Greg Louganis
October 1 - National
Boze Hadleigh a author publishes “Hollywood Lesbians”
August 1 - National
James Asal first produces the comic ADAM & ANDY, about the lives of two gay partners, as a 22- page comic book that he photocopies and distributes. After 8 issues, he converts the strip into a single-sheet “Sunday-style” comic strip for 150 installments. He then retools the series and launches it as a weekly web-comic (beginning May 15, 1999), which is collected in a trade paperback (Studio 64, October 2003).
April 1 - National
Sean Martin’s DOC & RAIDER is published in the first of two collections.
July 26 - National
Missy Giove, an openly lesbian mountain biker, wins her first world championship.
President Bill Clinton
Walta Borawski
October 6 - Hawaii
The Hawaii Legislature reacts to the Hawaii Supreme Court decisions in 1993 by amending the marriage law to specify that marriage is between a man and a woman. Legislators also create an 11-member Commission on Sexual Orientation and the Law to review what rights and benefits would be denied to same-sex couples should marriage be denied to them. Ostensibly this is done to promote a future domestic partnership bill that would convey those rights, while calling it something other than marriage. (Because of a court challenge over the Commission's membership, the Legislature dissolves the first commission in 1995 and creates a new seven- member Commission on Sexual Orientation and the Law. The new Commission is told to examine major legal and economic benefits extended to opposite-sex married couples but not to same-sex couples, public policies, and to identify recommendations to address any identified discrimination against same-sex couples. In December, the Commission recommends that the 1996 Legislature
legalize same-sex marriage or, as an alternative, create a "domestic partnership" law to grant same-sex couples many of the rights and liabilities of marriage without their being married. This will set the stage for an all-out war on gay marriage in Hawaii during 1996.)
September 19 - Washington D.C.
First use of "transgender" in Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the 103rd Congress, Second Session. Vol. 140 pt. 12. July 25, 1994, p. 17792.
March 1 - National
“Roseanne” (1994) ABC Thirty million people tuned in to see Mariel Hemingway kiss Roseanne in an episode ABC threatened not to air. Nancy, played by Sandra Bernhard, who comes out as a lesbian during season five. Real-life lesbian Sandra Bernhard played Roseanne’s friend Nancy, who dated both Hemingway and Morgan Fairchild. Roseanne’s old boss Leon (Martin Mull) eventually married his boyfriend, Scott (Mull’s longtime comedy partner Fred Willard.)
June 26 - National
George Chauncey wrote “Gay New York: Gender, Urban Culture, and the Making of the Gay Male World, 1890-1940”
November 15 - Oregon
Brian McNaught releases his bibliography “Gay Issues In The Workplace”
October 1 - Kansas
The "Report of the Task Force to Study the Concerns of Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Students, Staff, and Faculty at KSU" is completed. Several recommendations are made.
June 21 - National
General Assembly Resolution of Immediate Witness to Support the Employment Non- Discrimination Act of 1994 around issues of sexual orientation.
November 2 - National
Fourteen of Victory Fund’s 28 endorsed candidates win their elections, including San Diego Republican Bonnie Dumanis, who in 2002 would become America’s first openly LGBTQ District Attorney. Victory Fund featured Dumanis in 7,000 mailers and solicited more than $11,000 for her race for Municipal Court Judge. Victory Fund endorsed candidate Sheila James Kuehl also won her race to become the first openly LGBTQ person in the California state legislature.
January 1 - North Carolina
The Unitarian Universalist Association’s stages a public protest against North Carolina’s “crime against nature” laws.
August 23 - National
At U.S. insistence, the United Nations suspends the observer status of the International Lesbian and Gay Association.
The Liberty Press of Kansas
March 1 - Kansas
The first lgbt conference at a Kansas university is held at KSU.
February 17 - California
Randy Shilts, a journalist covering AIDS for the "San Francisco Chronicle" and author of “And the Band Played On: People, Politics, and the AIDS Epidemic,” dies of AIDS at the age of 42. Fred Phelps attempts to picket his funeral, stating that AIDS and death is God's punishment on Shilts for an immoral life. The picket lasts 50 seconds because the crowd pelts the Phelps’ with eggs, verbal abuse and (they claim) one brick.
