International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia

May 17, the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia  is now celebrated in more than 130 countries, including 37 where same-sex acts are illegal, and thousands of initiatives, big and small, are reported across the world. First conceived by Louis-G......More

May 17, the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia  is now celebrated in more than 130 countries, including 37 where same-sex acts are illegal, and thousands of initiatives, big and small, are reported across the world. First conceived by Louis-Georges Tin in 2004, and held on May 17, 2005, the initial International Day Against Homophobia was supported by more than 24,000 individuals as well as organizations such as the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA), the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC), the World Congress of LGBT Jews, and the Coalition of African Lesbians. The date of May 17 was specifically chosen to commemorate the World Health Organization’s decision in 1990 to declassify homosexuality as a mental disorder. Learn more about the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia in this Wikipedia article, and from May17.org. If your organization has a program or event planned for IDAHOT, and youʻd like us to promote it or partner with you, please contact us here at the Hawai’i LGBT Legacy Foundation at [email protected]

Harvey Milk Day

Harvey Milk Day is organized by the Harvey Milk Foundation and celebrated each year on May 22 in memory of Harvey Milk, a gay rights activist who was assassinated in 1978. Milk was a prominent gay activist during the 20th century. He ran for office three times before be......More

Harvey Milk Day is organized by the Harvey Milk Foundation and celebrated each year on May 22 in memory of Harvey Milk, a gay rights activist who was assassinated in 1978. Milk was a prominent gay activist during the 20th century. He ran for office three times before becoming the first openly gay person elected to California public office, where he served as a city supervisor. Harvey Milk Day came about as a day to remember and teach about Milk’s life and his work to stop discrimination against the LGBTQIA+ community.

The Golden Gays

Aunty Maria Lani Tunta is the free, fierce, and fabulous mother to a chosen family of queens facing their golden years and ready for second chances. What does it mean for a drag queen to be in their 70s, for a sexual player to keep up his game, for a divorced man to exp......More

Aunty Maria Lani Tunta is the free, fierce, and fabulous mother to a chosen family of queens facing their golden years and ready for second chances. What does it mean for a drag queen to be in their 70s, for a sexual player to keep up his game, for a divorced man to explore being gay for the first time, for a widower to date again? These bitches bicker, tease, and challenge each other to move on, and they do it in makeup and heels. In this crazy life you have to seize the cheesecake. The play, written by Ryan “Oki” Naka, was inspired by the groundbreaking show The Golden Girls, and runs through June 29. Learn more and purchase tickets here.

Kumu Kahua

National LGBT Pride Month

Pride celebrations occur year-round, but in the U.S. June is celebrated as LGBT Pride Month in honor of the Stonewall riots, which started on June 28, 1969. June is also the month that same-sex marriage was legalized in the United States. Learn more. Note that Honolulu ......More

Pride celebrations occur year-round, but in the U.S. June is celebrated as LGBT Pride Month in honor of the Stonewall riots, which started on June 28, 1969. June is also the month that same-sex marriage was legalized in the United States. Learn more. Note that Honolulu Pride, a project of the Hawai’i LGBT Legacy Foundation, is celebrated in October to coincide with LGBT History Month, National Coming Out Day and Spirit Day. 2025 Honolulu Pride Weekend will take place October 17-19. Sign up for HLLFʻs newsletter to get the latest details on 2025 Honolulu Pride.

Honolulu Rainbow Film Festival

The Honolulu Rainbow Film Festival is moving to National Pride Month, so save the dates June 27-29, 2025, for another great celebration of international queer cinema. One of the longest-running and most respected queer film festivals in the country, #HRFF is a project o......More

The Honolulu Rainbow Film Festival is moving to National Pride Month, so save the dates June 27-29, 2025, for another great celebration of international queer cinema. One of the longest-running and most respected queer film festivals in the country, #HRFF is a project of the Hawaiʻi LGBT Legacy Foundation, and weʻre celebrating its 36th anniversary in 2025. Especially well known as a bridge between Hawaiʻi and the Pacific, Asia, and the USA, HRFF is an IMDB-qualified festival and a member of the Asia Pacific Queer Film Festival Alliance. For more information about HRFF36, contact Festival Director Brent Anbe.

Gender Journeys Day

Gender Journeys Day is a daylong conference for healthcare providers, educators, and families in Hawai‘i on gender-affirming care for keiki. The goal of Gender Journeys Day is to educate participants and increase the understanding of gender-affirming care for keiki whil......More

Gender Journeys Day is a daylong conference for healthcare providers, educators, and families in Hawai‘i on gender-affirming care for keiki. The goal of Gender Journeys Day is to educate participants and increase the understanding of gender-affirming care for keiki while building a community of local providers and support. Learn more here.

Celebrate Bisexuality Day

The culmination of Bi Awareness Week, Celebrate Bisexuality Day on September 23 recognizes and celebrates bisexuality, bisexual history, community, and culture. Celebrate Bisexuality Day is the brainchild of three bisexual rights activists: Wendy Curry of Maine, Michael......More

The culmination of Bi Awareness Week, Celebrate Bisexuality Day on September 23 recognizes and celebrates bisexuality, bisexual history, community, and culture. Celebrate Bisexuality Day is the brainchild of three bisexual rights activists: Wendy Curry of Maine, Michael Page of Florida, and Gigi Raven Wilbur of Texas, and was officially observed in 1999 at the International Lesbian and Gay Association Conference in Johannesburg, South Africa. In 2014, BiNet USA declared the days surrounding Celebrate Bisexuality Day to be Bi Awareness Week, also called Bisexual+ Awareness Week. The week begins on September 16, culminating on Celebrate Bisexuality Day. According to co-founding organization GLAAD, the goals of Bisexual+ Awareness Week include accelerating acceptance of the bisexual+ community, drawing attention to the experiences of this community, and celebrating the resiliency of the community. The Bisexual Resource Center has a comprehensive list of resources. If your organization has a program or event planned for Celebrate Bisexuality Day, and youʻd like us to promote it or partner with you, please contact us here at the Hawai’i LGBT Legacy Foundation at [email protected] Click here to view a complete list of LGBTQ Awareness Days from LGBTQnation.com  

LGBT History Month

According to Equality Forum,“The LGBT community is the only community worldwide that is not taught its history at home, in public schools or in religious institutions. LGBT History Month provides role models, builds community and makes the civil rights statement about o......More

According to Equality Forum,“The LGBT community is the only community worldwide that is not taught its history at home, in public schools or in religious institutions. LGBT History Month provides role models, builds community and makes the civil rights statement about our extraordinary national and international contributions.”  The annual observance of LGBT History Month during October in the U.S. began in 1994, and since 2006, Equality Forum–endorsed by GLAAD, HRC, NGLTF, NEA and others–has created resources for LGBT History Month. Visit their website to learn about remarkable people who have contributed to LGBTQIA+ social, cultural, political and economic progress. Each day in October, a new LGBT Icon is featured with a video, bio, bibliography, downloadable images and other resources. GLBT Historical Society Museum & ArchivesWIKIPEDIA.org has a great overview of global LGBT history dating back to the ancient world, and other great resources include:GLSEN.orgGLAAD.orgADL.orgBlackPast.org For a deep dive into the Hawai’i LGBTQ communityʻs experiences with AIDS and the struggle for same sex marriage, contact the UH Mānoa Library about the David McEwan, M.D. AIDS and Same-Sex Marriage in Hawai’i papers. If you know of other resources that should be added to this list, please contact us at [email protected] Click here to view a complete list of LGBTQ Awareness Days from LGBTQnation.com