South Florida has a long history in LGBT-rights movement

1976: Dade County Commissioner Ruth Shack sponsors a human rights ordinance to prohibit discrimination on the basis of homosexuality.

Jan. 18, 1977: Dade County commissioners pass the ordinance 5-3. Opponent Anita Bryant vows to defeat the ordinance at the ballot box.

June 7, 1977: On election day, Bryant’s promise is fulfilled: Nearly 70 percent of voters opt to repeal the ordinance.

1992: Miami Beach passes an ordinance banning discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

1993: Save Dade is founded to continue to promote equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender members of the community.

1997: Save Dade proposes a county ordinance to prohibit discrimination against gays and lesbians.

1998: 21 years after being repealed by Miami Dade voters, equal rights for gays becomes county law.

2008: Florida votes approve a constitutional ban on gay marriage.

Aug. 8, 2014: Federal Judge Robert L. Hinkle rules Florida's gay-marriage ban is unconstitutional, and stays his decision pending appeal.

Dec. 2: Miami-Dade commissioners vote 8-3 to provide legal protections for transgender men and women.

Dec. 3: A federal appeals court and the U.S. Supreme Court reject a request by the state of Florida to extend the federal stay beyond Jan. 5.

Dec. 8: A Broward judge rules that Florida's same-sex marriage ban is unconstitutional.

Dec. 17: A Lake Worth woman and her same-sex partner are granted a divorce, a first for Florida.

Jan. 1: Hinkle rules that all Florida clerks are bound by the U.S. Constitution not to enforce the same-sex marriage ban.

Jan. 5: Miami-Dade becomes the first county in Florida to allow same-sex couples to marry.

This story was originally published January 5, 2015 at 2:29 PM with the headline "South Florida has a long history in LGBT-rights movement."