Google celebrates pride month with American Gay Rights Activist Frank Kameny Doodle

Google Doodle today celebrates American gay rights activist Frank Kameny, widely recognized as one of the most prominent figures of the US LGBTQ rights movement, in celebration of Pride Month. Kameny, widely hailed as one of the most prominent figures of the United States LGBTQ rights movement, was born in Queens, New York, in 1925. Notably, June is celebrated globally as ‘Pride Month’ and the Google doodle features Kameny wearing a colourful garland. Frank Kameny is one of the most prominent figures of the US LGBTQ rights movement in the USA who courageously paved the way for decades of progress.

Franklin Edward Kameny was born in Queens, New York, in 1925 to Jewish parents. Both his parents were atheists. At the age of 15 he was enrolled in Queens college. During the time of the World War he served in the army. After leaving the army, he returned to Queens College and graduated with a baccalaureate in physics in 1948.

He graduated with both a master’s degree (1949) and doctorate (1956) in astronomy. Later, Kameny obtained a doctorate in astronomy from the Harvard University. He also taught at the Georgetown University’s Astronomy Department for a year. In 1957, Frank Kameny accepted a job as a US government astronomer with the Army Map Service, but he was fired just months later because of his homosexuality. He contested this decision and fought against it all the way to the Supreme Court and organized the first gay rights protests outside the White House in the 1960s.

In 1965, Frank Kameny and 10 others became the first to stage gay rights protest in front of the White House and later at the Pentagon. Years before the Stonewall Riots, Frank Kameny organized the country’s first gay rights advocacy groups. He was one of the first person to challenge the American Psychiatric Association’s classification of homosexuality as a mental disorder. In 1975, the Civil Service Commission finally lifted its ban on LGBTQ employees.

He is also the first openly gay candidate to run for US congress, he ran in the District of Columbia’s first election for a non-voting Congressional delegate. Following his defeat, his campaign organization created the Guy and Lesbian Alliance of Washington, DC, an organization which continues to pressure government and press the case for equal rights. He passed away at the age of 86.
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