Sal Mineo: The Switchblade Kid

We look back at the life and work of actor Sal Mineo, tragically murdered in an alley in West Hollywood just as his stalled career was on the upswing.

Alexis Arquette (1969 - 2016)

Alexis Arquette, transgender actress and sister of David, Patricia and Rosanna Arquette, has died at the age of 47, according to People Magazine.

Gilbert Baker (1951 - 2017), rainbow flag creator

Gilbert Baker, a gay rights activist and creator of the iconic rainbow flag, died Friday, March 31, 2017, at his home in New York City, according to multiple news sources. He was 65.

Kate Millett, feminist author of "Sexual Politics"

Activist, artist and educator whose best-selling "Sexual Politics" was a landmark of cultural criticism and a manifesto for the modern feminist movement.

Bob Smith (1958 – 2018), groundbreaking gay comedian

First openly gay male comedian to star in his own HBO special…

Dick Leitsch (1935–2018), pioneering gay rights activist

Pioneering gay rights activist led 1966 “sip-in” protest at New York City bar.

Deborah Batts (1947–2020), pioneering judge who was overseeing Michael Avenatti trial

Deborah Batts was the nation’s first openly LGBTQ federal judge, who was set to oversee Michael Avenatti’s Stormy Daniels-related embezzlement trial. She was nominated for a federal judgeship by President Bill Clinton in 1994, and she was sworn in later that year after a smooth confirmation hearing. Serving as the U.S. District Judge for Manhattan, Batts oversaw cases including a 2006 civil suit against an EPA administrator who was accused of misleading the public about the risk of toxic air pollution around the site of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center.

Mart Crowley (1935–2020), “Boys in the Band” playwright

Mart Crowley wasthe groundbreaking playwright whose 1968 play The Boys in the Band was one of the first to portray the lives of gay men on stage.The play is about a group of gay and bisexual friends at a birthday party in New York City.Itwas a hit which led to a 1970 movie adaptation directed byWilliam Friedkin.Crowley had been an assistant and close friend to actress . In 2002, hewrote a sequel The MenFromthe Boys, that looked at the original characters lives 35 years later. In 2018, a revival of The Boys in the Band onBroadway featured out gay actors including Jim Parsons, Zachary Quinto, and Matt Bomer.A new movie version of the play is due out on Netflix in 2021.

Phyllis Lyon (1924–2020), pioneering LGBTQ rights activist

Phyllis Lyon was a longtime LGBTQ rights activist who had one of California’s first same-sex weddings in 2004 when she married her partner of more than 50 years, .

Larry Kramer (1935–2020), playwright and AIDS activist

Larry Kramer was an influential playwright and AIDS activist whosebest-knownplay isThe Normal Heart, which was about theearly days of the AIDScrisis.

Ari Gold (1974–2021), trailblazing LGBTQ musician and DJ

Ari Gold was a singer, songwriter, and DJ known for songs including “Where the Music Takes You.”

Patrick O’Connell (1953–2021), developed red ribbon for HIV/AIDS awareness

Patrick O’Connell was the founding director of Visual AIDS, where he developed programs for HIV/AIDS awareness including the red ribbon.

Alix Dobkin (1940–2021), pioneering lesbian singer and songwriter

Alix Dobkin was a singer and songwriter whose 1973 album “Lavender Jane Loves Women” was a milestone for the lesbian community.

Kay Lahusen (1930–2021), LGBTQ activist and photojournalist

Kay Lahusen was an activist and photojournalist who chronicled some of the earliest U.S. protests for LGBTQ rights.

Arnie Kantrowitz (1940–2022), early LGBTQ rights activist

Arnie Kantrowitz was a pioneer of LGBTQ civil rights activism and one of the founders of GLAAD.

Urvashi Vaid (1958–2022), influential LGBTQ+ activist  

Urvashi Vaid was an influential activist for LGBTQ+ rights who was a former executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.

Anne Heche (1969–2022), longtime movie and TV star

Anne Heche was a popular actress whose many TV and film credits included “Cedar Rapids,” “Donnie Brasco,” and “Hung.” 

Norah Vincent (1968–2022), bestselling author of “Self-Made Man”

Norah Vincent was an author known for her bestselling book “Self-Made Man,” detailing a year and a half when she lived disguised as a man.

Patrick Haggerty (1944–2022), pioneering gay country musician   

Patrick Haggerty was a pioneering gay country musician who founded Lavender Country, believed to be the first openly gay country band.

Kevin Conroy (1955–2022), voice of animated Batman

Kevin Conroy was an actor who provided the voice of Batman in many TV series and movies including “Batman: The Animated Series.”

<strong>Colorado Springs Nightclub Shooting (2022)</strong>

Five people were killed, and 25 others were injured, in a shooting at Club Q, an LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado Springs, Colorado on Saturday night.

Jim Kolbe (1942–2022), longtime U.S. representative from Arizona

Jim Kolbe was a Republican who represented Arizona in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1985 until 2007.

Marijane Meaker (1927–2022), award-winning young adult and lesbian author

Marijane Meaker was an author of pioneering young adult and lesbian fiction, including under such pen names as M.E. Kerr and Vin Packer.

Walter “Darcelle XV” Cole (1930–2023), world’s oldest drag performer

Walter Cole was a drag queen better known by his stage name, Darcelle XV , certified the world’s oldest working drag performer by Guinness World Records in 2016.

