Date of Birth: March 4, 1948
Zodiac Sign: Pisces
Date of Death: June 4, 2005
Biography
Jean O’Leary was an influential American LGBT rights activist and feminist, known for her pivotal role in the fight for equality and justice for the lesbian and gay community. Born in Kingston, New York, O’Leary initially entered the public sphere as a Roman Catholic nun before leaving the convent to embrace her identity and join the burgeoning LGBT rights movement. She was a co-founder of the National Gay Task Force (now the National LGBTQ Task Force) and later founded Lesbian Feminist Liberation, one of the first lesbian activist groups in the United States. O’Leary was instrumental in organizing the first White House meeting on LGBT issues in 1977, a groundbreaking event that marked the beginning of a more formal dialogue between the LGBT community and the federal government. She was also a co-founder of National Coming Out Day, celebrated annually on October 11th, which encourages LGBT people to publicly declare their sexual orientation as a means of fostering acceptance and support.
5 Interesting Facts about Jean O’Leary
1. Jean O’Leary was a former Roman Catholic nun before becoming an LGBT rights activist.
2. She co-founded the National Gay Task Force in 1973, which was the first national gay rights organization in the United States.
3. O’Leary was one of the organizers of the 1977 White House meeting on LGBT issues, the first of its kind.
4. She founded National Coming Out Day in 1988, which remains an important annual event in the LGBT community.
5. O’Leary was awarded the Stonewall Award in 1998 for her contributions to the LGBT rights movement.
5 Most Interesting Quotes from Jean O’Leary
1. “The most important thing we can do is to come out and be visible.”
2. “We must never forget that we are fighting for our lives and our dignity.”
3. “Visibility is the key to acceptance, and acceptance is the key to equality.”
4. “The power of being open about who we are cannot be underestimated.”
5. “Our struggle is not just for ourselves, but for future generations of LGBT people.”
Highest Net Worth Achieved
Jean O’Leary’s highest net worth is not publicly documented as her work was primarily in activism rather than profit-driven endeavors.
Children
Jean O’Leary adopted a daughter, Victoria O’Leary.
Relevant Links
1. [National LGBTQ Task Force](https://www.thetaskforce.org
2. [Stonewall Award Information](https://www.ala.org/rt/rrt/award/stonewall/honored
3. [History of National Coming Out Day](https://www.hrc.org/resources/national-coming-out-day
