ÌÇÐÄvlog

In honor of American Jewish Heritage Month (May) and LGBTQ+ Pride Month (June), Andy Anderson, of the ÌÇÐÄvlogl Global Student Experiences Team, has put together a list of ten queer Jewish Americans who have made (or are currently making) history.

Rabbi Allen Bennett

In 1978—a year of great change and liberation for the gay and lesbian communities— became the first openly gay Rabbi in the United States. During his first year of service as Rabbi at Congregation Sha’ar Zahav in San Francisco, he officiated at the . In his retirement, he has enjoyed volunteering with synagogues in Copenhagen and Jerusalem, and.

Robert Bernardo

 could be considered a collector of “firsts.” Not only was he the first Jewish President of , he was also the first openly gay, Jewish, Filipino commissioner in the city of South San Francisco, and the first Asian American Grand Marshal of  parade in 2006. While serving as Commissioner of the San Mateo County Harbor District, he was the highest ranking Pacific Islander in the United States Government. He’s also a three-time winner of awards for male beauty pageants, including Mr. Gay Asian Pacific Alliance in 1993.

Kate Bornstein

 is an author, playwright, actor, and gender theorist. Her book  (a great read for all- yep! even cisgender people!) was a groundbreaking contribution to the empowerment of trans and gender-curious individuals and remains an important part of our queer cultural bookshelf. Her work has also addressed the mental health challenges faced by LGBTQ+ youth, and in 2006 she released .

Leslie Feinberg z”l

 was an antiracist, transgender butch lesbian, and revolutionary communist. Ze wrote extensively on transgender liberation and received the  for hir novel . (.) In addition to claiming space for LGBTQ+ working class people, Leslie was a fearless advocate for breaking the sex and gender binary. She used a number of different pronoun sets during her lifetime—you can, too! ()

Lesley Gore z”l

If you were asked to name influential lesbian Jewish musicians of the 20th century,  probably comes to mind. While you would be hard pressed to find an American Jewish setting where Debbie hasn’t been on the playlist, let’s not forget about ! Credited with capturing the sound of teenage heartbreak, Lesley’s tunes were beloved by the youth of the 1960s and are currently on heavy repeat among Gen-Z listeners. The success of her single “It’s My Party” made her the first lesbian to reach the number one spot on the American Music Charts. .

Frank Kameny z”l

You know the story of Harvey Milk, but what do you know about? Frank, a Doctor of Astronomy, was recruited to work for the United States Army Map Service in 1957. Within months,  After several failed appeals and rejection by the Supreme Court to hear his case, Frank dedicated his life to activism.  .

Rabbi Elliott Kukla

 is the first openly transgender person to be ordained as Rabbi. (Full disclosure, he’s Canadian-American.) Since coming out during his final year of Rabbinic school, he has authored numerous articles on the trans experience in Jewish life, and has expanded our use of ritual and blessing to be inclusive of transgender needs. () Rabbi Kukla currently serves at , where he specializes in working with chronic illness.

Maurice Sendak z”l

Bring out the ! Beloved author of children’s books, , was born to Polish-Jewish parents who immigrated to the U.S. in the early 1900s. His books have thrilled generations of readers with imaginary worlds and distinctive illustration. Though Maurice made the decision not to disclose his orientation during his parents’ lifetimes, he was happily partnered with Eugene Glynn for more than fifty years. After Glynn’s passing in 2007, Sendak made a $1Mil donation to  in his name. May their love, their partnership, and their memory be for a blessing.

Abby Stein

 is the first woman to have been ordained by an Orthodox Union as well as the founder of the first support group for transgender people from Orthodox backgrounds. In 2019  most influential American Jews. Her activism has made waves in a multitude of spaces- including at the 2019 and 2020  Her memoir, , can be found at bookstores and libraries across America.

Michael Twitty

 is both making history and interpreting it. A professional historian, Michael’s work highlights the experiences of enslaved African Americans for modern audiences, . In 2017, Colonial Williamsburg named him as one of their  As an author, chef, and genealogist, Michael uses the medium of food to , creating deliciously authentic expressions of his own identity. .

We recognize that this list is pretty heavy on white and white passing bodies. The reasons for this are multiple and overlapping, but we can primarily look to white supremacy and the double-policing of identities faced by queer people of color in the United States. The author of this article wanted to highlight names and stories that you may not have heard before, and this list is not intended to be taken as comprehensive. Let us know if you want to hear even more queer, Jewish stories!