This Day in Queer History

On this day, Ruth White Fuller Field was born. Under the pseudonym Mary Casal, she wrote The Stone Wall, the first lesbian autobiography. The Stonewall Inn may have been named in tribute to her book.

On this day in 1883, Mauritz Stiller was born. The gay Finnish-Swedish filmmaker pioneered Scandinavian cinema and discovered Greta Garbo, bringing her to Hollywood and giving the world one of its greatest screen legends.

On this day in 1943, Barry Manilow was born. The beloved singer-songwriter married longtime partner Garry Kief in 2014 after decades together, coming out publicly in 2017 to the overwhelming support of his fans.

On this day in 1968, the documentary The Queen was released, offering a behind-the-scenes look at a drag queen competition in New York City. It captured queer culture with rare intimacy.

On this day in 2006, an estimated 2.4 million people took to the streets of São Paulo for the city's 10th annual Gay Pride parade. The largest pride event in the world, a celebration of Brazilian queer joy.

On this day in 2008, University of Missouri diver Greg DeStephen came out on Gay.com, inspired by another athlete's story. An All-American in the heartland chose visibility over silence.

On this day in 2011, the UN Human Rights Council passed its first-ever resolution affirming LGBT rights, submitted by South Africa. It was a landmark moment for global queer recognition.