17 Facts About Andy Thayer

Andy Thayer is co-founder of the Gay Liberation Network, one of the largest LGBTQ direction-action groups in Chicago.

Andy Thayer's father designed missile parts, and his mother was an activist who helped draft dodgers of the Vietnam War escape to Canada.

At the age of 17, Thayer wrote articles against corruption in his high school newspaper at Holland Central High School.

Andy Thayer's articles led to the school shutting down the school newspaper.

Andy Thayer founded the Gay Liberation Network in September 1998 under the original name "Chicago Anti-Bashing Network" which was changed to the Gay Liberation Network in 2004.

On March 18,2006, Andy Thayer organized another march against the Iraq war down Michigan Avenue.

Andy Thayer was charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and violation of the permit ordinance.

Andy Thayer later appealed the arrest in 2005 arguing that the city violated his first amendment rights, but was officially denied in September 2012.

Andy Thayer has organized protests in support of Manning and serves on the advisory board for the Bradley Manning Support Network.

Andy Thayer has organized protests for marriage equality and has called an end to the discrimination that LGBTQ people face.

In February 2001, Andy Thayer was arrested along with one other activist for attempting to chain and lock the doors of the Cook County's clerk building in protest of not being able to receive a marriage license.

Andy Thayer was charged with a felony and spent the night in jail and was later released on a $3,000 bail.

In 2008, Andy Thayer organized a protest against Prop 8 in Chicago, the amount of demonstrators was in the thousands.

Andy Thayer was one of the organizers and speakers at the 2013 March on Springfield for Marriage Equality on October 22.

In December 2013, Andy Thayer visited Honduras to assist local LGBTQ activists with the fight for equality and to help monitor the Honduras presidential election.

Andy Thayer is openly gay and currently lives in Chicago in the Uptown neighborhood.

Andy Thayer got engaged in November 2013 and married in the summer of 2014.