1964: Randy Wicker is a guest on The Les Crane Show, becoming the first openly gay person to appear on national television. Following the show, Wicker is barraged by hundreds of letters from isolated lesbians and gay men across the country.

1979: Martin Sherman’s Bent, about the Nazi persecution of homosexuals, starring Richard Gere and David Dukes, begins previews on Broadway.

1989: Germany’s first public office devoted to lesbian and gay concerns is established in Berlin. Called the Referat fur Gleichgeschlectliche Lebensweisen (Center for Homosexual Lifestyles), the state-level office works to eliminate discrimination and promote understanding of gay men and lesbians.