ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Michael A. Hess

Michael A. Hess was a person who lived a long time ago, just like how you have ancestors who lived before you. Michael A. Hess was born in 1944 and had a lot of accomplishments in his life. He grew up in a nice town in Maryland and went to good schools to learn.

When he grew up, he became a lawyer, which means he helped people fight for their rights and defend themselves in court. He was so good at his job that he became the head lawyer for the government of the United States. This means that he was in charge of a lot of important legal matters for the country.

But, Michael had a secret. He was gay, which means he liked other boys instead of girls. This was a big deal back in the old days, because people didn't understand that being gay is okay. Michael had to hide his true self from everyone, even his friends and family.

When Michael got sick, he asked his job to help pay for his medical expenses, but they said no because they didn't like that he was gay. This made Michael very sad and angry, so he decided to fight back. He took the government to court, using his own legal skills, and won. This was a big deal because it made it illegal for the government to discriminate against people just because they were gay. Michael became a hero to many people who had been treated unfairly because of who they loved.

Even though Michael isn't with us anymore, his legacy lives on. He fought for what is right and just, and showed us that we should never be afraid to be ourselves.