The death of Barbara Gittings (see below) has inspired me on a early gay hero kick. Here's an HRC video of Frank Kameny, who began his gay activism in the 1950s. He's still around and still active and I find him personally very inspiring.
Showing posts with label kameny. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kameny. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
A Gay Pioneer Dies
Barbara Gittings, a lesbian activist from the 1950s and onward, has died at 75.
Long before Stonewall, Gittings was one of a handful of gay Americans who started leading a community out of a dark veil of fear and shame. With Frank Kameny, she helped get the American Psychiatric Association to drop homosexuality from its list of mental disorders.
Obit here (via Andrew)
I never met Gittings, but I have met and done some work with Frank Kameney. I expect she harbored the same defiance and inner spirit and (I do not use this overused term lightly) pride. If you ever meet a revolutionary it's hard to forget that experience. At a time when many in our community think of actors, pop stars or models as "leaders" in the gay cause, it's sad to see the passing of a true giant. Sadder still that many younger gays will meet the news with, "who was she?" Although I hope many will use news of her death to learn more about the people who laid the groundwork evertyhing that's positive in the community today.
A good book, btw, on gay history in the 20th century, is this one.
Long before Stonewall, Gittings was one of a handful of gay Americans who started leading a community out of a dark veil of fear and shame. With Frank Kameny, she helped get the American Psychiatric Association to drop homosexuality from its list of mental disorders.
Obit here (via Andrew)
I never met Gittings, but I have met and done some work with Frank Kameney. I expect she harbored the same defiance and inner spirit and (I do not use this overused term lightly) pride. If you ever meet a revolutionary it's hard to forget that experience. At a time when many in our community think of actors, pop stars or models as "leaders" in the gay cause, it's sad to see the passing of a true giant. Sadder still that many younger gays will meet the news with, "who was she?" Although I hope many will use news of her death to learn more about the people who laid the groundwork evertyhing that's positive in the community today.
A good book, btw, on gay history in the 20th century, is this one.
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