What History is there?

Today I was sitting at work not doing much of anything because it was the slow part of the day.  Out of nowhere one of my co-workers comes up to me with one of the local papers covering a small blurb about CA legislation involving the attempt to ban teaching gay history in public schools.  She points to the small caption story and asks me pretty honestly, "What history?  What history is there to teach?"  I have to be honest, for a moment I thought she was joking with me and I kinda just looked at her.  "I mean, is there really that much history they can teach?" she asked.  Half as an answer and half as a stall to get my brain back in my head I reached into my bag and handed her 'Stonewall' by David Carter, which I'm reading currently.  She said, "oh yeah, I remember when this happened but didn't think it was that much history to teach."  I mentioned that in gay history this is basically the beginning of the modern LGBT movement.  You know what her reaction was?  "Oh, I didn't know there was any history, or movement, or anything!"  Really?  I mean really?  The whole thing lead to a broader discussion, but I had to stop and think to myself: how many more people don't know that there is a history or a movement?  How many of "us" don't even know or understand the history of our "gay family?"  To be completely transparent, I know that I don't know as much history as I should....hence the book.  At the same time, how many people out there don't even have a clue what's going on in the gay world like this lady.  I mean would I be remiss if I said that I didn't know there was a history for women's rights or for African American civil liberties?  Yet, there are obviously people who are completely ignorant of gay civil rights.  How does this happen?  Is it simply ignorance or is it apathy towards other cultures?  And if we were truly educating children and adults alike; how many more people could get behind the movement when they know the facts?  How many more people could take up the stand when they know how hard we've already been fighting and how many great things have come about because of gays?  How much homophobia could potentially be silenced when all the information is on the table?