by Jason Villemez

Gay History Month began as a direct result of the lack of gay and lesbian history in textbooks. In 1994, Rodney Wilson, a high school teacher in Missouri, along with other leaders and educators, started a campaign to educate the general public about the history of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Since then, many prominent groups have endorsed October as LGBT History Month, along with several state and city governments.

In celebration, leaders of the LGBT press have come together to raise awareness of those who fought for all the rights and privileges we enjoy today, and gave us all reason to dedicate this month to them. All of us involved with the project hope that sharing their history will show a guiding light upon today?s paths that remain uncharted.

Each week this month, we?ll introduce you to some of those historic individuals who took us from secret meetings in apartments and clubs, to the day in June in 1969 when one group finally said no to oppression and fought back against the police. Before and after Stonewall were different heroes who came out and led the community to the admirable heights it has reached today. The Gay People?s Chronicle, along with other leading LGBT publications from across the country, will present people to honor as part of this year?s LGBT History Month

To help enlighten us further on specific facets of LGBT history, we?ve asked some of the most important, well-known, and outspoken members of our community to point the way. We?re proud to bring you exclusive pieces from Rep. Barney Frank as our first chronicler of political history, Academy Award writer Bruce Vilanch?s look at how we?ve been portrayed on the silver screen, and famed TV writer Gail Shister?s views of our presence on the small tube. Tennis phenom Martina Navratilova gives a first-person view of sports and the coming out process, and finally, we?ll see how the media hones in on a gay reality star and his well known boyfriend with exclusive excerpts from Amazing Race winner Reichen Lehmkuhl?s book Here?s What We?ll Say.

Welcome to Gay History Month.