Portal:LGBT


	The LGBTQ+ Portal

Introduction

LGBT is an initialism that stands for "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender". It may refer to anyone who is non-heterosexual, non-heteroromantic, or non-cisgender, instead of exclusively to people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. The variant LGBTQ adds a Q for those who identify as queer (which can be synonymous with LGBT) or are questioning their sexual or gender identity, while LGBTQ+ adds a plus sign for "those who are part of the community, but for whom LGBTQ does not accurately capture or reflect their identity". Many further variations of the acronym exist, such as LGBT+ (simplified to encompass the Q concept within the plus sign), LGBTQIA+ (adding intersex, asexual, aromantic and agender), and 2SLGBTQ+ (adding two-spirit for a term specific to Indigenous North Americans). The LGBT label is not universally agreed to by everyone that it is generally intended to include. The variations GLBT and GLBTQ rearrange the letters in the acronym. In use since the late 1980s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for marginalized sexualities and gender identities.

The earlier initialism LGB began to replace the term gay (or gay and lesbian) in the late 1980s to reference the broader community. When not inclusive of transgender people, the shorter LGB is still used. (Full article...)

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The rainbow flag or pride flag is a symbol of LGBT pride and LGBT social movements. The colors reflect the diversity of the LGBT community and the spectrum of human sexuality and gender. Using a rainbow flag as a symbol of LGBT pride began in San Francisco, California, but eventually became common at LGBT rights events worldwide.

Originally devised by the artists Gilbert Baker, Lynn Segerblom, James McNamara and other activists, the design underwent several revisions after its debut in 1978, and continues to inspire variations. Although Baker's original rainbow flag had eight colors, from 1979 to the present day the most common variant consists of six stripes: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet. The flag is typically displayed horizontally, with the red stripe on top, as it would be in a natural rainbow. (Full article...)

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Mercury in 1977

Freddie Mercury (born Farrokh Bulsara; 5 September 1946 – 24 November 1991) was a British singer and songwriter who achieved worldwide fame as the lead vocalist and pianist of the rock band Queen. Regarded as one of the greatest singers in the history of rock music, he was known for his flamboyant stage persona and four-octave vocal range. Mercury defied the conventions of a rock frontman with his theatrical style, influencing the artistic direction of Queen.

Born in 1946 in Zanzibar to Parsi-Indian parents, Mercury attended English boarding schools in India from the age of eight and returned to Zanzibar after secondary school. In 1964, his family fled the Zanzibar Revolution, moving to Middlesex, England. Having previously studied and written music, he formed Queen in 1970 with guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor. Mercury wrote numerous hits for Queen, including "Killer Queen", "Bohemian Rhapsody", "Somebody to Love", "We Are the Champions", "Don't Stop Me Now" and "Crazy Little Thing Called Love". His charismatic stage performances often saw him interact with the audience, as displayed at the 1985 Live Aid concert. He also led a solo career and was a producer and guest musician for other artists. (Full article...)

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“

Because no one has the right to deny another their life even though they disagree with it, because everyone has the right to live the life they so desire if it doesn’t harm another and because discrimination has no place in America.

”

—Brad Pitt on Proposition 8 after donating $100,000 to fight the ballot

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Current events

October 5: Supreme court of Mauritius rules the colonial era law criminalizing homosexuality unconstitutional
August 5: DaBaby Levitating remix losing US radio audiences after the rapper's comments on HIV/AIDS
May 19: Taiwan's legislature first in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage
February 1: Toronto serial killer Bruce McArthur pleads guilty to eight murders
October 30: 22nd annual ILGA-Europe conference meets in Brussels: in pictures
October 30: In pictures: thousands attend 16th annual Taiwan Pride

See also: 2024 in LGBT rights

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Credit: Jamison Wieser

Pro and anti-Proposition 8 protesters rally as the California Supreme Court holds a session to determine the definition of marriage. Proposition 8 is a constitutional initiative that restricted the definition of marriage in California as that of between a man and a woman.

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... that when Dan Savage's book Savage Love was published, his advice column of the same name had 4 million readers?
... that Anita Bryant's participation in Save Our Children, a coalition working to overturn gay rights ordinances in Miami and other cities in 1977 and 1978, destroyed her career?
...that the GayFest of 2005 was the first LGBT pride parade in Romania?
... that African American civil rights activist Mel Boozer was the first openly gay person nominated for the office of Vice President of the United States?
... that the first same-sex kiss on an American soap opera was between fictional characters Lena Kundera and Bianca Montgomery in 2003, who were also American soap opera's first lesbian couple?

