QueerPlanet.us – By David Johnson, Columnist
… James Baldwin
One of America?s greatest African-American writers, James Baldwin wrote many works. One of these books, Giovanni?s Room, focuses on homosexuality. It was published in 1956, a time when many authors wouldn?t dare touch the subject of homosexuality. James Baldwin is a wonderful hero and role model because he was a bold man. He grew up in a time of racism and extreme homophobia.
… Sylvia Rae Rivera
Sylvia Rae Rivera was a transgender activist. She was a prominent person in the Stonewall Riots, and is often accredited with being the first to strike back at the police, initiating the riots. Sylvia was the founding member of organizations such as STAR (Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries), the Gay Liberation Front, and the Gay Activists Alliance. She even held activists meetings in her hospital room during the final hours of her life. A person with this kind of commitment is worthy of admiration from anyone, no matter what their orientation is!