This Day in Queer History

On this day in 1918, actor Graham Payn was born. He became the life partner of playwright Noël Coward and managed the Coward estate for 22 years after Coward's death.

On this day in 1964, Andrew Bell, lead singer of synth-pop duo Erasure, was born. Openly gay from the start of his career, he refused to hide, telling the press in 1986 that he simply wouldn't portray a heterosexual.

On this day in 1987, David Norris became the first openly gay person elected to public office in Ireland. He single-handedly campaigned for 14 years to overturn the anti-homosexuality law that had destroyed Oscar Wilde.

On this day in 1993, up to one million people descended on Washington, D.C. for the March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay, and Bi Equal Rights and Liberation, one of the largest protests in American history.

On this day, Lawrence, Kansas passed an ordinance banning discrimination based on sexual orientation after a seven-year struggle. It was the only law of its kind in the entire state.

On this day in 2014, Pakistan's Supreme Court ruled in favor of recognizing a third gender, affirming the rights and identities of the country's transgender community in a landmark decision.

On this day, Soni Wolf of the Dykes on Bikes died at 69. She first rode with lesbians in the 1976 San Francisco Pride Parade, founding a global movement and twice battling the U.S. Supreme Court to trademark its name.