Equality Forum

Alok Vaid-Menon - October 30 Comedian & Performance Artist b. July 1, 1991 “Beauty is about looking like yourself.” Alok Vaid-Menon (they/them) is an internationally acclaimed nonbinary, transfeminine comedian, performance artist, author, and fashion designer who explores themes of trauma, gender identity, self-expression, and acceptance in their art. lgbthistorymonth.com

Karl Heinrich Ulrichs - October 29 Sexologist & Gay Pioneer b. August 28, 1825 d. July 14, 1895 “Indeed, I am proud that I found the courage to deal the initial blow to the hydra of public contempt.” Karl Heinrich Ulrichs was a pioneering 19th-century sexologist who helped lay the groundwork for the early LGBTQ+ civil rights movement. He wrote extensively about homosexuality and publicly defended his attraction to men. lgbthistorymonth.com

Jewel Thais-Williams - October 28 Nightclub Owner & LGBTQ+ Activist b. May 9, 1939 d. July 7, 2025 “Dare to dream, no matter how impossible ... With patience and perseverance, you can accomplish anything ...’’ Jewel Thais-Williams was a community activist and, reportedly, the first Black woman to own an LGBTQ+ nightclub in the United States. lgbthistorymonth.com

Charles Sumner - October 27 19th Century U.S. Senator b. January 6, 1811 d. March 11, 1874 “No true and permanent fame can be founded, except in labors which promote the happiness of mankind.” Charles Sumner was a 19th-century Republican senator and prominent abolitionist who promoted Black civil rights, despite fierce opposition. lgbthistorymonth.com

Jessica Stern - October 26 LGBTQ+ Diplomat b. 1977 “All human beings should be treated with respect and dignity and should be able to live without fear, regardless of who they love.” Jessica Stern is a distinguished American diplomat and lifelong LGBTQ+ rights advocate. A senior fellow at Harvard since 2025, she previously served for four years in the Biden administration as the U.S. special envoy to advance the human rights of LGBTQI+ persons. lgbthistorymonth.com

St. Vincent - October 25 Singer, Songwriter & Guitarist b. September 28, 1982 “I’m not one for gender or sexual absolutism. I fully support and engage in the spectrum.” St. Vincent is a six-time Grammy-winning musician, singer, and songwriter, named by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the greatest guitarists of all time. She has earned three Grammys for Best Alternative Music Album, more than any other solo female artist. lgbthistorymonth.com

Amber Ruffin - October 24 Comedian, Writer & Actor b. January 9, 1979 “I’m using the last day of PRIDE to come out! Be proud of who you are … I know I am!” Amber Ruffin is a queer Black comedian, writer, actor, and playwright. In 2014, she became the first Black woman to write for a U.S. late-night network television show, joining the team at “Late Night with Seth Meyers.” She has gained broad recognition as the host of “The Amber Ruffin Show,” which premiered in 2020, and as a panelist on CNN’s “Have I Got News for You.” lgbthistorymonth.com

Paul Rudolph - October 23 Architect b. October 23, 1918 d. August 8, 1997 “Every building, no matter how large or small, is part of the urban design.” Paul Rudolph was an acclaimed American architect and educator who served for six years as the chair of the Yale University Department of Architecture. Best recognized for his mid-century Brutalist buildings, he was also known for his unconventional Florida home designs. lgbthistorymonth.com

Pauline Park - October 22 Transgender Activist b. October 1960 “It’s important that trans people of color come to the forefront.” Pauline Park is a transgender rights activist based in New York. Among other significant contributions, she cofounded NYAGRA, New York’s first statewide transgender rights advocacy organization, and successfully campaigned for the passage of the 2002 New York City Transgender Rights Law. lgbthistorymonth.com

Chris Pappas - October 21 U.S. Congressman b. June 4, 1980 “There are ways that you can help people and ways that you can actually get things across the finish line.” Democratic Representative Chris Pappas is the first openly LGBTQ+ person to represent New Hampshire in the U.S. Congress. lgbthistorymonth.com

