LGBTQ+ History Month Origins

The gap in inequality for those who identify as LGBTQ+ has been ongoing for decades, if not centuries, in the United States. Remembering and celebrating the struggles, failures, efforts, and successes of the LGBTQ+ community is critical to humanity and history. 

LGBTQ+ History Month was created by a Missouri public high school history teacher named Rodney Wilson, who, in 1994, came out to a class during a lecture about WWII to make a point. For reference (and a brief history lesson inside a history lesson), the Nazi party required gay prisoners in concentration camps to wear a pink triangle for identification purposes.

Wilson, a graduate student at the University of Missouri Saint Louis at the time, became the first openly gay K-12 teacher in the state. The following year in 1995, a resolution was forwarded by the General Assembly of the National Education Association, finally adding LGBTQ+ History Month to the list of commemorative months. Initially called National LGBT History Month for years, in 2016, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), an American non-governmental media monitoring organization, suggested adding ‘Q’ to the acronym.

In a 2015 article for the UMSL Daily, Wilson is quoted as saying, “How could I organize a national event about gay history and not be open at work about the entirety of who I am? I also believed that the greatest act of advocacy for civil rights for LGBT Americans is the act of coming out. It is a political act.”

October was chosen for LGBTQ+ History Month for several reasons:

• Schools are in session so that teachers can incorporate it into their lessons
• National Coming Out Day (October 11) was already established
• Serves as the anniversary of the National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights (October 14, 1979)
• Includes Ally Week and Spirit Day (October 20)
• Serves as the anniversary of the death of Matthew Shepard who was a 21-year-old murder victim of a hate crime (October 12, 1998)

Although we have come a long way since Wilson’s courageous act to speak up, there is still a lingering hatred towards the LGBTQ+ community. In May 2021, the American Historical Association (AHA) released a press statement in response to three states: Arizona, Idaho, and Tennessee, for having proposed “no promo homo” laws regarding the education system. AHA states in the press release, “The failure to teach LGBTQ+ history distorts the historical record, harms LGBTQ+ students specifically, and prevents all students from receiving a complete education.”

Community College of Denver strives to ensure every student feels like they belong, regardless of sexual orientation, gender orientation, race, social status, religion, or political stance. We must stand together to combat hatred and discrimination to help future generations become more compassionate and accepting. If you or someone you know needs help, call the Auraria Campus Crisis Line at 303-615-9911.

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If you are currently a CCD student, you are in luck! Community College of Denver’s Auraria campus has a counseling center located in the Tivoli Student Union that offers a variety of services, including stress management, grief support, self-care support, anxiety support, and crisis support. Every student is entitled to up to eight sessions throughout each academic year!

To schedule an appointment, students can call 303-352-6436 or register with a counselor for teletherapy sessions by clicking here. In addition to the Counseling Center, CCD now offers teletherapy for our students. CCD has partnered with BetterMynd to offer our students access to private online therapy sessions from their diverse network of licensed mental health counselors. To register and get started with a counselor that’s a good fit for you, sign-up here. If you have any questions about these services, you can also email BetterMynd at students@bettermynd.com.

All employees of the State of Colorado are eligible for six counseling sessions per rolling calendar year. CSEAP also offers coaching, webinars, and mediation services. https://cseap.colorado.gov/support-for-all-employees