This Day in Queer History

On this day, Kentucky reduced the penalty for same-sex intercourse from death to two to five years in prison. Progress, measured in smaller cruelties.

On this day in 1911, poet Elizabeth Bishop was born. A Pulitzer Prize winner who lived with female lovers, she refused to be categorized as a "lesbian poet," insisting her work transcend identity labels.

Around this time, Nobuko Yoshiya's novel about two women in love was adapted into a film. A pioneer of Japanese lesbian literature, she lived with her partner Monma Chiyo for over 50 years.

On this day, Nicole LeFavour was born. She became Idaho's first openly gay legislator, serving in both the State House and Senate while her partner was welcomed into the legislative spouses' circle.

On this day, White House aide Midge Costanza met with the National Gay Task Force to discuss advancing gay rights under the Carter administration, a historic first for queer advocacy at the highest level of government.

On this day, Liz Kennedy and Madeline Davis presented on butch-fem culture and lesbians fighting for public space in the 1940s and 1950s, research that became the landmark Boots of Leather, Slippers of Gold.

On this day in 1990, the U.S. Senate passed the Hate Crimes Statistics Act, requiring the federal government to track anti-gay hate crimes. It was the first U.S. law to officially recognize gays and lesbians.

On this day in 1994, the European Parliament approved a resolution affirming a broad gay and lesbian rights agenda, including the right to marry. Continental solidarity for equality.