Celebrating a rich history of LGBTQ+ activism in Wisconsin

The Civic Media Radio Network highlights community impact and shares inspirational stories throughout PRIDE Month

If you dig into the history of the LGBTQ+ movement in our state, you may be surprised by what you find. Activism in support of gay rights in Wisconsin has a rich timeline which deserves celebrating. We invite you to check back as we continue to update both the dates and stories surrounding the support of gay rights in the state.

1966: A public call to repeal restrictions against gay people is discussed by Wisconsin lawmakers. The New York Times picks up the story as a first-in-the-nation attempt to protect the rights of all citizens in the state.

1967: A bill to legalize homosexuality is supported by Lloyd Barbee, a significant leader in the state’s civil rights movement. He tells fellow lawmakers it will lead to less criminalization of the gay community. It fails to pass.

1969: Violent demonstrations follow a brutal police raid at the Stonewall Inn in New York City.

1969: Reacting to Stonewall, the first gay-rights organization in Wisconsin forms in Madison.

1970: A second gay-rights group organizes in Milwaukee by the spring of 1970.

1970: The first PRIDE marches occur in several cities across the country, including Milwaukee, in June of 1970. It is timed to coincide with the first anniversary of the Stonewall riots.

1976: James Yeadon earns a seat on the Madison City Council and wins re-election to a second term. He is the first openly gay person on state records to win a political race for office.

1978: Gilbert Baker, an artist in San Francisco, creates the first symbol of the LGBTQ+ community, the rainbow flag. It is then flown for the first time during the city’s Gay Freedom Day Parade.

1982: Wisconsin becomes the first state to pass a law prohibiting discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations on the basis of sexual orientation. 

1983: A bill known as the Consenting Adults Law, passes in Wisconsin and includes decriminalizing homosexuality. 

1999: Bill Clinton becomes the first U.S. President to officially recognize PRIDE month in June of 1999.

2019: Governor Tony Evers is the first leader in Wisconsin to raise a rainbow flag over the state Capitol in recognition of PRIDE month. He’s continued the tradition every June since he took office in 2019.

2024: New PRIDE events continue to be created in cities across the state. Middleton hosts its first gathering in 2024.