This Day in Queer History

On this day, Time magazine published a summary of Kinsey's Sexual Behavior in the Human Female, including lesbian behavior. The study brought women's sexuality into the national conversation, whether America was ready or not.

On this day in 1954, Britain appointed the Wolfenden Committee to investigate laws on homosexual offenses, setting the stage for eventual decriminalization over a decade later.

On this day in 1957, actor Stephen Fry was born. Most celebrated for portraying Oscar Wilde in Wilde, Fry built a brilliant career as an actor, writer, and beloved public figure.

On this day, the fourth annual North American Conference of Homophile Organizations opened in Kansas City, bringing together 24 independent gay liberation organizations under one roof.

On this day in 1970, the New York Times ran a front-page headline: 'Homosexuals in Revolt.' The article reported a new mood of pride and militancy sweeping the nation's gay community.

On this day in 1987, Bayard Rustin died. The gay Black activist organized the 1963 March on Washington, taught Dr. King about nonviolence, and was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

On this day, Oregon Governor Barbara Roberts used a Holocaust remembrance to criticize anti-gay ballot initiatives in her state, drawing a direct line between persecution past and present.

On this day, a U.S. federal appeals court ruled that a Mexican transgender woman had legitimate reason to fear persecution, affirming her right to asylum and safety in America.

On this day, Vice President Dick Cheney told a GOP rally that gay marriage should be left to the states, reversing his previous stance. His daughter's identity quietly shaped one of the most powerful Republican voices on the issue.

On this day, LGBT film producer JD DiSalvatore died of breast cancer at 51. The GLAAD Award winner for Shelter was honored for her community empowerment work at the LA Gay and Lesbian Center.

On this day, a complaint against astronaut Anne McClain inadvertently outed her as a lesbian, making her the first openly LGBT NASA astronaut. McClain was later cleared of all charges while her accuser faced indictment.