LGBTQ+ History Month: Remembering the Stories That Changed Our Communities
October is LGBTQ+ History Month — a time to remember the people, events, struggles and victories that have shaped LGBTQ+ history in America.
History matters because the past doesn't simply disappear. It continues to influence the communities we live in, the rights we have, and the stories we tell about ourselves.
That's one reason The Fall of '55 remains so important.
Before Stonewall, There Was Boise
In the fall of 1955, a scandal involving gay and closeted men erupted in Boise, Idaho. What began with the investigation of teenage boys who had prostituted themselves to older men quickly became a sweeping police investigation and a public spectacle.
Names and accusations appeared in the newspaper. Families were affected. Careers and reputations were destroyed. Men were arrested, prosecuted and sent to prison. As we showed in the film, numerous men fled the state, and one family fled the country.
For a community that had largely remained invisible, homosexuality was suddenly everywhere — and the consequences left deep scars.
The Fall of '55 asks questions that remain relevant today: What happens when fear becomes public policy? What happens when a community is defined by accusation and shame? And what can we learn when we take the time to listen to the people who lived through it?
LGBTQ+ History Is Local History
When people think about LGBTQ+ history, they often think about the major milestones: Stonewall, the AIDS crisis, marriage equality, the fight for civil rights and the people whose names became nationally known.
Those stories matter.
But LGBTQ+ history also happened in thousands of towns and cities across America.
It happened in Boise.
It happened in newspapers, courtrooms, classrooms, churches, bars and family homes. It happened to people whose names were never written into the history books.
That is why local history matters. It gives us a chance to see the larger story through the lives of real people in a real community.
And sometimes, understanding what happened in one place can help us understand an entire era.
A Film Made for Conversation
The Fall of '55 was originally released 20 years ago, but the story continues to resonate with audiences.
The documentary is available for screenings, classroom presentations and community discussions, and October is an especially meaningful time to bring the film to your community.
A screening doesn't have to be just a screening.
It can be the beginning of a conversation about local history, LGBTQ+ history, civil rights, journalism, the power of the press, or the ways communities respond when fear and prejudice take hold.
I am also available during October for speaking engagements and community discussions connected to the film and the history behind it.
Whether you're a university, school, library, museum, LGBTQ+ organization, historical society, community group or film organization, I'd be happy to talk about bringing The Fall of '55 to your audience.
This October, Let's Remember
LGBTQ+ History Month is an opportunity to celebrate progress, but also to remember the people whose stories help us understand how we got here.
The history of LGBTQ+ Americans is American history.
And sometimes the most important stories are the ones that happened close to home.
If you'd like to organize a screening of The Fall of '55, invite me to speak, or arrange a community discussion during LGBTQ+ History Month, I'd love to hear from you.
Book a screening or discussion: https://www.fallof55.com/book
Teach The Fall of ‘55: https://www.fallof55.com/for-educators