This Day in Queer History

On this day, the Marquis de Lafayette wrote an affectionate letter to George Washington. While no evidence suggests they were lovers, their intimate correspondence reveals how freely men once expressed deep same-sex friendship.

On this day in 1929, Anne Frank was born. One of the most famous victims of the Holocaust, her diary hints at possible bisexuality, though heavy editing and her tragically short life at 15 leave much of her inner world unknown.

On this day, Jim Nabors was born. Beloved as Gomer Pyle, he married his partner of 38 years, Stan Cadwallader, in 2013, finally making public what Hollywood had long whispered about.

On this day in 1967, the Loving v. Virginia decision legalized interracial marriage in the United States. Decades later, its legacy became a cornerstone of the LGBTQ+ fight for marriage equality.

On this day in 1981, a Toronto court ruled in the Barracks Steambath bawdyhouse case. The city's oldest gay steambath served the leather community for over 30 years through eras of police raids and eventual acceptance.

On this day in 2003, the European Court of Human Rights ruled in favor of transgender woman Van Kück, affirming that gender identity is among the most intimate aspects of private life.

On this day, Kylar Broadus became the first openly transgender person to testify before the U.S. Senate, speaking in favor of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. The founder of Trans People of Color Coalition brought trans voices to the halls of power.