Welcome back to another issue of Allyship Corner! Celebrities are people in the public that showcase their different talents through acting, singing, dancing, and many more forms of entertainment. They also become role models for various niches. People look up to them, some wanting to become them, and some wanting to find pieces of themselves in them. In this month's theme, I want to talk about a few celebrities who aren't necessarily part of the LGBTQIA community but are our allies. They have made an effort to support the community by shedding more light on their struggles and standing by the community.

First on this list is none other than Taylor Swift. She acknowledges her lack of advocacy for LGBTQIA rights in the past years. Taylor has been criticized for her lack of political opinion when she refused to say who she would elect in the 2016 U.S. Presidential Elections. In August 2019, she released her seventh album, Lover. In her "You Need To Calm Down" music video, she showcased queer celebrities and also encouraged her fans, the Swifties, to sign a petition in support of the Equality Act to protect LGBTQIA people from discrimination in their places of work, homes, schools, and other public accommodations. Since then, she has been publicly supporting and standing by the LGBTQIA community.

Next on this list is Hugh Jackman. In a 2019 concert, he proudly said, "I'm an A. That's an A for an ally." He has also auctioned his costume from The River play and donated the proceeds to the nonprofit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

Thirdly is the iconic Anne Hathaway. After her older brother came out as gay, her family converted from Catholicism to Episcopalianism. In 2011, when asked about why she converted, Hathaway questioned why she should be supporting an organization, Catholicism, that has a limited view of her brother.

Benedict Cumberbatch has strong beliefs that people should be able to love who they want to love. He said in an interview in 2014 that he would fight with the LGBTQIA community to death.

The last one on this list is Daniel Radcliffe. He has been working with The Trevor Project since 2009. The Trevor Project is a suicide prevention and support group for LGBTQIA teens.

There are many more celebrities who, in their ways, have supported the LGBTQIA community. Whether it be in smaller or bigger means, it is incredible to see people in the public who support the community without necessarily being a part of it. We hope to see more influential people shed light on people's hardships and help them to stand strong and fight with them until the end.

Thank you for reading this month's issue and we'll see you all in the next one!

Today, let's dive into another event in history, one which took place on September 19, 1964. Believed to be the first public demonstration for gay rights in the United States, this event sought to make known the discontent with how the U.S. Army dealt with LGBTQ+ individuals and took place in New York. To provide some context, the military were subjecting gay men to egregious treatment, including less-than-honorable discharges, rejection to joining the army, and sending records to current and previous employers of these gay men. A less-than-honorable discharge means that you may not receive VA benefits from the army. An honorable discharge is actually incredibly common, making up over 85% of veterans. People had enough with this unfair treatment. It was time for a change!

Before we continue with the event itself, let's take a quick look at who organized the protest. Randy Wicker is our first organizer to be highlighted. Wicker formed the Homosexual League of New York, or HLNY, in 1962, which sought to spread information about the LGBTQ+ community and take action on unfair treatment of the community. Through this organization and his efforts, Wicker became incredibly active throughout New York and even became quite well known. Our second organizer is the organization called the New York City League for Sexual Freedom, or LSF, which was founded in 1963 by Leo Koch and Jefferson Poland. This organization advocated for increased expressibility of a sexual nature, usually with a legal or political aspect. They mainly advocated for the LGBTQ+ community as a whole, so their aligning with HLNY in September 1964 was one of the few instances of support directly for gay men.

Standing in front of a U.S. Army building in Lower Manhattan, the mighty army of ten protesters formed a picket line around the building and handed out flyers. Unfortunately, the protest was small and not well publicized, but it still made great efforts towards creating a more equitable world for everyone, no matter who they love or who they are. Though change did not happen immediately, their efforts did not go to waste. In 1994, the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy went into effect in the military, meaning individuals were permitted to join so long as they remained closeted. While being closeted, they were no longer subject to discrimination and harassment, though this came at the cost of expressing themselves fully. In 2011, the U.S. Army ended their discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals, allowing them to join without facing any repercussions or discrimination.

It is exciting to know that the efforts of ten individuals grew towards the creation of two U.S. policies in the military and that their initial goal was accomplished, though indirectly. While injustice was common in the military for so long, we know that this justice will continue to inspire future ones. This only goes to show that your voice and your passion can carry much farther than you might ever imagine, so use it for something positive like these people did!