September 1- National
Jimmie Robinson self-publishes the first of eight issues of cyberzone featuring an African- American lesbian lead character. robinson later brings the character back in a four-issue series Amanda and Gunn.
June 11 - Ohio
Rally at Bicentennial Commons, Parade marched through downtown. Festival afterwards at the Dock. (Gay & Lesbian Community Center Cincinnati)
January 1 – California
The USC Lambda Alumni Association announces that it will offer a $2,500 scholarship to be awarded to an openly gay, lesbian or bisexual graduate or undergraduate student enrolled during the fall semester.
August 19 - National
Jennifer Walters is ordained an Episcopal priest in Ann Arbor as an out lesbian.
July 29 - Georgia
The Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games faxes its decision to move the upcoming Olympic volleyball venue out of Cobb County because of homophobia.
February 28 - Washington D.C.
"Don't ask, don't tell" goes into effect.
July 1 - National
Chris Glaser a writer publishes “The Word Is Out”
June 1 - National
Stanley Siegel a therapist in New York publishes “Uncharted Lives: Understanding the Life Passages Of Gay Men”.
January 1 – National
Jim Grimsley publishes “Winter Birds”
November 16 - National
The movie “Heavenly Creatures” is released.
May 16 - Colorado
More than 40 fundamentalist groups, led by Focus on the Family, hold a summit in Colorado to coordinate a “special rights” argument to oppose gay rights. This strategy is also promoted by the Traditional Values Coalition’s “Gay Rights, Special Rights,” a 40-minute video claiming gay rights will erode the civil rights of African Americans.
January 1 – California
San Francisco’s Theatre Rhinoceros presents four gay comic-based one-act plays under the title OUT OF THE INKWELL.
November 10 - Oregon
The Oregon Citizens Alliance sponsors Ballot Measure 13. Titled “Amends Constitution: Governments Cannot Approve, Create Classifications Based on, Homosexuality”, it would have amended the state constitution to prohibit governments from extending anti-discrimination protections to homosexuals. The measure fails to pass.
January 1 – National
HANDS OFF! comics by over 35 artists collected to fight discrimination and homophobia! is published with all profits donated to Washington Citizens for Fairness to fight anti-gay legislation in the state of Washington.
August 24 - National
“My So-Called Life” ABC In its one lone season, this ABC drama from Edward Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz garnered a massive cult following and had a huge impact on the television landscape. Wilson Cruz played Rickie Vasquez—who, at 15, was the first unambiguous depiction of a queer teen on network TV. Rickie wears eyeliner and flashy clothes, and feels more at home in the girls’ bathroom with Rayanne and Angela. After suffering abuse at the hands of his uncle, he moves in with the Chases, and is then fostered by gay English teacher Richard Katimski.
July 1 - National
Three issues of LEATHERBOY, an erotic super-hero series by Craig Maynard, are published
September 27 - Washington D.C.
House Minority Whip Newt Gingrich defines a “Contract with America,” a list of campaign promises signed by himself and other Republican candidates for the House of Representatives. The promises are designed to unite the various factions of the party and provide a contrast with the policies of the Democratic Party. The Contract represents a triumph of Newt Gingrich, Tom DeLay, and the American conservative movement.
Deborah Batts
LGBT Federal Judge
June 24 - New York
The 25th Anniversary of the Stonewall Riots in New York City. The uprising is commemorated with a march on the United Nations in New York City and coincides with Gay Gays IV. The Games are the largest athletic competition in history with 11,000 participants. Greg Louganis, U.S. Olympic gold medal diving champion, comes out at the Games.
Joycelyn Elders
Surgeon General
June 21 - Virginia
The Virginia Appeals Court reverses the decision of the Circuit Court and allows Sharon Bottoms to regain custody of her son. Sharon Bottoms’ mother appeals to the Virginia Supreme Court, which rules in favor of Sharon Bottoms
December 15 - National
D. Michael Quinn a writer and activist published “The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power”
August 1 - National
Sean Strub founds POZ magazine that chronicles the lives of people affected by HIV/AIDS. Its website, Poz.com, has daily HIV/AIDS news, treatment information, forums, blogs and personals.
January 1 – National
NCLR dramatically expands its advocacy on behalf of LGBT immigrants with the launch of its Immigration Project, becoming the first national LGBT legal organization to do so
January 10 - California
The first-ever school district-sanctioned gay youth prom is held in Los Angeles.
