LGBTQ+ activists gathered at the U.S. Supreme Court to celebrate Frank Kameny's 100th birthday and the 10th anniversary of marriage equality. Kameny, a key figure in the LGBTQ+ rights movement, was honored for his contributions, particularly after his struggle against the federal government due to his sexual orientation. However, the event was bittersweet, as activists raised alarms over the ongoing regression of civil rights for transgender individuals and LGBTQ+ military members. The commemoration served both as a celebration of progress and a rallying cry against recent judicial actions threatening hard-won rights.
“We're celebrating the hundredth birthday of the founder of the LGBTQ civil rights movement,” Equality Forum founder Malcolm Lazin told The Advocate. “Frank Kameny—literally one of this nation's major civil rights leaders.”
Lazin, who organized the commemoration, said the event was both a tribute to Kameny's legacy and a direct response to what he called an alarming regression in civil rights, particularly for transgender people and LGBTQ+ service members.
“We're also pushing back against this Supreme Court in terms of them enabling, in 2025, trans people being discharged from our military,” he said. “It's very much part of the message we're delivering today.”
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