Silvia Rivera

1951-2002

Gay liberation and transgender rights advocate, a founding member of the Gay Liberation Front, Gay Activist Alliance and Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries.

Bob Ross

1934-2003

Pioneer in gay journalism, co-founder and longtime publisher of the Bay Area Reporter, president of the Tavern Guild and Meals on Wheels, Emperor VII of the Imperial Court.

Vito Russo

1946-1990

Activist, film historian, author and co-founder of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation who brought attention to stereotyping of LGBTs in film.

Bayard Rustin

1912–1987

African-American civil rights activist credited as the chief organizer of the watershed 1963 March on Washington and advocate for gay and lesbian causes.

Rikki Streicher 

1926-1994
San Francisco entrepreneur and sports advocate who worked within the City’s bar culture to create social activism.

Lou Sullivan

1951-1991

Transgender historian and activist who challenged the denial of medical treatment to trans people who would be gay or lesbian after gender transition.

Willem Arondéus

1894-1943

Dutch artist and author who joined the Dutch anti-Nazi resistance movement during World War II. His last words before being executed by the Nazis were “Tell people that homosexuals are not cowards.”

Bobbi Campbell

1952-1984

Early self-identified person with AIDS whose prolific writing helped inform the public, empower early sufferers, and destigmatize the condition.

Sally Gearhart

1931-2021

American teacher, radical feminist, science-fiction writer, and political activist.

Carlos Jáuregui

1956-1996

A courageous Argentinian activist who fiercely fought for the rights of the full spectrum of the LGBTQ community