The Normandy Invasion
Commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day with Britannica
Pride and Prejudice
June is Pride Month, a celebration of the LGBTQ+ community that traces its roots to June 28, 1969, when a series of riots began at the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City. That clash between police and the bar’s patrons served as a call to action on a new civil rights battlefront, helping to spark the gay rights movement. Although Pride Month began as a commemoration of Stonewall, it has grown in scope and geography, flourishing even in countries where the celebrations continue to face resistance.
What Is the History of Pride Month?
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What Were the Stonewall Riots All About?
Travis Wise
A State-by-State Guide to LGBTQ+ Rights
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Agents of Change
Gay rights may seem like a modern idea, but the movement has evolved over more than a century thanks to generations of pioneers, including the following.
Magnus Hirschfeld
Magnus Hirschfeld was a German physician who in 1897 co-founded the Scientific-Humanitarian Committee, the world’s first gay rights organization. In 1919 he opened the Institute for Sexual Science, which anticipated by decades other scientific centers (such as the Kinsey Institute) that specialized in sex research.
Lili Elbe
Lili Elbe was a Danish painter, assigned male at birth, who underwent the world’s first documented gender-affirming surgery, beginning in 1930. She died the following year after the fifth of five highly experimental gender-affirming surgeries. Elbe’s life was the subject of the popular novel and movie The Danish Girl.
Marsha Johnson, Sylvia Rivera
Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson—who identified as drag queens at a time when the word “transgender” wasn’t in use—were patrons of the Stonewall Inn that night in June 1969. They helped lead the charge against the police in what became a defining moment in the history of gay rights.
Harvey Milk
Harvey Milk was one of the first members of the LGBTQ+ community to be elected to public office when he won a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977. Milk, a gay rights activist, was assassinated the following year by a conservative political rival.
Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir
Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir made history on Feb. 1, 2009, when she became the first openly gay head of government, as well as the first female prime minister of Iceland. Prior to that, she was the longest-serving member of Iceland’s parliament, and a long-time advocate for LGBTQ+ equality.
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The history of sneakers
Trainers, gym shoes, runners, tennis shoes. Whatever you call them, these simple shoes have become ubiquitous.
Colossal squid
It has the biggest eyes in the world, and can grow to more than 14 feet (4.2 meters), and 1,100 pounds (499 kg).
Birkin bag
Produced by French retailer Hermès, this exclusive handbag is named after the actress and singer Jane Birkin.
America Ferrera
This actress was the first Latina and youngest person to win an Emmy for best lead in a comedy series.
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