Equality Forum, an international gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) civil rights organization, announced 31 Icons to be featured during GLBT History Month in October. The 31 Icons achieved success within their respective fields of endeavor, were national heroes or advanced GLBT civil rights.
“The GLBT community has been uniquely disadvantaged by not being taught its history at home, in public schools or in religious institutions,” said Malcolm Lazin, Executive Director of Equality Forum. “GLBT History Month helps teach our unacknowledged history, provides role models and celebrates contributions made by GLBT individuals to our country and internationally.”
The Icon videos are available for free for the Web sites of nonprofit organizations, educational institutions and corporate entities, through the inclusion of HTML code provided at www.glbtHistoryMonth.com. The Icon video is automatically updated each day. A free graphically-designed downloadable biography, bibliography and other educational resources for each Icon are available at www.glbtHistoryMonth.com. The 31 Icons from 2006 can also be found on the Web site.
Equality Forum solicited nominations from leaders of national and international GLBT organizations. Nominees were evaluated by GLBT History Month Co-Chairs Rev. Nancy Wilson, Moderator of the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches, and Prof. Kenji Yoshino, Deputy Dean for Intellectual Life at Yale Law School. Equality Forum’s Board of Directors approved the final slate of 31 Icons.
Equality Forum produced 30-second biographical videos on each Icon, which will be broadcast daily on here! and Logo television networks throughout October, and will be streamed on major GLBT Web sites. Comcast will air a 30-second television PSA.
Equality Forum launched GLBT History Month in 2006, and is patterned after Black and Women’s History Months. In its initial year, GLBT History Month reached over 500,000 individuals.
GLBT History Month 2007 Icons:
- October 1: Leonard Bernstein (Composer)
- October 2: Annie Leibovitz (Photographer)
- October 3: Angela Davis (Civil Rights Activist)
- October 4: Alexander the Great (Military Commander)
- October 5: Billie Jean King (Athlete)
- October 6: Pedro Almodovar (Writer/Director)
- October 7: Bessie Smith (Singer)
- October 8: Klaus Wowereit (Politician)
- October 9: Susan Sontag (Author/Commentator)
- October 10: Gore Vidal (Author)
- October 11: Lily Tomlin (Actor)
- October 12: Peter Gomes (Theologian)
- October 13: Mary Edwards Walker (Surgeon)
- October 14: Frederick II (Monarch)
- October 15: Virginia Uribe (Educator)
- October 16: Frank Kameny (Gay Pioneer)
- October 17: Nancy Mahon (Philanthropy Advocate)
- October 18: David Hockney (Painter)
- October 19: Audre Lorde (Author)
- October 20: Cary Grant (Actor)
- October 21: Renée Richards (Transgender Pioneer)
- October 22: Sherry Harris (Politician)
- October 23: John Maynard Keynes (Economist)
- October 24: Gertrude Stein (Author)
- October 25: Zhou Dan (Chinese Gay Pioneer)
- October 26: Carolyn Bertozzi (Scientist)
- October 27: Cole Porter (Songwriter)
- October 28: John McNeill (Theologian)
- October 29: Florence Nightingale (Health Care Advocate)
- October 30: Billy Sipple (Hero)
- October 31: Leonardo da Vinci (Artist/Inventor/Scientist)
For more information about Equality Forum, visit www.equalityforum.com. For more information about GLBT History Month, visit www.glbtHistoryMonth.com.