This hub is all about great moments in history for gay men and women. So what are the great moments in history for gay men and women? Well, let's see!

1951- First National Gay Rights Organization is Founded

Unfortunately, in the 1950s it was both dangerous and illegal to register as a pro-gay group. So the members of these groups, The Daughters of Bilitis and The Mattachine Society, had to do it incognito. These early Gay Rights groups because of the time in which they lived didn't and couldn't do much activist. But they did serve as social groups for gay men and women.

1961- Illinois Sodomy Law is repealed

The American Law Institute issued an opinion stating: "That victimless crime laws, such as laws banning sexual intercourse between consenting adults, should be abolished." Illinois agreed and repealed their states sodomy law. Connecticut did the same in 1969. But most states refused to do so and kept their sodomy laws in place.

1969- The Stonewall Riots

This event marks the start of the modern Gay Rights Movement. Before this time most political progress was made by straight allies and attempts by gay men and women to organize were swept under the rug. This changed when NYPD raided a gay bar in Greenwhich village and started arresting the employees and drag performers. The NYPD were met by a crowd of 2,000 gay, lesbian, and transgender supporters who took on the police and forced them into the bar. The riots went on for three days. A year later, LGBT activists in several major cities including New York held a parade to commemorate the event and ever since then Pride parades have been held in June.

1973- American Psychiatric Society defends Homosexuality

Until this point, homosexuality had been seen as one of the psychiatric pathologies. Freud called it the "invert", one who is sexually attracted to members of his or her own gender. But in 1973, the American Psychiatric Society announced it would be removing homosexuality from the next edition of the DSM-II. They began to realize that homophobia was the real social problem and they started to defend homosexuals. They even spoke out in favor of antidiscrimination laws that would protect gay and lesbian Americans.

1980- Democratic National Convention Supports Gay Rights

In the 1970s, the Religious Right was motivated by the issue of sex and specifically four individual issues: abortion, birth control, homosexuality, and pornography. In the 1980 election, the Religious Right followers were supporters of Reagan. The Democratic party deciding they had more to gain than to lose added a new plank to their party platform that stated: "All groups must be protected from discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, language, age, sex or sexual orientation." Three years later, Gary Hart would become the first major presidential candidate to address an LGBT organization.

1984- City of Berkeley Adopts First Same-Sex Domestic Partnerships Ordinance

In 1982 The Viilage Voice had became the first business to offer domestic partner benefits. But in 1984 the City of Berkeley became the first U.S. government body to offer gay and lesbian people the same domestic partner benefits that heterosexuals have.

1993- Hawaii Supreme Court Issues Ruling in Favor of Same-Sex Marriage

In Baehr v. Lewin, three same-sex couples challenged Hawaii's ban on same-sex marriage and won. The Supreme Court ruled that the Hawaii State Government could not ban same-sex marriage without violating it's own equal protection statues. However, the Hawaii State Legislature soon amended the state's constitution to overturn the ruling. And so the debate over same-sex marriage began.

1998- President Clinton Signs Executive Order 13087

Although Clinton is best remembered for his support of the ban on gay men and women from the army and his signing of the Defense of Marriage Act, in 1998 he authored Executive Order 13087 which banned the federal government from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation in employment. This policy is still in effect.

1999- California Adopts a State-wide Domestic Partnerships Ordinance

In 1999, California established a state-wide domestic partnership registry that was available to same-sex couples. To date, this Ordinance allows same-sex couples most of the same benefits as a married couple.

2000- Vermont Adopts Nation's First Civil Union Policy

California's case of voluntarily giving same-sex couples equal rights is rare. In 1999, three same-sex couples sued the state of Vermont for denying them the right to marry, and as in the Hawaii case, the state's Highest Court agreed. However, unlike Hawaii, instead of amending the constitution, Vermont created civil unions which was a seperate but equal alternative to marriage that granted same-sex couples the same rights as a married couple.

2003- U.S. Supreme Court Strikes Down All Remaining Sodomy Laws

Even with all the progress for gay rights at this time 14 states still had sodomy laws. In this year, after Texas police responding to a nosy neighbors complaint arrested two men having sex in their own apartment, the case went all the way to the Supreme Court, which struck down Texas's and all the other remaining states' sodomy laws. Fom this point on gay sex was no longer an indictable offense.

2004- Massachusetts Legalizes Gay Marriage

In 2004, when seven same-sex couples challenged Massachusetts's heterosexual-only marriage laws in Goodridge v. The Department of Health, they won. And this time civil unions would not be enough. The 4-3 decision mandated that marriage itself must be made available to same-sex couples.

2008- California Supreme Court Strikes Down State's Ban on Same-Sex Marriage

In a 4-3 ruling the California Supreme Court declared that sexual orientation like gender or race "does not constitute a legitimate basis upon which to deny or withhold legal rights." Same-Sex marriage becomes legal in California. However, also in 2008 Proposition 8 passes and bans same-sex marriage. In the same year the California Supreme Court upholds Proposition 8 and gay rights protests ensue.

These are some of the events that shape gay history. And I'm sure there are many more to come. The fight for gay rights is not over yet and won't end until the U.S. as a whole recognizes our rights as people. Gay Pride!