January 1 - National
The American Medical Association announces it opposition to pseudo-medical treatments to “cure” homosexuals.
United States LGBT History for 1994
November 26 - National
The first of three issues and an “ashcan” edition of GO-GO BOY by Neil Johnston, about a gay super-hero, is published (Mermaid, 1994), with a fourth prepared and made available online.
January 28 - National
Jameson Currier publishes “Living Proof: HIV and the Pursuit of Happiness “
January 1 – Michigan
Jack Thurman's restaurant, popular in the 1960s and Kalamazoo’s gay hang-out, is demolished.
August 1 - National
Gordon Spurlock creates the first of three issues of the gay, anthropomorphic, erotic comics title MINOTAUR COMICS.
September 1- Kansas
Sharon Levin and Kristi Parker, Wichita, roll out the first issue of "The Liberty Press," Kansas’ only lgbt news magazine. It is still in operation.
November 30 - Kansas
Lawrence PFLAG forms.
April 1 - National
Gay newspaper advice columnist Dan Savage produces two issues of the comic book SAVAGE LOVE.
April 1 - National
Steven Corbin a writer and best known for his novel Fragments That Remain, which was shortlisted Lambda Literary Award nominee for Gay Fiction at the 6th Lambda Literary Awards
June 1 - National
The Unitarian Universalist Association’s General Assembly adopts a resolution urging that sexuality education in public schools be comprehensive, unbiased, up-to-date, and inclusive of all sexual orientations.
December 25 - National
The AMA denounces supposed cures for homosexuality.
May 1 - National
The novel “what they did to princess paragon” by Robert Rodi speculates on what might happen if a new writer revamped a long-running super-heroine as a lesbian
September 1- National
A collection of Jennifer Camper’s cartoons from LGBT magazines is published as rude girls and dangerous women
June 10 - Georgia
An estimated 150,000 attend the local Pride celebration, making it the fifth largest in the nation.
January 13 - National
John Berendt publishes the best-selling non-fiction book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, which was a finalist for the 1995 Pulitzer Prize in General Nonfiction. It was later turned into a movie directed by Clint Eastwood.
State equality and discrimination bills
Newt Gingrich
Contract with America
May 9 - California
The Desert Daily Guide, Palm Springs oldest and only gay owned and operated magazine to cover the desert weekly. It’s the insider’s guide to the valley, from Spectacular bar nights, The hottest bars with the coolest drinks, food, pool parties and more!
January 1 – Michigan
Gay Republicans form local Log Cabin clubs in Detroit and Lansing. Log Cabin Republicans are LGBT Republicans and straight allies who support equality under the law for all, free markets, individual liberty, limited government, and a strong national defense.
August 1 - National
Episcopal General Convention, the Standing Commission on Human Affairs concludes that “ironically in this Decade of Evangelism, we seem intent on keeping out one of the few identifiable groups of people who want to be welcomed in [gays and lesbians].” Their “wish list” for 1994
includes “dialogue on human sexuality to continue within the Church, more lesbian and gay members [to] come out of the closet and be recognized as human beings rather than as an issue, members [to] speak out against ‘gay bashing,’ and church members [to] fight local initiatives designed to deprive gays and lesbians of equal civil rights.” A group of 45 bishops sign a statement of protest in regard to the conclusions of the Commission.
May 5 - California
At the inaugural Scholarship Awards dinner in the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, USC Lambda awards its first scholarships, totaling $3,000, to three students.
January 1 – California
BOY TROUBLE debuts, co-edited by Robert Kirby and David Kelly. Four issues follow with the tenth anniversary issue printed in 2004 and a second volume in color in 2008.
February 1 - National
Walta Borawski, poet, died leaving with us poems that capture the hardships oh homophobia such as: “Cheers, Cheers forl Old Cha Cha Ass”, “Sexually Dangerous Poet”, “Some of us wear pink triangles”, and “Power of One”.
January 1 – National
The movie “Go Fish” is released.
November 1 - Kansas
Manhattanites create the Kansas Rainbow Listserv (KR-L) for statewide lgbt issues.
November 1 - National
Jon Macy produces the first of eight issues of erotic-goth series NEFARISMO.