Julie Anne Peters (1952–2023), groundbreaking YA author of Luna 

Julie Anne Peters was an author of young adult books including “Luna,” one of the first to feature a transgender character.

Raghavan Iyer (1961–2023), chef who brought Indian cooking to the U.S.

Raghavan Iyer was a chef who helped popularize cooking the cuisines of his native India in the U.S.

Rachel Pollack (1945–2023), leading tarot expert

Rachel Pollack was a writer whose guides to reading tarot cards are considered definitive resources on the art.

Kenneth Anger (1927–2023), experimental filmmaker and author

Kenneth Anger was an author and filmmaker whose experimental short films and books recounting salacious Hollywood rumors proved both infamous and influential. 

George Maharis (1928–2023), star of TV’s Route 66

George Maharis was an actor best known for his starring role on the 1960s TV series “Route 66.”

Lilli Vincenz (1937–2023), pioneering gay rights activist 

Lilli Vincenz was a filmmaker, psychotherapist, and LGBTQIA+ activist among the first lesbians to openly protest for equal treatment in front of the White House.

Dr. Susan Love (1948–2023), influential breast cancer researcher 

Dr. Susan Love, an American surgeon who challenged paternalism in the medical establishment, changed the way breast cancer is researched and treated.

Rev. Steve Pieters (1952–2023), longtime HIV/AIDS activist 

Rev. Dr. A. Steve Pieters was an influential HIV/AIDS activist whose interview with in 1985 helped begin to shift public opinion on the outbreak and how to confront it.

Terence Davies (1945–2023), British filmmaker and author

Terence Davies was a British filmmaker and author who was known for semi-autobiographical works like “Distant Voices, Still Lives,” as well as such adaptations as “The House of Mirth” and “The Deep Blue Sea.”

Jennell Jaquays (1956–2024), influential D&amp;D artist and game designer

Jennell Jaquays was a designer of tabletop and video games whose work helped change the way adventure modules are designed in the popular tabletop game “Dungeons & Dragons.”

Reggie Wells (1947–2024), Oprah Winfrey’s longtime makeup artist 

Reggie Wells was Oprah Winfrey’s personal makeup artist for more than 25 years, and he also worked with many other notable women.

Cecilia Gentili (1972–2024), Pose actress and LGBTQ+ activist

Cecilia Gentili was an author, actress known for playing Miss Orlando on “Pose,” and an LGBTQ+ rights activist who advocated for health and wellness among the community.

Claude Montana (1947–2024), era-defining fashion designer

Claude Montana was a French fashion designer whose big-shouldered designs were formative to 1980s fashion.

David Mixner (1946–2024), gay rights activist and author 

David Mixner was a gay rights activist and author who cofounded the LGBTQ+ Victory fund and broke ways with President Bill Clinton over his “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. 

Rev. Cecil Williams (1929–2024), San Francisco pastor and humanitarian

Rev. Cecil Williams was the pastor of Glide Church in San Francisco for 60 years, turning it from a small congregation to San Francisco’s largest social services provider, one years ahead of its time in welcoming LGBTQ members.

Sonja Christopher (1937–2024), original Survivor contestant

Sonja Christopher was a contestant on the first season of “Survivor” in 2000 and the first person ever voted off the show.

Gary Floyd (1952–2024), founder of pioneering punks The Dicks

Gary Floyd was a punk vocalist and the founder of groundbreaking band The Dicks, known for their confrontational anti-authoritarian approach, as spearheaded by Floyd’s in-your-face sexuality and disdain for those in power.

Lynn Conway (1938–2024), microchip pioneer and transgender activist

Lynn Conway was a microchip design pioneer and transgender activist who helped shape how modern semiconductors are made, literally writing the book on the topic.

Billy Bean (1964–2024), baseball player and LGBTQ+ advocate

Billy Bean was a baseball player for the Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Dodgers, and San Diego Padres who became the second Major League Baseball player to come out as gay.

Steve Silberman (1957–2024), science writer and autism activist

Steve Silberman was an acclaimed author known for his award-winning science writing, musings on the music of the Grateful Dead, and acclaimed advocacy for the autistic and neurodivergent community. 

Dorothy Allison (1949–2024), award-winning feminist author 

Dorothy Allison was an award-winning author whose stories about class struggles, feminism, and being queer in the South earned her widespread acclaim, especially her novel, “Bastard Out of Carolina.” 

Sir Lady Java (1942–2024), entertainer and transgender rights activist 

Sir Lady Java was a noted singer, dancer, and entertainer of the 1960s and ‘70s club scene in Los Angeles who became an early transgender activist.

A. Cornelius Baker (1961–2024), HIV testing advocate

A. Cornelius Baker was a public health policy expert who advocated for extensive HIV/AIDS testing and care, even in the early days of the disease.

Nikki Giovanni (1943–2024), celebrated poet and activist

Nikki Giovanni was an iconic poet of the 1960s and ‘70s Black Arts Movement who authored more than 30 books.

The Vivienne (1992–2025), RuPaul's Drag Race UK star

The Vivienne was a British drag performer best known as the 2019 winner of “RuPaul's Drag Race UK” and competitor on the 2022 season of "RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars."