13 LGBTQ+ Heroes You Didn't Learn About in History Class
Members of the LGBTQ+ community have made amazing contributions to world history, yet often they are overlooked or painted with a brush that ignores who they loved and how they identified. From brilliant artists to famous nurses, activists, and astronauts, these amazing heroes stepped up and changed the course of history. Read on to learn about the accomplishments of these amazing human beings. Then, read up on when Pride Month is and how it began, along with inspiring LGBTQ quotes.
Alan Turing
Born in 1912, Alan Turing was a groundbreaking mathematician and scientist who is considered to be the father of artificial intelligence and computer science. There was a time, however, when he was considered to be something else: A criminal. Turning was a British citizen and despite serving his country by breaking Nazi codes during World War II, he was arrested in 1952 in the United Kingdom for the "crime" of homosexuality. Given a choice between prison or chemical castration, he chose the chemical injections which eventually resulted in his impotency. Tragically, he died by suicide in 1954. Despite this inhumane treatment, Turning left the world with a brilliant blueprint for early computing. He was posthumously pardoned by Queen Elizabeth in 2013, nearly 60 years after his death. In 2016, the British government enacted Turning's Law which pardoned thousands of people unjustly convicted of historical sexual acts that were, thankfully, no longer considered to be a crime.
Oliver Sipple
In 1975, Sarah Jane Moore attempted to kill President Gerald Ford. She missed her target and when she raised her gun to shoot again, Oliver Sipple, a bystander, grabbed her arm and saved the president's life. Sipple was a retired marine who served in Vietnam. After this heroic act, he was outed by the press, despite being a private person who had chosen to remain closeted to many of his friends and family. He filed a lawsuit, seeking damages. Sipple received a letter of thanks from the president but never got back his privacy and lived out the rest of his days wishing he hadn't been thrust in the spotlight. Find out 52 astonishing facts you never knew about U.S. presidents.
Ma Rainey
Born Gertrude Pickett, Ma Rainey grew up to become known as the mother of the blues. In a time when most people were closeted, she sang openly about her relationships with other women and about living life as a black woman in America. She became a popular performer in the 1920s and her work inspired poets such as Sterling Brown and Langston Hughes. She also inspired playwright August Wilson and the novelist Alice Walker in later years. She broke barriers and paved the way for other women of color, including her protege, Bessie Smith. When she retired as a performer she established two music venues, offering opportunities to other performers.
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