Franklin Kameny

Frank Kameny was a pioneering American gay rights advocate and astronomer. In the 1950s and 1960s, he challenged the U.S. government's discrimination against LGBTQ individuals, notably fighting the dismissal of gay federal employees. Kameny co-founded the Mattachine Society of Washington, a pioneering gay rights organization, and was instrumental in advocating for equality and acceptance. His efforts helped lay the groundwork for later advances in LGBTQ rights, and he is remembered as a key figure in the struggle for social justice and civil liberties for gay Americans.