Abraham Lincoln - October 20 American President b. February 12, 1809 d. April 15, 1865 “Government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president of the United States. Credited with emancipating enslaved people, he is widely regarded as the nation’s greatest president. Over time, his sexuality has been a subject of interest. lgbthistorymonth.com

Calvin Klein - October 19 Fashion Designer b. November 19, 1942 “I'm crazy, and I don't pretend to be anything else.” Calvin Klein is a pioneering American fashion designer whose minimalist style redefined luxury and casual wear, and controversial advertising reshaped fashion marketing. lgbthistorymonth.com

King James I - October 18 Scottish & English Monarch b. June 19, 1566 d. March 27, 1625 “You may be sure that I love the Earl of Buckingham more than anyone else … Christ had his John, and I have my George.” King James ruled Scotland as James VI (1567-1625) and England and Ireland as James I (1603-1625). Styling himself as the “King of Great Britain,” he is perhaps best known for his unprecedented union of the Scottish and English crowns and the publication of the King James Bible. Based on his well-documented, intensely romantic relationships with men, many historians believe James to have been bisexual or gay. lgbthistorymonth.com

Lani Ka‘ahumanu - October 17 Writer & Bisexual Activist b. October 5, 1943 “We have every right to be in the world exactly as we are.” Lani Ka‘ahumanu is a writer and a leader of the American bisexual rights movement. She was the first openly bisexual board member on the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. lgbthistorymonth.com

Julie Johnson - October 16 U.S. Congresswoman b. May 2, 1966 “That’s what public service means to me: being responsive, cutting through bureaucracy, and making sure federal agencies work for the people they’re supposed to serve.” Julie Johnson is an attorney and the U.S. Representative from Texas’s 32nd Congressional District. A Democrat, she is the first openly LGBTQ+ person elected to Congress from a Southern state. lgbthistorymonth.com

Robert Joffrey - October 15 Dancer & Choreographer b. December 24, 1930 d. March 25, 1988 “To me, dance is everything that's good. Everything that's beautiful, everything that's difficult.” Robert Joffrey was a world-renowned ballet dancer, instructor, and choreographer. His acclaimed Joffrey Ballet company introduced the art form to scores of Americans. lgbthistorymonth.com

Patricia Highsmith - October 14 American Novelist b. January 19, 1921 d. February 4, 1995 “My imagination functions much better when I don't have to speak to people.” Patricia Highsmith was an American novelist and short-story writer best known for her internationally famous psychological thrillers “Strangers on a Train” and “The Talented Mr. Ripley.” Popular screen adaptations of these and many of Highsmith’s works have been released over the last 75 years. lgbthistorymonth.com

Muhsin Hendricks - October 13 Islamic LGBTQ+ Activist b. June 1967 d. February 15, 2025 “The need to be authentic is greater than the fear of death.” Muhsin Hendricks is widely regarded as the world’s first openly gay imam. A scholar, an activist, and a pioneering champion of LGBTQ+ Muslims, he compassionately challenged traditional views of homosexuality in Islam. lgbthistorymonth.com

Marsden Hartley - October 12 Modernist Painter b. January 4, 1877 d. September 2, 1943 “It is never difficult to see images — when the principle of the image is embedded in the soul.” Marsden Hartley was a 20th-century American painter, poet, and essayist. An early interpreter of European Modernism, he helped introduce elements of Expressionism and abstraction into American art. Best known for his landscapes, he was also among the first American Modernists to explore homoerotic themes. lgbthistorymonth.com

Andrea Gibson - October 11 Poet & Activist b. August 13, 1975 d. July 14, 2025 “In the end I want my heart to be covered in stretch marks.” Andrea Gibson was an award-winning poet and activist whose work explored themes such as politics, gender identity, love, and trauma. Gibson is the subject of the 2025 documentary “Come See Me in the Good Light.” lgbthistorymonth.com