The First 100 Gays

[JudyM]

WASHINGTON ― Saturday marks President Donald Trump’s first 100 days in office. In case you haven’t read an analysis of his failures, his lies or what grades he deserves for his performance over the past three months, don’t worry: there are more than 833,000 takes to choose from.

Enough. It’s time to expend brain power on something else. Nobody wants another think piece on the first 100 days. But the first 100 gays? Nobody has done this. Until now.

Here are the first 100 gay people in America, with some major caveats. 1) These are people who have been out and influential in some form. 2) I am going back in time as far as I can find people in Google searches on a Friday night, when I’m doing this instead of going out and enjoying whiskey with friends. 3) I will inevitably miss important people; do not give me crap. Instead, enjoy reading about something other than Trump and learn things.

1. Frances Rummell (a.k.a Diana Frederics) published a 1939 autobiography called Diana: A Strange Autobiography. It was the first explicitly lesbian autobiography in which two women ended up happy together.

4. In 1955, Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon founded Daughters of Bilitis, the first national lesbian political and social organization. They were also the first same-sex couple married in California when, in 2004, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom ordered the city clerk to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. They were 87 and 83. Aw.

7. Craig Rodwell opened the New York City-based Oscar Wilde Bookshop in 1967. It was the first book store devoted to gay and lesbian authors. It closed in 2009.

9. In 1970, Del Whan taught the first LGBTQ class at the University of Southern California, titled “Social Movement: Gay Liberation.” It evolved into a student group, The Gay Liberation Forum, which was the first gay and lesbian campus group. USC finally recognized it in 1975.

14. Nancy Wechsler and Jerry DeGrieck, in 1972, became the first openly LGBT elected officials in America. They were graduate students at the University of Michigan, and both were elected to the Ann Arbor City Council.

19. Robin Tyler became the first out lesbian on national television in 1978, appearing on a Showtime comedy special that Phyllis Diller hosted.

23. Sally Ride was the first American woman in space, in 1983, and then when she died in 2012, she came out as a lesbian in her obituary. Boom! That makes her the first (and only) out LGBTQ astronaut.

25. In 1986, Becky Smith and Annie Affleck became the first openly lesbian couple granted legal, joint adoption of a child.

27. In 1993, Roberta Achtenberg became the first openly gay or lesbian person nominated to a federal government post and confirmed by the Senate. Then-President Bill Clinton nominated her to be his assistant secretary of fair housing and equal opportunity.

32. In 1997, Ellen DeGeneres came out as a lesbian on “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” and then her TV series character came out too. That made her the first openly lesbian actress to play an openly lesbian character on TV. This was a BFD to budding young lesbians.

33. Tammy Baldwin became the first open lesbian elected to Congress in 1998. She later became the first openly lesbian or gay U.S. senator.

35. In 2003, David Cicilline became the first openly gay mayor of a U.S. state capitol, Providence, Rhode Island. He’s in Congress now.

47. In 2012, Army Reserve officer Tammy Smith became the first openly gay U.S. general in American history.

50. Basketball player Jason Collins came out in 2013, making him the first openly gay active male professional athlete in a major team sport.

52. Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, came out as gay in 2014. That made him the first openly gay chief executive on the Fortune 500 list.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/first-100-gays_us_59039dcce4b05c39767f71ae?9lv&ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009

Much more at the link.