This Day in Queer History

On this day in 1685, George Frederick Handel was born. The Baroque master behind Messiah and countless operas never married and kept his personal life fiercely private, with contemporaries noting a 'better reason.'

On this day in 1778, Baron von Steuben arrived at Valley Forge, fleeing accusations of homosexuality in Prussia. He trained Washington's army into a fighting force and became one of the fathers of the Continental Army.

On this day, Carl Wittman was born. An SDS organizer turned gay liberation pioneer, he authored "A Gay Manifesto" and co-founded North Carolina's Lesbian and Gay Health Project.

On this day, the first lesbian organization for Chinese-speaking women in Asia was formed. Called 'Between Us,' it created a space where queer women across the Chinese-speaking world could finally find each other.

On this day, Hawaii's new governor signed a civil union law, making it the very first bill he enacted after his predecessor had vetoed the same measure just the year before.

On this day in 2011, Attorney General Eric Holder announced the Obama administration would no longer defend DOMA Section 3, calling it unconstitutional. The legal path to marriage equality was opening.