On Wednesday, April 17, D.C.'s Rainbow History Project will host a reenactment commemorating the historic first protest for gay rights, which occurred on the same day in 1965. This picket line in front of the White House is credited with drawing attention to the federal government's discrimination against homosexuals. Organized by the Mattachine Society of Washington, D.C., founded by local gay rights pioneer Frank Kameny, the event marks the 59th anniversary of this pivotal moment. The reenactment aims to honor the activism of those who fought for LGBTQ+ rights. During the April 1965 event, picketers including Kameny and prominent D.C. lesbian activist Lilli Vincenz, insisted that the government adopt demands like ending the exclusion of homosexuals from federal government employment, lifting the ban on gays and lesbians in the U.S. military, the cessation of the "blanket denial" of security clearances for gay individuals, and an end to the government's refusal to engage with the LGBTQ+ community. This reenactment event will also pay tribute to Kameny, who passed away in 2011, and Vincenz, who passed away in 2023. Paul Kuntzler, the sole surviving participant from the April 1965 White House picket, will join this week's reenactment. Kuntzler will carry a replica of his original picket sign from the event. The reenactment picketing at the White House is scheduled to commence around 4:15 p.m. on April 17, mirroring the timing of the 1965 event. #Queer Up The USA View