United States of America
This page provides an overview of LGBTQIA+ history in the United States, including key events, legal milestones, and social movements. It highlights both progress and challenges while preserving historical records for research and education. Some materials may reflect outdated or discriminatory views, included here to document the historical context in which they existed.
18th Century
In the late 19th century, historical accounts and folklore revived interest in the lives of pirates who cross-dressed, or even romanticized lovers such as Anne Bonny and Mary Read. While historical records are unclear on the nature of their bond, their story became part of broader discussions about women defying traditional roles, and for some, a reflection of LGBTQIA+ identities in history.
- Read about 18th Century LGBTQIA+ Individuals
19th Century
The 19th century had strict gender roles, but historical records show people living beyond those expectations. Newspaper articles from the 1830s describe women wearing breeches instead of dresses, facing criticism and being labeled "unsexed." Some accounts mention women who lived as men, sometimes for survival or better opportunities, and other situations of transgender men who lived authentically despite legal and social barriers.
Some publications in the 1850s discussed a "third sex," often in response to women wearing shorter skirts and loose trousers known as bloomers. This style, popularized by women's rights activists, challenged expectations of how women should dress and behave. By the 1860s, newspaper articles reference Macintosh balls, gatherings where drag performers and gender expression played a central role, reflecting early forms of ball culture.
One well-documented figure from this period was James Barry (1789–1865), a transgender man and respected surgeon. Historical records like these show that transgender and gender-diverse people have always existed, even if history has not always recognized them.
- Read more LGBTQIA+ history in the 19th century.
20th Century
Throughout the 20th century, LGBTQIA+ people fought for visibility while facing growing government restrictions. In the 1920s, queer culture thrived in underground spaces, but public depictions were censored. Mae West’s play The Drag, which openly portrayed gay life, was banned before it could reach Broadway.
By the 1930s, governments cracked down harder. In Nazi Germany, LGBTQIA+ people were targeted through book burnings and police raids. Many were sent to concentration camps, marked with pink triangles, and subjected to brutal treatment. Reports of these horrors spread in the 1940s as troops liberated the camps and courts convicted those involved, revealing the extent of Nazi persecution. Afterwards, returning to the U.S., LGBTQIA+ service members faced discrimination and were discharged from the military under "blue discharges," stripping them of veterans’ benefits.
At the height of the Cold War in the 1950s, the U.S. government labeled LGBTQIA+ people as security risks. Thousands lost their jobs in a wave of discrimination, while activists faced censorship. Yet, resistance grew. One: The Homosexual Magazine won a Supreme Court case protecting its right to distribute, marking one of the first legal victories for LGBTQIA+ rights.
By the 1960s and 1970s, the government took surveillance even further. Under FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, the agency monitored LGBTQIA+ organizations, tracking activists and gathering intelligence on groups like the Mattachine Society and the Daughters of Bilitis. Despite this, LGBTQIA+ activism gained momentum. The Mattachine Society fought legal battles for recognition, standing up to Congress and the courts. Though challenges remained, their efforts paved the way for future activism, proving that LGBTQIA+ people would not be silenced.
- Read more LGBTQIA+ history in the 20th century.
US Records
- Army LGBTQIA Records (USA)
- FBI LGBTQIA Records (USA)
- Police Records (USA)
- White House LGBTQIA Records (USA)
Related Pages
- History of Censorship (USA)
- History of Cross-Gender Acting (USA)
- History of Drag (USA)
- History of Entrapment (USA)
- History of Hate Crimes (USA)
- History of LGBTQ Terms (USA)
- History of Panic Defense (USA)
- History of Police Raids (USA)
- McCarthyism (USA)
- Landmark Supreme Court Cases (USA)
- United States of America (Aging Events) for some events that will need documenting.
