This Day in Queer History

On this day in 1916, Willmer 'Little Axe' Broadnax was born. The Black trans gospel star began using male pronouns at 13 and built a legendary singing career. His voice lives on.

On this day, transgender pioneer Lili Elbe was born. The Danish painter became one of the earliest known recipients of gender-affirming surgery, and her autobiography Man into Woman preserved her courageous story for generations.

On this day, the Gay Liberation Front's Don Jackson proposed 'Stonewall Nation,' a gay colony in California's Alpine County. Though the ambitious plan attracted national attention, few were willing to relocate and the dream faded.

On this day, a court ruled Karen Thompson could visit her incapacitated partner Sharon Kowalski after years of being barred by Kowalski's father. Thompson's fight became a landmark gay rights victory.

On this day, about 70 men from five South Asian countries gathered in New Delhi for the region's first gay rights conference, organized by Indian journalist and activist Ashok Row Kavi.

On this day in 2005, the Church of Nigeria issued a warning about Davis Mac-Iyalla, an LGBTQ+ advocate who had been arrested and tortured. He later received asylum in the UK and the Bishop Desmond Tutu Award for Human Rights.