Coming Out: A 50 Year History

Four young activists interview elder gay, lesbian and trans-gender activists who came out in the 1970s. They explore how the catalyst of the Stonewall riots enabled a new generation to come out and begin to organize, get visible and fight for rights. Elders interviewed talk about the early gay pride marches, the American Psychological Association's acceptance of gay people, Anita Bryant anti-gay crusade, the creation of Gay Community Centers, the Disco Era, Harvey Milk and the Gay Game. Written by Anonymous

Four young activists interview elder gay, lesbian and trans-gender activists who came out in the 1960s. They explore how the perfect storm of 1960s activism -- the anti-war, civil rights, and the women's movements -- inspired young LGBT people of the time to fight for their personal freedoms These were the years that led up to the Stonewall Riots in 1969, and the elders explain what the underground LGBT community looked like pre-Stonewall, and how the actions of young, angry activists boiled over and ultimately lead gave way to a national modern LGBT movement.

A group of LGBT people over 40 describe to young people about their experiences coming outing the 1980s. The film covers AIDS, ACT UP, Queer Nation, the government response to AIDS, protests, The AIDS Memorial Quilt and the second National March on Washington. This is the fourth in a series of COMING OUT films that compare and contrast the coming out experience in different decades in the late 20th century and give their ideas and wisdom to a group of upcoming activists.

The video is a 15-minute series of interviews by teens of gay elders about their experiences growing up in the 1950s and how they created, formed and nurtured a gay community during a time when gay lives were underground and hidden. Stories include Hadley, an ROTC member who was outed and summarily discharged; Ron, an academic who gave up a promising relationship to pursue an education; and Phyllis Lyon, on her experiences founding the first lesbian organization in the US.