2. David Kopay First professional U.S. athlete in any sport to come out publicly as gay Rock Hudson Supported AIDS fund-raising and public acceptance of homosexuality He made thousands believe that he was straight for decades.

3. Ruth Ellis The world’s oldest out lesbian; died at age 101 Martina Navratilova Openly gay tennis great who was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame

4. Barney Frank U.S. Congressman Openly gay Massachusetts Democrat Rep. Jose Sarria First openly gay candidate for public office in U.S. history

5. Glenn Burke Ex-Major League Baseball Player “They can't ever say now that a gay man can't play in the majors, because I'm a gay man and I made it." - Glenn Burke Elaine Noble First openly gay person elected to the Massachusetts State Legislature

6. Harvey Milk First openly gay official elected in the US An inspirational leader who was assassinated for being gay Dr. Tom Waddell Founder of the Gay Games

7. Greg Louganis Olympic gold medalist in diving “…for the first time, I was welcomed as an openly gay athlete. It was a real thrill for me, and that experience made me realize how important it is for athletes to feel welcome for who they are.” – Greg Louganis Ellen DeGeneres Openly lesbian actress playing an openly lesbian main character

9. Gay Pride: Not All About Celebration!!! The month of June is filled with Gay Pride events. From Akron, Ohio to Washington DC, gays and lesbians are celebrating. They celebrate how far they've come and the people who, throughout history, have aided in the struggle. Source: http://usliberals.about.com/library/weekly/aa062401a.htmhttp://usliberals.about.com/library/weekly/aa062401a.htm Stonewall marked a turning point in the fight for gay rights. In June 1969, a bar called Stonewall in Greenwich Village, New York City was raided, as it had been many times before. Yet this time, the patrons fought back. Each time the police would try to make the crowd disperse, the crowd would come back even stronger. These riots continued off and on for a whole five days. Just as Rosa Parks was an impetus for the civil rights movement, Stonewall became a rallying cry for gays and lesbians throughout the United States. Source: http://usliberals.about.com/library/weekly/aa062401a.htmhttp://usliberals.about.com/library/weekly/aa062401a.htm

10. Today, in big cities like New York and San Francisco, it is relatively easy to be an out homosexual. In the big cities, diversity is a given. Gays and lesbians, for the most part, can live the lives they choose without fear because they have community support. For gays and lesbians in smaller cities and rural areas, life as "out" people can be much more difficult. Recent examples of publicized hate crimes against gay/lesbian/transgender people include folks like Matthew Shepard and Brandon Teena. These are the most publicized examples, but there are many more private humiliations and brutalizations that gay people endure throughout the U.S. and the world everyday. http://usliberals.about.com/library/weekly/aa062401a.htm http://usliberals.about.com/library/weekly/aa062401a.htm While gays and lesbians recognize that they have come a long way, they also realize that there is still a long road ahead in obtaining a place at the table. Gay marriage and same-sex adoption are key issues. Ending the prevalence of gay teen suicide is another. Source: http://usliberals.about.com/library/weekly/aa062401a.htm

11. Gay pride events around the country give gay people a reason to celebrate themselves and their communities. Pride also comforts those who lack communities. They see other people like themselves and know that they are not alone. These are also events where the gay community can assess where they are and what needs to be done. Source: http://usliberals.about.com/library/weekly/aa062401a.htm Despite the prevalent stories of crimes against homosexuals/bisexuals and transgendered people, hate crime legislation is shot down again and again by bigots who insist that protecting people on the basis of sexual orientation is wrong. They argue that the perpetrators of these crimes would be punished by laws already in place. According to the Human Rights Campaign, while serious crime has decreased, hate crimes have been on the rise. Hate crimes against homosexuals constitute the third highest category reported. This statistic is particularly alarming when you consider the "1 in 10" ratio-- that is, one in ten people are gay! Currently, only 27 states and the District of Columbia include sexual orientation in their hate crimes statutes. Eighteen states have hate crimes laws that do not cover sexual orientation. And five states have no hate crimes laws. Source: http://usliberals.about.com/library/weekly/aa062401a.htm