Writer.
In June of 2018, I began posting a brief bio and picture/video of a different queer hero every day to Facebook to celebrate Pride. The posts became invigorating to write and research; a way to commemorate the reasons Pride exists.
#QueerHeroes Day 23 - Patrick Haggerty Haggerty was born in 1944 and grew up on a dairy farm in Washington. He came out to his father in 1959. After college, he joined the Peace Corps but was kicked out for being gay. He was active in the Gay Liberation Front during the 70s, but he’s most …
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#QueerHeroes Day 22 - Joan Jett Blakk/Terrence Smith Terrence Smith began doing drag as Joan Jett Blakk in 1974. In 1992, she ran a satirical "camp-pain" for President of the United States as a member of the Queer Nation Party. She adopted the slogan "Lick Bush in '92!" She would attempt to primary Bill Clinton …
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#QueerHeroes Day 21 - Magnus Hirschfeld Hirschfeld was a German sexologist who formed the Scientific-Humanitarian Committee in 1897, one of the first advocacy groups for gay and transgender rights. In 1919, he opened the Institute for Sex Research in Berlin. It became a cultural and scientific hub for queer social reformers, researchers, sociologists and scientists. In …
#QueerHeroes Day 20 - Keith Haring Haring’s art first began getting attention with the graffiti he would create on blank ad spaces in New York subway platforms. He’d later use it to create fliers and art work for the ACT UP movement which was fighting against the AIDS epidemic ravaging New York, America, and the world. …
#QueerHeroes Day 19 - Janet Mock Janet Mock is a transgender writer, editor, director, and producer. Her debut memoir, Redefining Realness, became a New York Times bestseller. In addition to being one of the writers and directors of POSE (which just got an early renewal for a third season after its season 2 premiere earned the …
#QueerHeroes Day 18 - Sally Ride Sally Ride became the first American woman in space on this day, 36 years ago. The male engineers at the time asked her how many tampons she’d need for a one week space flight. Their guess was 100. She quickly corrected them. She was 32 years old and remains …
#QueerHeroes Day 17 - Matthew Shepard Matthew Shepard shouldn’t be on this list. He should be at home, perhaps with a husband, maybe even kids. Or embarking on an exciting new adventure or a career he began after the college he never got to graduate from. He should be enjoying a life that he may not …
