LGBTQ History

For over five decades, Houston’s Krewe of Olympus has dazzled with rhinestones, feathers, and flamboyance—all while raising nearly $1 million for LGBTQ organizations.

ACLU of Texas senior staff attorney Brian Klosterboer blends deep knowledge of LGBTQ history with fierce courtroom advocacy, fighting discriminatory laws while honoring the contributions of queer Texans past and present.

Justice Clarence Thomas said precedent isn’t “the gospel,” raising fresh concerns about marriage equality as conservative states and activists push the court to revisit Obergefell v. Hodges.

With support from the Invisible Histories Project, historian JD Doyle has digitized OutSmart’s archives, preserving more than 30 years of Houston’s LGBTQ history in one accessible online collection.

Houston’s rainbow crosswalks at Westheimer and Taft were removed during repaving. Their return depends on a city review of new federal rules restricting roadway art.

Linda Morales, known for her role in the landmark Morales v. Texas case, continues to fight for civil rights in Texas through writing, organizing, and activism.

Orlando officials denounced the state’s overnight removal of the Pulse memorial crosswalk, calling it a political attack on the LGBTQ community and an insult to the 49 victims.

OutSmart marks Women’s Equality Day with three Houston women—queer, lesbian, and bisexual—on what true equity looks like, and what still stands in the way.

For nearly five decades, Deborah Moncrief Bell has shaped Houston’s LGBTQ media—spanning print, radio, listservs, and podcasts—while spotlighting voices from every corner of the queer community.

Equality Texas will hold its first Barbara Jordan Garden Party on July 27, celebrating LGBTQ advocates and honoring the late congresswoman’s legacy of civil rights and inclusive leadership in Houston.