Karen Monast collection of 1993 March on Washington and Marriage Equality

Karen Monast

Monast was at the March on Washington in 1993. The pictures of the March were her own personal photographs. She wore the pink hat while recording names and addresses of March attendees. Monast was given the “Marshal” t-shirt after turning in her attendance note pads to the volunteer tent. The “It’s a Queer World” t-shirt was purchased by Monast at the March.

The March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay, and Bi Equal Rights and Liberation was a large political rally held in Washington D.C. on April 25, 1993. An estimated one million people attended, making it one of the largest protests in American History.

March organizers agreed on seven primary demands:

Passage of a lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, and transgender civil rights bill and an end to discrimination by state and federal governments.

A massive increase in funding for AIDS research, education, and patient care; universal access to health care including alternative therapies; and an end to sexism in medical research and health care.

Legislation to prevent discrimination against lesbians, gays, bi-sexual, and transgendered people in the areas of family, diversity, custody, adoption, and foster care and that the definition of family includes the full diversity of all family structures.

Full and equal inclusion of lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgender people in the educational system, and inclusion of lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, and transgender studies in multicultural curricula.

The right to reproductive freedom and choice, to control our own bodies, and an end to sexual discrimination.

An end to racial and ethnic discrimination in all forms,

An end to discrimination and violent oppression based on actual or perceived sexual orientation, identification, race, religion, identity, sex and gender expression, disability, age, class, AIDS/HIV infection.