AIDS activist group ACT UP changed the world. Here's why its work still matters today
The direct action group ACT UP was key to the fight against AIDS at the epidemic's height, and its legacy informs present-day activism.
December 09 2025 10:34 AM
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History
Years before Stonewall, a cafeteria riot became a breakthrough for trans rights
All about the Compton's Cafeteria riot, when drag queens and trans women rose up against police at a diner in San Francisco.
December 04 2025 10:50 AM
The 20+ best LGBTQ+ historic sites and artifacts to add to your bucket list
We recommend Michelangelo's David, the original Pride flag, Stonewall, Dorothy's ruby slippers, and more.
November 19 2025 10:47 AM
6 historic gayborhoods you should visit in 2026 that are still thriving
These LGBTQ+ neighborhoods have rich histories — and they're just as vibrant today as they have been in the past.
November 05 2025 3:40 PM
15 secret symbols queer people used throughout the ages
From pansies to pink triangles, these symbols have helped us identify and communicate with one when "out-and-proud" wasn't allowed.
November 03 2025 3:16 PM
Trans service members have always been part of U.S. history
Across centuries of wars, bans, and battles for recognition, trans military members have answered the call. Now they're fighting for their right to do so.
November 03 2025 11:03 AM
Lesbian Georgia legislator, first LGBTQ+ person elected in the South, is still showing up 25 years later
State Rep. Karla Drenner, who was once told she “wasn’t worthy of being known,” reflects on 25 years of being “the first” and why she’s still serving in an interview with The Advocate.
October 31 2025 4:41 PM
Donald Trump's East Wing demolition trashes First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt's queer legacy
Eleanor Roosevelt, who was likely queer, held the first press conference by a first lady in the East Wing, and the wing became a base for her activism.
October 24 2025 10:59 AM
Playing for both teams: 6 LGBTQ+ spies from history
From the world wars and Red Scare to the fight for Irish independence, here are some queer spies worth knowing.
October 13 2025 7:00 AM
Stonewall vet Miss Major Griffin-Gracy 'surrounded by love' as she enters hospice care
Miss Major has entered hospice care, but "is comfortable and surrounded by love," her partner says.
October 08 2025 1:00 PM
LGBTQ+ History Month founder says ‘history is our defense’ against Trumpism’s false saints like Charlie Kirk
“Everything they don’t like, don’t want, don’t understand, or don’t approve of is now targeted," Rodney Wilson told The Advocate.
October 03 2025 5:48 PM
Here's how LGBTQ+ History Month began
It went from a teacher’s vision to a global celebration.
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October 02 2025 10:12 AM
Rebel song: A history of gay men's choruses
Born out of activism decades ago, gay men's choruses have continued to be a force for change in the queer community.
September 08 2025 9:17 AM
Has Shakespeare's secret gay lover's identity just been uncovered by historians?
The tiny clue that pointed to a passionate love affair.
September 05 2025 6:05 PM
Keeping the record queer with LGBTQ+ archives
Maintaining our queer history records will help keep them safe and available to all.
September 05 2025 9:04 AM
NYC's West Village was the birthplace of Pride. Now it's a battleground for survival.
New York City’s West Village has long been a haven for queer people, but gentrification threatens to displace those elders who helped it thrive.
August 19 2025 7:00 AM
Women’s contributions and men’s racism erased from history of national monument
NPS removed historical information about women and race from signs at the Muir Woods National Monument.
July 22 2025 1:48 PM
19 photos from 1990s San Francisco show the roots of butch and femme culture
Chloe Sherman's RENEGADES San Francisco: the 1990s showcases the unique history of queer women.
July 14 2025 2:12 PM
Pete Hegseth gloats about the Navy erasing LGBTQ+ rights icon Harvey Milk's name from ship
Harvey Milk, the LGBTQ+ civil rights icon, was discharged from the Navy for his sexual orientation.
June 27 2025 12:33 PM
1985: the year the AIDS crisis finally broke through the silence
A lot has happened in the four decades since. We take a look back.
June 26 2025 11:24 AM