Wisconsin has a long, but hidden, LGBTQ+ history. In the 1970s and '80s, LGBTQ+ leaders' fight for equality earned Wisconsin the nickname "The Gay Rights State." The first hour of this documentary explores how diversity in sexual orientation, gender identity and expression are a normal part of the human experience. It opens with Indigenous people prior to Wisconsin’s European colonization and continues through the 19th and 20th centuries. The film's second hour explores how forward-looking Wisconsinites challenged LGBTQ+ harassment and injustice in visionary ways, long before these efforts received national attention. Through organized protest, an independent press, and gay bar-centered social networks, a movement grew that helped build a coalition for legislative LGBTQ+ rights. Embracing and celebrating Wisconsin’s LGBTQ+ history is vital for protecting these hard-won human rights and expanding them to all.
