When history teacher Rodney Wilson noticed the lack of education around queer and trans activists, leaders, and artists, he embarked on his own personal mission to change the status quo.
In January 1994, Wilson sent out a proposal to leading LGBTQI+ organizations recommending October be recognized as “Lesbian and Gay History Month.” That idea, and the subsequent campaign, was successful, creating a month-long celebration to commemorate the impact queers and trans people have made across industries — in Hollywood, on Capitol Hill, and beyond.
This October, we honored LGBTQI+ History Month by asking our staff to share their favorite movies, stories, and cultural touchstones that shaped LGBTQI+ history and representation. Some touched on the importance of allies publicly declaring their support for the community, such as iconic American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton’s statement in support of the LGBTQI+ community on Larry King. Others pointed to the hit musical Rent, which highlighted the stories of young queer folks in New York City impacted by the AIDS crisis.
Here’s some of what they highlighted:
Moonlight
The 2016 film Moonlight made history as the first queer-themed film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture, reaching a feat other iconic films like Milk and Brokeback Mountain had not been able to reach. Rainbow Railroad’s Community Giving Director says she feels emotional every time she watches the film because it “humanizes gay, Black love in a way you rarely get to see.”
“It speaks to the impact hypermasculinity and homophobia can have on impoverished Black communities. It reveals that at the end of the day, we're all human and at our core, crave intimacy and understanding,” she says. “Human connection can soften the toughest of exteriors.”
A quote from American Journalist Dan Savage
"During the darkest days of the AIDS crisis, we buried our friends in the morning, we protested in the afternoon, and we danced all night. The dance kept us in the fight because it was the dance we were fighting for. It didn’t look like we were going to win then and we did. It doesn’t feel like we’re going to win now but we could. Keep fighting, keep dancing."
For Rainbow Railroad staffers, this reflective quote is as relevant now as it was then. Rainbow Railroad’s US Policy and Advocacy Officer says, “We're not fighting AIDS the way we were in the eighties, but we are burying our trans siblings, taken from us by violence and institutional oppression. The fight has changed shape, but it hasn't ended.”
He added: “We still take to the streets, we still build each other up, and we still dance, because queer people have always found ways to be in community, love, and thrive, even in the darkest moments. Our joy is our resistance, and we must keep daring to dance.”
Truth or Dare
Truth or Dare, the 1991 Madonna tour documentary, sparked mass controversy at the time of its release for its uncensored depiction of sex and sexuality. At the same time, the documentary has been praised for challenging cultural norms through its casual portrayal of queer dancers, their relationships, and lives, as part of the norm.
The film’s release as the world still grappled with the AIDS epidemic — which took the lives of millions of young adult men, in particular, across the globe — was especially impactful as activists worked to decrease the stigma associated with the disease.
Anastarzia Anaquway opening up about her experience with violence on Canada's Drag Race
Contestant Anastarzia Anaquway did more than turn heads on Canada’s Drag Race inaugural season, she also opened hearts. When the Bahamian-born drag performer opened up about facing violence due to her identity, she simultaneously brought nationwide attention to the global landscape of LGBTQI+ persecution.
Rainbow Railroad’s Senior Development Officer, Events, called Anastarzia’s openness “raw and honest.” In elevating Anastarzia’s own story, she also did so for the thousands of queer and trans asylum seekers Rainbow Railroad works with year-round.
Flee
The 2021 film Flee made history when it became the first film to be nominated for Best Animated Feature, Best Documentary Feature and Best International Feature — all in the same year. Tracing the life of a child refugee from Afghanistan, the film tells a potent story about identity, belonging, and displacement.
“Queer art and storytelling don't just create representation, they expand whose experiences are considered worthy of being remembered,” says Rainbow Railroad’s Senior Design Officer. “Stories like Flee are especially powerful because they remind us that LGBTQI+ history is global, and that queer identity intersects with migration, conflict, race, nationality and the search for safety.”
