October is LGBTQ+ History Month.  It has been celebrated in the United States since 1994, when it was founded by Missouri high-school history teacher Rodney Wilson.  It is now also celebrated in a number of other nations throughout the world.  October was chosen to coincide with National Coming Out Day which is celebrated on October 11 and to commemorate the first and second marches on Washington in 1979 and 1987 for LGBT rights.

Lawyers and the legal system have played an important role in the history of the gay rights movement.  Two of the earliest supporters of LGBTQ + History Month following its origination were attorneys and, at the time, Governors William Weld of Massachusetts and Lowell Weicker of Connecticut.  Lawyers represented their clients in extensive legal battles waged against discriminatory laws criminalizing homosexuality culminating in the Supreme Court’s decision in Lawrence v. Texas, which overturned all remaining laws criminalizing same sex activity.  Of course, recent victories for LGBTQ rights include the landmark Supreme Court case of Obergefell v. Hodges in 2015, making same sex marriage legal throughout the United States.

LGBTQ+ History Month celebrates the achievements and impact that LGBTQ+ individuals have had on history both locally and internationally.  As we recognize this month, we are also compelled to remember the Stonewall Riots that started on June 28, 1969 and mark the beginning of the Gay Liberation Movement.

In 2006, the civil rights organization Equality Forum became the official organizer and promoter of the month.  Each year, Equality Forum selects 31 icons to honor, one for each day.  This year one way to join in the celebration may be to read about each of the 31 selected LBGTQ+ icons.  The idea of diversity, equity and inclusion encompasses a culture that recognizes representation of different groups of individuals including our friends, colleagues and family who are members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Ryan J. Brady is a partner in the firm’s Harrisburg office.