
Special to News is Out from the LGBT History Project. There is perhaps no more critical election in U.S. history than the one in which Americans vote Nov. 5. Vice President Kamala Harris has said repeatedly as she campaigns that former president Donald Trump poses a threat to democracy as well as to a myriad […]
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Corporate America’s embrace of LGBTQ+ rights shaped history. What’s next for allyship?
Special to News is Out from the LGBT History Project. “The evolution of a company’s policies and branding and reputation is a lifelong work-in-progress,” said Bob Witek, a pioneering LGBTQ+ business leader and communications strategist. Concepts like DEI are mainstream today, and advertising to LGBTQ+ customers is commonplace — but neither were the norm thirty years […]
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A brief history of National Coming Out Day
October 11 is National Coming Out Day, an LGBTQ+ holiday celebrated for the last 36 years. With renewed attacks on the LGBTQ+ community in recent years, events like National Coming Out Day are especially important. But what’s the history of this pivotal day in LGBTQ+ history? Keith Haring’s artwork used for NCOD. Photo: HRC Records […]