PHOTO ESSAY: five years in the LGBT movement

The Blade’s photo editor looks back his favorite photos from that period

Published

8 years ago

October 8, 2014

National Equality March (Blade file photo by Michael Key)

The last five years have brought momentous change to the LGBT movement. Here, Blade Photo Editor Michael Key looks back on some of his favorite photos from that period.

*The 2009 National Equality March draws thousands on Oct. 11 to the U.S. Capitol.*

*President **Barack Obama** signs the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act on Oct. 22, 2009.*

*D.C. Mayor **Adrian Fenty** signs the Religious Freedom And Civil Marriage Equality Amendment Act of 2009 in a ceremony at All Souls Church, Unitarian on Dec. 18.*

Washington state residents **Cheryl Cristello**, **Barbara Sehr** and **Krystal Mountaine** walk to their senators’ offices to share their stories and lobby for the trans-inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act on March 16, 2010.

*Lt. **Dan Choi** handcuffs himself to the White House fence in protest of the U.S. military’s ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy on March 18, 2010.*

*Protesters hold a demonstration in the United States Capitol on June 28, 2010 to call for passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act.*

*A man stands with signs made of empty pill bottles to advocate for the funding of the AIDS Drug Assistance Program at Lafayette Park on Sept. 29, 2010.*

*House Speaker **Nancy Pelosi** embraces open military service activist **Mike Almy** at a signing ceremony for ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ repeal on Dec. 21, 2010.*

*President **Barack Obama** signs the repeal of the U.S. military’s ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy on Dec. 22, 2010.*

*Out legislator Del. **Mary Washington** speaks at the Maryland House of Delegates debate on the Civil Marriage Protection Act on March 11, 2011.*

*Marines at Quantico are given training on the military’s new policy of open service on May 23, 2011.*

*President **Barack Obama** leads a Joint Session of Congress on Sept. 9, 2011.*

*A memorial for LGBT rights pioneer Frank Kameny is held on Nov. 3, 2011.*

*Activists march in front of the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department for Transgender Day of Action on Nov. 17, 2011.*

**Barb Brehm** and **Kären Rasmussen** are joined by religious leaders at the Fairfax County Courthouse where they are denied a marriage license by state authorities on Feb. 14, 2012.

*Gov. **Martin O’Malley** (D-Md.) signs the Civil Marriage Protection Act on March 1, 2012, legalizing same-sex marriage in Maryland.*

*A ‘silent march’ to protest a spate of anti-LGBT assaults in D.C. wound through the streets of Columbia Heights on March 20, 2012.*

*Actor **Hal Sparks** speaks at a rally for Social Security reform next to the U.S. Capitol on April 26, 2012.*

*Thousands of activists gather in Lafayette Square at the ‘We Can End AIDS’ rally on July 24, 2012 during the International AIDS Conference held in Washington, D.C.*

*Openly-gay performer **Adam Lambert** headlines a fundraiser for Marylanders for Marriage Equality at the 9:30 Club on Sept. 25, 2012.*

**Clayton Zook** and **Wayne MacKenzie** are married on Tilghman Island in Maryland on Jan 1, 2013.

*A rally and march calling for the overturning of Proposition 8 is held at the U.S. Supreme Court on March 26, 2013.*

**Edie Windsor**, lead plaintiff in the landmark Supreme Court case Windsor v. U.S., stands in front of the court on March 27, 2013.

*Couples from states that had yet to legalize same-sex marriage are married in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on June 21, 2013. Washington, D.C. had legalized same-sex marriage citywide in 2009.*

*A young couple is married in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on June 21, 2013.*

The Proposition 8 Plaintiffs with lawyer **David Boies** and Human Rights Campaign **President Chad** Griffin celebrate following their victory at the U.S. Supreme Court on June 26, 2013.

*D.C. Mayor **Vincent Gray** presides over a wedding at the Wilson D.C. Government Building on Nov. 19, 2013.*

A sign in a store window in Laurel, Miss. announces that the proprietors do not discriminate against LGBT people. A law passed in Mississippi had been seen as giving business owners the right to discriminate.

A group of Russian and Ukrainian LGBT activists and their supporters gather at Dupont Circle to hold a protest against anti-LGBT violence and laws in Russia during the Sochi Winter Olympics on Feb. 22, 2014.

*The design for the Harvey Milk forever stamp is unveiled at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on May 22, 2014.*

*The Opening Ceremonies of the 2014 Gay Games are held in Cleveland on Aug. 9.*

*A group of transgender activists hold a vigil for victims of anti-trans violence in front of the Walter E. Washington Convention Center on Sept. 27, 2014.*

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A post shared by Michael Patrick Key (@michaelpatrickkey)

Covering the Safe Space party at @BlackCatDC for @WashBlade pic.twitter.com/uTVCvwve20
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(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

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A post shared by Michael Patrick Key (@michaelpatrickkey)

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