WV LGBT
Pride
FACTS &
U.S. LGBT Population Is Growing
IN MILLIONS
2006
15. 3
DEMOGRAPHICS
2011
16. 3
Source: PR Leap
BETWEEN
6%AND7%
of the U.S. population openly identifies as LGBT, though many
estimate the amount is closer to 10 percent
Month
Location, Location, Location
Vermont, California, New York and
Massachusetts ranked among the top 10
for both total number of gay and lesbian
couples and overall concentration of
same-sex couples in the state
Source: eMarketer, 2009
TIMELINE
27 First recorded same-sex marriages occur
in the Roman Empire
342 Christian emperors institute first law
against same-sex marriage
1832 Russia criminalizes same-sex relationships, punishable by up to five years’
exile in Siberia
1924 Society for Human Rights, first gay-rights
organization in the United States, is
founded. It is shut down by police within
a few months
1955 Daughters of Bilitis, first national lesbian
organization in the United States, is
formed
1962 Illinois becomes first state to decriminal-ize homosexual acts
1969 Stonewall riots in New York gain national
attention for gay rights
1970 First Gay Liberation Day march held in
New York City; similar events held in Los
Angeles and San Francisco
1973 American Psychiatric Association removes
the definition of “homosexuality” as a
mental disorder
1979 First national gay-rights march held in
Washington, D.C.
1980 Democratic National Convention
endorses gay-rights platform
1982 Wisconsin becomes first state to
outlaw discrimination on basis of sexual
orientation
1989 Denmark becomes first country to legalize same-sex partnerships
1993 “Don’t ask, don’t tell” (DADT) policy
allows gays and lesbians to serve in U.S.
military as long as they are closeted
1996 Supreme Court says protections for gays
and lesbians are not special rights but
civil rights guaranteed to all citizens
2000 Vermont becomes first state to legally
recognize civil unions between gays or
lesbians
Sources: CNN, Seattle Times, Human Rights Campaign, DiversityInc
156 DiversityInc
