Thank you for your contribution to IN THE LIFE’s June Pride show, “40th Anniversary of Stonewall.”

This special hour-long episode commemorating that 1969 seminal event will begin airing to a national audience of over 74 million on June 1st.

I’m including descriptions of the various segments that will be in the show below, a brief narrative of the SoS series, and a link to the video-preview for the June show. If you would like to see a preview of the full episode, I can arrange to send you a link to its screener.

The State of the Movement — A Look at its Past, Present, Future
How do we measure our progress? IN THE LIFE speaks to activists young and old to explore where we have come from and how far we have left to go.

Youth Now — The Cost of “Coming Out” Young
Not many can say for certain who ignited the spark that led to the Stonewall Riots, but what is certain is that many of the instigators were young, some transgender, and a few homeless: youth, with nothing to lose and everything to fight for. 40 years later, there’s been tremendous growth in the number and diversity of LGBT youth services available in this country. Yet, as providers will tell you — at a time when the average age of “coming out” has dropped from early twenties to early teens — these are the best and the worst of times for our young people.

The Written Word — Queer Communication: From Flyers to HTML
Before the 1950s, men and women who identified themselves as gay or lesbian had little print media of their own. Comparing how we once communicated to how we connect today, it is clear that the Internet has radically altered our ability to reach each other and to publish our testimonies and opinions.

A Conversation With… activist, writer Larry Kramer (co-founder of ACT-UP, GMHC) and performer, DJ, and pop-icon Lady Bunny
These longtime partners-in-activism discuss the advancements and setbacks of the LGBT movement, and share their fears and hopes for the future of LGBT activism. Revealing some little-known details about sexual preferences of past U.S. presidents, they also discuss why gay history needs to be taught in schools.

The Gay Betsy Ross — The Rainbow Flag, Its history, and how it inspired the movement to adopt a new symbol
Gilbert Baker is the man behind the most visible and recognizable symbol of gay pride: the rainbow flag. An unsung hero and historian of the LGBT movement, Baker was asked by Harvey Milk in 1978 to create an emblem for the community. Replacing the pink triangle, the LGBT community adopted the rainbow flag — a symbol of its diversity and unity in the pursuit of equality for all.

IN THE LIFE’s July show will focus on the history of LGBT civil rights organizations, including A Conversation With... Kevin Cathcart of Lambda Legal and Katherine Acey of the Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice. In August, Summer of Stonewall will focus on the growth of LGBT arts and culture, including A Conversation With… author Edmund White and playwright Doric Wilson.

IN THE LIFE’s 17-year heritage as a national not-for-profit organization has been to create programming that fosters a better understanding and acceptance of the LGBT communities. I will give you a call shortly to discuss the possibility of coverage of our summer series, and we will also alert you to our September plans as soon as we can.