10 Iconic LGBTQ+ Women to Honor This Women’s History Month
By Maya Green
In 1987, the United States Congress officially designated March as National Women’s History Month. 34 years later, we recognize this month as a time to reflect on the indelible legacies of women whose contributions continue to make our country and world more creative, informed, just, and free.
These ten LGBTQ+ women are activists, feminists, writers, leaders, musicians and astronauts. They were and are the lifeblood of movements such as Women’s Suffrage, LGBTQ+ Rights, March For Our Lives, and countless more. And this list is only the beginning! May we recognize these incredible queer women and their legacies not only during Women’s History Month, but always.
Sophonisba Breckinridge
A lesser-known figure of the Women’s Suffrage movement of the early 20th century, Sophonisba Breckinridge was the first woman to earn a PhD in political science and economics at the University of Chicago. She later served as the vice president of the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) in 1911 and played a part in founding the Chicago Women’s Trade Union League, as well as the Chicago chapter of the NAACP.
Stormé DeLarverie
Stormé DeLarverie was a gay rights activist, lesbian, and performer who, according to her and others present, threw the first punch in the Stonewall Uprising of 1969, the catalyst for the Gay Rights Movement. Before Stonewall, she was most well-known for her performances in male drag with the traveling cabaret the Jewel Box Revue.
Sylvia Rivera
A prolific trans and BIPOC rights activist, Silvia Rivera was an outspoken leader in the LGBTQ+ community throughout the 1970s. She played a large part in the Stonewall Uprising and later founded The Gay Liberation Front as well as the STAR shelter for homeless transgender youth in New York City.
Sally Ride
As the first woman and the first openly queer astronaut in space, Sally Ride was a pioneer. After earning degrees in English and physics, she joined NASA’s class of 1978 as one of only five women in the program. Ride served as the flight engineer on ChallengerSTS-7, becoming the first woman in space on June 18th,1983.
“#TBT: Sally Ride Becomes First American Woman in Space — June 18, 1983” by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center is licensed with CC BY-NC 2.0.
Chrystos
Chrystos is a lesbian, two-spirit Menominee poet and writer who writes widely about mental health, queer love, Native ancestry, the destructiveness of white supremacy, and a host of other themes. They are a longtime human rights activist and have advocated extensively against the unjust incarceration of Indigenous peoples.
Cecelia Chung
Cecilia Chung has been a transgender rights activist for more than two decades. When she was diagnosed with HIV in 1993, Chung decided to take action against the deadly disease which, at the time, was extremely prevalent in the transgender community of San Fransisco. After working as an HIV test counselor, serving on the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS, and spearheading a host of transgender activism, she now serves as Senior Director of Evaluation and Strategic Initiatives at the Transgender Law Center.
Danica Roem
Danica Roem made history when she became the first transgender person elected to any level of the United States Legislature. After pursuing a career in journalism, Roem won her historic election to the Virginia House of Delegates on November 7th, 2017.
“2018.01.06 Out for Pete II with Martin O’Malley and Danica Roem, Washington, DC USA 2–11” by tedeytan is licensed with CC BY-SA 2.0.
Roxane Gay
A prolific writer and feminist thinker, Roxane Gay has authored several books and written for publications such as The New York Times, The Guardian, and Time. Her best known work is The New York Times Bestseller Bad Feminist, a collection of short essays.
“Roxane Gay in conversation with Rachel Zellars — Montreal — 02” by Eva Blue is licensed with CC BY 2.0.
Hayley Kiyoko
Known as “Lesbian Jesus” on the internet, Hayley Kiyoko is a pop singer, actor, and LGBT+ rights advocate. After coming out in her 2015 hit “Girls Like Girls,” Kiyoko became a musical icon in the queer community and remains as such today. She also aims to serve as a role model for queer Asian girls — a group typically underrespresented in mainstream media.
“Hayley Kiyoko, The Observatory, 03/07/17” by caitlinvison is marked under CC PDM 1.0.
Emma Gonzales
Emma Gonzales co-founded the organization Never Again MSD after becoming a survivor of the devastating school shooting at Marjory Stoneman-Douglas High School in 2018. Along with several of her peers, Gonzales orchestrated the first #MarchForOurLives protest, which became the largest coordinated student protest in US history after over two million American students took to the streets to march against gun violence.
Citations
Anderson, Ashlee. “Sally Ride.” National Women’s History Museum, 2018, www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/sally-ride.
Collins, Sarah. “The Queer Suffragists Who Fought for Women’s Right to Vote.” Them., Condé Nast, 14 Aug. 2020, www.them.us/story/queer-suffragist-history.
Harvey, Spencer, and Clare Kenny. “Teen Vogue Presents GLAAD’s 20 Under 20: Young LGBTQ People Shaping The Future of Media and Activism.” Teen Vogue, Condé Nast, 22 June 2020, www.teenvogue.com/gallery/glaad-20-under-20.
Kiley, Rachel. “There’s a Reason Hayley Kiyoko Is Lesbian Jesus.” Pride, 17 June 2019, www.pride.com/identities/2019/6/17/pride25-2019-hayley-kiyoko.
Newman, Katelyn. “10 Things You Didn’t Know About Danica Roem.” US News, U.S. News & World Report L.P., 8 Nov. 2017, www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2017-11-08/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-danica-roem.
Osgood, Harley. “Stormé DeLarverie (1920–2014).” BlackPast.Org, 3 June 2020, www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/people-african-american-history/delarverie-storme-1920-2014.
Pham, Xoai. “Honor Trans Elders: Cecilia Chung Is the Mother We All Wanted.” Autostraddle, The Excitant Group, LLC, 7 May 2020, www.autostraddle.com/honor-trans-elders-cecilia-chung-is-the-mother-we-all-wanted.
Roxane Gay. WordPress, roxanegay.com. Accessed 20 Feb. 2021.
“The History of Pride Part 2: Don’t Forget the Leaders of the Movement.” JCFS, JCFS Chicago, www.jcfs.org/response/blog/history-pride-part2. Accessed 18 Feb. 2021.
Willis, Raquel. “How Trans Advocate Cecilia Chung Channeled Her Anger Into Activism.” Them., Condé Nast, 26 Mar. 2018, www.them.us/story/transvisionaries-cecilia-chung-channels-her-anger-into-activism.
“Women’s History Month.” Womenshistorymonth.Gov, The Library of Congress, womenshistorymonth.gov/about/#:%7E:text=Since%201995%2C%20presidents%20have%20issued,history%20in%20a%20variety%20of. Accessed 18 Feb. 2021.
“INTERVIEW WITH CHRYSTOS.” Black Coffee Poet, 24 Nov. 2014, blackcoffeepoet.com/2010/09/15/interview-with-chrystos.