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This month's birthdays

1 – Brandi Carlile (1981–), American alternative country and folk rock singer-songwriter
1 – Ferron (1952–), Canadian folk singer and songwriter
2 – Brent Hawkes (1950–), Canadian pastor & LGBT rights activist
2 – Wentworth Miller (1972–), English-born American actor and screenwriter
2 – Zachary Quinto (1977–), American actor
2 – Marquis de Sade (1740–1814), French aristocrat, revolutionary politician, philosopher and writer
3 – Allen Ginsberg (1926–1997), American beat poet
3 – Josephine Baker (1906–1975), American dancer, singer and actress
3 – Anderson Cooper (1967–), American journalist, author, and television personality
3 – Alla Nazimova (1879–1945), Russian actress
4 – Val McDermid (1955–), Scottish suspense novel writer
5 – Lisa Cholodenko (1964–), American film and television writer-director
5 – Federico García Lorca (1898–1936), Spanish poet, playwright, and theatre director
5 – Suze Orman (1951–), American financial advisor, author, columnist and TV host
5 – Troye Sivan (1995–), Australian actor and singer
5 – Gustáv Slamečka (1959–), Czech politician
5 – Johannes, 11th Prince of Thurn and Taxis (1926–1990), German aristocrat and businessman
6 – Annie Adams Fields (1834–1915), American poet, essayist, memoirist, and biographer
6 – Sandra Bernhard (1955–), American comedian, actress, singer and writer
6 – Harvey Fierstein (1952–), American actor and playwright
6 – Violet Trefusis (1894–1972), English writer and socialite
7 – James Ivory (1928–), American film director
7 – Anne McClain (1979–), American engineer, military officer, and astronaut
8 – Kim Stolz (1983–), American model, TV personality, author and finance executive
8 – Marguerite Yourcenar (1903–1987), French novelist
9 – Parinya Charoenphol (1981–), Thai boxer, model and actress
9 – Bülent Ersoy (1952–), Turkish singer & actress
9 – Cole Porter (1891–1964), American composer and songwriter
10 – Maurice Sendak (1928–2012), American children's writer
10 – Dustin Lance Black (1974–), American screenwriter, director, producer, and LGBT rights activist
11 – Mario Silva (1966–), Portuguese-Canadian legal scholar and politician
11 – Renée Vivien (1877–1909), British poet
12 – Djuna Barnes (1892–1982), American writer
12 – Jim Nabors (1930–), American actor and singer
13 – Paul Lynde (1926–1982), American comedian and actor
14 – Paul O'Grady (1955–2023), British broadcaster, comedian and drag artist (Lily Savage)
14 – Boy George (1961–), British singer-songwriter
15 – Neil Patrick Harris (1973–), American actor, singer, director, and magician
15 – Bif Naked (1971–), Canadian singer-songwriter, actress and motivational speaker
16 – Lou Sullivan (1951–1991), American author and trans activist
16 – Jenny Shimizu (1967–), American model and actress
16 – Joe McElderry (1991–), British singer and model
17 – Clodovil Hernandes (1937–2009), Brazilian fashion stylist, television presenter, and politician
17 – Evelyn Irons (1900–2000), Scottish journalist and war correspondent
17 – Steven Davies (1986–), English cricketer
17 – Phyllida Lloyd (1957–), English theatre and film director
17 – Carl Van Vechten (1880–1964), American writer and photographer
19 – Elisabeth Marbury (1856–1933), theatrical/literary agent and author
20 – Allan Bell (1947–), Manx politician and Chief Minister of the Isle of Man
20 – E. Lynn Harris (1955–2009), American Author
21 – Meredith Baxter (1947–), American actress and producer
21 – Kate Brown (1960–), American politician and Governor of Oregon
21 – Lana Wachowski (1965–), American film director, screenwriter and producer
22 – Václav Fischer (1954–), Czech-German businessman and politician
22 – Jimmy Somerville (1961–), Scottish pop singer
23 – Alan Turing (1912–1954), English mathematician and computer scientist
24 – Stacy Sykora (1977–), retired American volleyball player
25 – George Michael (1963–2016), British singer-songwriter
25 – Larry Kramer (1935–), American playwright, novelist, and LGBT rights activist
26 – Sean Hayes (1970–), American actor and comedian
28 – Sunil Babu Pant (1972–), Nepalese politician and LGBT rights activist
28 – Jim Kolbe (1942–), American politician, Republican congressman (Arizona) (1985–2003)
28 – David Kopay (1942–), American football player
30 – Alan Joyce (1966–), Australian business executive and CEO of Qantas Airways