I
feel a little foolish, Poppets. October is LGBT(Q) History Month here in the
U.S. – has been since 1994 – and I had no idea. I knew National Coming Out Day
was October 11th, but the whole month being dedicated to our
history? No clue. For those of you who knew this already, feel free to skip
this article altogether. But for those of you who didn’t know, here’s what I’ve
learned…
In
1994, Missouri high school teacher, Rodney Wilson, had the idea that our
community should have its own history month. He was able to garner support from
local community leaders and organizations and the idea spread. Soon, it was
recognized by national organizations including GLAAD and the National Education
Association. By 2006, Equality Forum had taken over responsibility for developing
content, raising awareness, and spreading our history. All thanks to a high
school teacher from Missouri.
Every
October, Equality Forum chooses thirty-one leaders – icons – from the LGBTQ
community and focuses on their contributions, both to us, and to the world at
large. Every day of the month, a new biography is highlighted. It’s an
opportunity for people to learn about leaders, role models, and contributors
who, yes, also happen to be gay/lesbian/transgendered/bisexual/queer. The focus
is on their achievements. How they have made the world a better, safer, more
interesting place. As with Black History Month (February) and Women’s History
Month (March) it teaches people, who might not otherwise realize, that things
we enjoy, value, even take for granted, were brought to us by members of the
LGBTQ community. It reminds people we are human beings with strengths and
talents and gifts, just like straight people. It reminds people we matter. Just
like straight people.
I’m
giving you a month, Poppets. Let’s think about how we can celebrate our
achievements. The website has this year’s list of icons. It also offers some
suggestions for ways to acknowledge the month.
And
allow me to make a suggestion of my own – social media. Almost all of us have a
Facebook page, a twitter account, a tumblr/blogger/reddit username. Let’s use
them! Get the word out. Link back to the website. Write your own posts.
Highlight the icons. All the biographies and images of the icons on the website
are free for reprint, republication, and dissemination. They’ve made it easy
for us; let’s thank them, and the people being honored, by boosting the signal.
Finally,
in preparation of next year, you can even nominate an icon to be honored in
2014. Check out the website. Throw a party. Write a post. Attend a lecture.
Hell, this may be the one time I can get behind changing a Facebook avatar!
You’ll find all kinds of ideas here: http://lgbthistorymonth.com/.
The
most important thing, though, is for us to learn our history. To be reminded.
It’s easy to get beaten down. To begin to believe the vitriol. To start to
think we really are less-than. But every year, here are thirty-one people who
refuse to be less-than, or to live in a less-than world. Embrace them.
Remember.
Until
next month – our month - Poppets,
take care of you.
