The planet Mercury is a symbol used by the transgendered community. The sign for Mercury is a crescent shape and a cross, which represents the male and female principles in harmony in an individual. Additionally, the god Mercury fathered Hermaphroditus, who had both male and female sex organs.f
The labrys, a double-edged hatchet or axe, is a symbol of strength and unity for the lesbian community. Demeter, the Goddess of Earth, is said to have used a labrys as her scepter, especially in religious ceremonies.f
In 1987, Delta Airlines apologized for arguing in plane crash litigation that it should pay less in compensation for the life of a gay passenger than for a heterosexual one because he may have had AIDS.f
Records of same-sex relationships have been found in nearly every culture throughout history with varying degrees of acceptance.a
The number of gays and lesbians in the U.S. is estimated to be approximately 8.8 million.c
Nearly 9 million people in the U.S are gay or lesbian
No research has conclusively proven what causes homosexuality, heterosexuality, or bisexuality.k
Scientists estimate that approximately 5% of the total human population worldwide has a homosexual orientation.d
Historians note that in some cultures, homosexual behavior was not viewed as effeminate but as evidence of a man’s masculinity. Examples include the Celtic and Greek cultures.e
Approximately 1 million children in the U.S. are being raised by same-sex couples.c
In 1982, the Gay Related Immune Disorder (GRID) was renamed Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).
