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1970
	1969 The Stonewall Riots ignited the gay rights movement.
	1978 Gay activists Harvey Milk is elected to San Francisco Board of Supervisors. 20 days later he is murered by Supervisor Dan White.
1980
	1983 U.S. Rep. Gerry Studds, D-Mass, becomes 1st member of Congress to acknowledge his homosexuality..
	1987 U.S. Rep. Barney Frank becomes the second member of Congress to state he is gay.
	1987 Between 250k to 500k gays and lesbians and their supporters converge on Washington for the largest gay rights demonstration ever.
	1987 ACT-UP is formed.
1990
	1990 President George H. Bush signs the national Hate Crimes Act, the first to include gays.
	1990 Militant group Queer Nation founded.
	1993 Don’t Ask Don’t Tell is instituted for U.S military.
	1995 Clinton signs executive order forbidding the denial of security clearances on basis of sexual orientation.
	1998 Clinton signs the Defense of Marriage Act, denying the federal benefits to same-sex spouses.
2000
	2000 Vermont becomes first state to legalize civil unions between gay and lesbian couples.
	2004 Same sex marriages become legal in Massachussetts.
	2004 U.S. Senate defeats measure to create constitutional ammendment limiting marriage to heterosexual.