Many of these people remained in the Reagans’ lives even after Ronald Reagan fired many queer members of his administration as governor of California in 1967. Another gay man, socialite Jerome Zipkin, was frequently Nancy’s escort. The Reagans had socialized with many LGBTQ+ people during their film and TV careers, including Billy Haines, a gay man who lost his film stardom because he refused to be closeted but then became a sought-after interior decorator to the rich and famous.

Nancy Reagan had private friendships with LGBTQ+ people, but she and her husband, President Ronald Reagan, were publicly homophobic, and the Reagan administration was notorious for its inaction as AIDS took the lives of many gay and bisexual men. Postal Service is unveiling a stamp next week honoring former First Lady Nancy Reagan - and many people are pointing out that it’s not a good thing for Pride Month.