The 18 LGBTQIA+ Legends You Should Know

Hey there, happy Pride!

The words “Pride event” can conjure up joyful images of technicolor celebrations, branded happy hours, and rainbow-festooned musical performances.

But the first-ever Pride event was anything but joyful. On June 28, 1970, a few thousand people took to the streets, led by activists like Linda Rhodes and Brenda Howard and under the threat of police brutality, for the first anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising. It was called the Christopher Street Gay Liberation Day March.

So much of LGBTQIA+ history, up until then, was happening in secret, because it was too dangerous to happen in public. But in the years leading up to the Stonewall Uprising — and then the subsequent march — hundreds of thousands of people were organizing and fighting for queer liberation. And in the years since, millions of people continue to organize and fight for the same thing — because there’s still a lot of work to do. A lot.

Many of their names will be lost to history. That’s why one of the most powerful things we can do is remember, honor, and celebrate the names of the ones we know, all year long. Here are 18 LGBTQIA+ legends we think you should know about.