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wawa2
02-10-2006, 03:15 PM
They could be historical figures, philosophers, scientists, artists, musicians, they could be activists or politicians, even modern day entertainers... who do you feel has been important to LGBT people (past and present) and why?

I would like to start with two from the 20th century.

1. Alan Turing: Without Alan Turing we probably would not have computers today... he is considered the "father of modern computer science". He was responsible for breaking German Naval cryptanalysis codes during World War II and developing the first stored-program computer. He was an out gay man during a time when homosexuality was illegal and despite his contributions to the war he was convicted of "gross indecency" and forced to take degrading hormone treatments to "cure" him of his homosexuality.

http://www.turing.org.uk/turing/index.html (excellent website with lots of info)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Turing

2. Bayard Rustin: The right hand man of Martin Luther King, Jr. He was responsible for the organization of the March on Washington in 1963. He was the person who told King to use peaceful means by using Gandhi's protest techniques. "Despite these achievements, Rustin was silenced, threatened, arrested, beaten, imprisoned and fired from important leadership positions, largely because he was an openly gay man in a fiercely homophobic era."

http://www.rustin.org/about.html

http://www.glbtq.com/social-sciences/rustin_b.html

Your turn ;)
PhoxPhyre
02-22-2006, 07:45 AM
Lynn Conway, one of the first 700 transsexuals in the United States, designed the prototype of todays microchip.


http://ai.eecs.umich.edu/people/conway/conway.html

She was fired shortly after IBM discovered that she was transitioning. She later returned to the very same company, and ended up contributing even more to the computer industry after she had completely transitioned.
wawa2
02-27-2006, 06:10 PM
Wow, thanks for the link... very informative. I so appreciate the addition of an important Transgender person as they tend to get lost in the shuffle or not even considered when we talk about the LGBT community (even within the LGBT community).
PhoxPhyre
03-03-2006, 04:41 AM
Wow, thanks for the link... very informative. I so appreciate the addition of an important Transgender person as they tend to get lost in the shuffle or not even considered when we talk about the LGBT community (even within the LGBT community).
Yeah, and nobody even notes intersexed people; more often than not... I usually go with the GLBTIQ accronym.
wawa2
03-06-2006, 07:12 PM
Ma Rainey: Mother of the Blues
Bisexual Blues Singer
Gertrude "Ma" Rainey (1886-1939): Gertrude Pridgett was born in Columbus, Georgia on April 26, 1886. At age 14 she began performing with her family in minstrel shows. When she was 16 she heard her first blues song and copied the style in her performances.

Ma & Pa Rainey: At age 18 Gertrude married entertainer Will "Pa" Rainey. The two began performing together and were known as Ma and Pa Rainey and the Assassinators of the Blues.

Mother of the Blues: Although Ma Rainey was not the first Black woman to sing the Blues, she has been credited with its rise in popularity. She performed both with Pa Rainey and as a solo act. She signed a record deal with Paramount Records in 1923 and was one of the first performers to record the Blues. Her band included jazz stars Louis Armstrong, Thomas Dorsey and Coleman Hawkins.

Lover of Women: Even though she was married to Pa Rainey, Ma Rainey did nothing to hide her love of women. In 1928 she recorded "Prove it on Me Blues," which makes no secret of her relationships with women.

The Prove it On Me Blues:
"Went out last night with a crowd of my friends,
They must have been women, 'cause I don't like no men.
Wear my clothes just like a fan, Talk to gals just like any old man
'Cause they say I do it, ain't nobody caught me, Sure got to prove it on me."

Successful Black Business Woman: Ma Rainey released more than 100 songs with Paramount Records including "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" and "C.C. Rider." She loved to dress up in sequins and diamonds and wore a necklace made of gold coins to symbolize her success. She was sometimes known as The Gold Necklace Woman of the Blues.

Police Raid: In 1925 the police raided a party hosted by Ma Rainey. When the police arrived, they found some of the women undressed and in "intimate" situations. Ma Rainey was arrested for throwing an "indecent party."

Lover of Bessie Smith?: Ma and Pa Rainey mentored another famous bisexual Blues singer, Bessie Smith, known as The Empress of the Blues. Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith were close friends and possibly lovers. As a matter of fact, it was Bessie Smith who bailed Ma Rainey out of jail in 1925.

http://lesbianlife.about.com/od/herstory/p/MaRainey.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ma_Rainey
Triumph Hurricane
03-06-2006, 07:32 PM
There is a pilot of a B-52 "during the cold war days" he flew loaded with atomic bombs "Hydrogen" just in case the USSR got the wrong idea. retired with full honors and a long career with the Air Force and became A woman . This was on TV show but i forgot I think it was Discovery special or PBS .
SelfControl
03-08-2006, 10:58 AM
Not sure about important, but:

John Cage
William Burroughs
Vin Diesel
Ninjinsky (who knew?)
Erasmus70
03-08-2006, 12:52 PM
Self Control:
The first and probably the only member who has a fully funtioning brain and the ability to use it while staying true to his screenname (not going into a spaz-attack on me... yet)
SelfControl
03-08-2006, 01:24 PM
Self Control:
The first and probably the only member who has a fully funtioning brain and the ability to use it while staying true to his screenname (not going into a spaz-attack on me... yet)"Im-por-tant." Though.