January 1 – National
Paul Russell publishes his novel “The Sea of Tranquility”
January 31 - National
The Queer Resources Directory (QRD), the original lgbt resource on the Internet, becomes active. It is actually set up in 1991 but is not widely used because it pre-dates widespread public access to the Internet by several years.
February 1 - National
A Lutheran regional panel of the ELCA votes to “defrock” an Oakland pastor after he announces that he is homosexual. This marks the first trial of an openly gay pastor in the denomination.
January 1 - National
An Ikea ad runs on TV showing two men shopping for furniture together. This is the first TV commercial featuring an ordinary, gay couple
January 1 - Massachusetts
Massachusetts becomes first state to outlaw discrimination against gays in public schools.
October 1 - Oregon
The Gay & Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest (GLAPN) is founded. Their mission is to preserve the LGBTQ history of the Pacific Northwest, especially Oregon.
November 22 - National
David B. Feinberg publishes “Queer and Loathing”
January 1 – National
Cincinnati born Kevin Allison comes out on the MTV production of “The State”. One of the most popular sketches “The Jew, the Italian, and the Redhead Gay”.
November 26 - Michigan
Gary Rocus is killed by two men he invited home from Ken's Pub in Detroit.
November 1 - Oregon
Oregon voters defeat the OCA’s anti-gay ballot Measure 13, which would have amended the state constitution to prohibit governments from extending anti-discrimination protections to homosexuals.
January 1 – Colorado
Denver businessman Tim Gill creates the Gill Foundation, an organization to advance LGBT rights through charity and education.
December 5 - Washington D.C.
Elias Farajaje-Jones, Lani Ka’ahumanu, Laura Perez and Victor Raymond, The Indigenous Queers/Bisexual Caucus, present “Preaching to the Perverted or Fluid Desire” at the National HIV Prevention/Education Summit held by the Association of Physicians for Human Rights (now the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association).
June 1 - National
Deborah Batts becomes the first openly LGBT federal judge.
December 10 - Washington D.C.
Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders states at a United Nations conference on AIDS that young people should be taught that masturbation is “a normal part of sexuality, and if you're going to do it, do it in private." Under pressure from religious conservatives, Clinton asks her to resign.
January 1 – National
“The Real World” San Francisco on MTV audiences were introduced to Pedro Zamora, an HIV- positive man whose activism and struggle moved millions.
Missy Giove
November 2 - National
Sheila Kuehl became the first openly LGBT member of the California State Legislature.
April 1 - National
John Preston an erotic writer published “Winter's Light” to document the emotional struggle of coming to terms with being HIV positive.
February 14 - Utah
The First Presidency, Mormon’s issued a statement declaring opposition to same-sex marriage in response to Hawaii’s attempt to legalize same-sex marriage. The Church urged members to support efforts to outlaw marriage equality.
January 1 – National
John Boswell writer and professor wrote “Same-Sex Unions in Pre-Modern Europe” and argues the evidence that the attitude of the Christian church towards homosexuality changes over time, and that early Christians did accept same-sex relationships.
August 10 - National
The movie “The adventures of Priscilla, queen of the desert” is released.
November 29 - Mississippi
Marvin McClendon, a 16-year-old black male, confesses to killing two gay men in Laurel, MS. Circuit Court Judge Billy Joe Landrum agrees to allow HIV testing of the two murder victims. Activists fear that positive results could lead to a case dismissal on the grounds of "justifiable homicide" in that killing someone with HIV, or someone who is presumed to be HIV positive, would not only be acceptable but excusable by law on the grounds of self-defense, or afraid of
being infected with AIDS.
February 1 - National
Catholic Pope John Paul II releases a letter in which he states that same-sex unions are “‘a serious threat to the future of the family and society’” and that they should not “‘be recognized…as a marriage.’”
December 1 - Michigan
Lansing’s first and only LGBT community book store The Real World Emporium officially opens for business in Lansing’s Old Town.
June 26 - Kansas
"Topeka Capital-Journal" reporter Jon Michael Bell files a lawsuit against Stauffer Communications (who owns the "Topeka Capital-Journal") for overtime pay and to clarify who owns the material he has collected and written on the life of Fred Phelps and his family. Bell attaches his work, “Addicted to Hate,” to the lawsuit as Exhibit A, thus making it available to everyone. The "Topeka Capital-Journal" never publishes this story, although it releases watered- down portions of it.
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