Francis Bacon is another one.
SelfControl
03-08-2006, 04:13 PM
Vin Diesel

Just spoke to the guy I thought told me about this, turns out I probably dreamed it.
PhoxPhyre
03-09-2006, 02:31 AM
Self Control:
The first and probably the only member who has a fully funtioning brain and the ability to use it while staying true to his screenname (not going into a spaz-attack on me... yet)
I haven't spazzed on you. If anything, I've taken an aggresive stance on my opinions; as well as pointed out some of the generalizations you've made... Don't take any of it personally, though.
Erasmus70
03-09-2006, 09:35 AM
I haven't spazzed on you. If anything, I've taken an aggresive stance on my opinions; as well as pointed out some of the generalizations you've made... Don't take any of it personally, though.
Oh just wait a few posts.
I will have you pissed right off.
Its not something I work at either.. it just seems to come natural.

So far, I enjoy the 'try' you put into the nonsense you post. Probably a product of a college or Uni.
Still stupid or immature ideologies - just written well, with excellent sentence structure and a wider vocabulary.
Undoubtedly, you will believe being 'even more intellectual sounding' will somehow make a wrong idea right.
Looking forward to it.
SelfControl
03-09-2006, 11:07 AM
Oh just wait a few posts.
I will have you pissed right off.
Its not something I work at either.. it just seems to come natural.

So far, I enjoy the 'try' you put into the nonsense you post. Probably a product of a college or Uni.
Still stupid or immature ideologies - just written well, with excellent sentence structure and a wider vocabulary.
Undoubtedly, you will believe being 'even more intellectual sounding' will somehow make a wrong idea right.
Looking forward to it.I don't think you really have much room to criticise here, Eras. So many of your posts are garbled to the point where anyone replying just has to guess which meaning you're aiming for and hope. Far be it from me to suggest that you use ambiguous language just to make sure no-one ever fully understands your point regardless of how salient/retarded it was, but, you know... try typing with your fingers instead of your face now and then.

[/spazzattack]

Now, does anyone have important gays to talk about, because Erasmus is neither of those.
Erasmus70
03-09-2006, 11:57 AM
[QUOTE=SelfControl][/spazzattack]
QUOTE]

I love it.. very 'Old Skool Internet' there SC!
PhoxPhyre
03-10-2006, 01:14 AM
Oh just wait a few posts.
I will have you pissed right off.
Its not something I work at either.. it just seems to come natural.

So far, I enjoy the 'try' you put into the nonsense you post. Probably a product of a college or Uni.
Still stupid or immature ideologies - just written well, with excellent sentence structure and a wider vocabulary.
Undoubtedly, you will believe being 'even more intellectual sounding' will somehow make a wrong idea right.
Looking forward to it.
I don't try to sound intelligent; if anything, I attempt to convey my thoughts in a well organized manner. I know it's silly to try and change you mind on certain issues, which is why I haven't made an actual effort to convince you one way or the other. I put my say in and wait for you to react to it in whatever way you can and will.

Also, my age is purposely misrepresented; I'm actually in my senior year of high school... Not only that, but I am remaining in high school for yet another year in order to explore more of my interests without having to pay to do so.
Erasmus70
03-10-2006, 06:55 AM
PhoxPhyre : I don't try to sound intelligent; if anything, I attempt to convey my thoughts in a well organized manner.
Back to my point - if you work hard enough, you can deliver the worst and most inappropriate and unworkable thoughts and ideas in a well organised manner.
Unis specialise in that.

Also, my age is purposely misrepresented; I'm actually in my senior year of high school...

Least surprising revelation yet.


Not only that, but I am remaining in high school for yet another year in order to explore more of my interests without having to pay to do so.

I had to repeat a Grade once too.
Its no big deal and I was bummed about it at the time - only to be skipped ahead two grades a year later.
So... just keep at 'er!
PhoxPhyre
03-10-2006, 07:27 AM
Back to my point - if you work hard enough, you can deliver the worst and most inappropriate and unworkable thoughts and ideas in a well organised manner.
Unis specialise in that.
Well, until you prove me otherwise, I really don't mind what you think of my opinions...

I had to repeat a Grade once too.
Its no big deal and I was bummed about it at the time - only to be skipped ahead two grades a year later.
So... just keep at 'er!
Oh, I could graduate if I wanted too; I already gave my reason for not doing so...
Erasmus70
03-10-2006, 08:58 AM
Well, until you prove me otherwise, I really don't mind what you think of my opinions...

You dont even know what your opinions are.
Your a girl who thinks its 'smart' to look and find some peripherial issue that 'is not' like something else.
Thats not even being 'contrarian' but something dumbed down even further.
Great!