This Day in Queer History

On this day in 1910, Peter Pears was born. The classical singer devoted his life and art to composer Benjamin Britten. They are buried side by side in the churchyard at Aldeburgh.

On this day, Jennifer Finney Boylan was born. Her autobiography She's Not There became the first book by an openly transgender American to reach bestseller status.

On this day in 1961, Jimmy Somerville was born. As lead singer of Bronski Beat, his hit "Smalltown Boy" was groundbreaking for its unflinching portrayal of homophobia and queer escape.

On this day, Jai Rodriguez was born. The openly gay TV personality became best known as the culture guide on the Emmy-winning show Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, bringing queer visibility into living rooms across America.

On this day in 1982, singer Johnny Mathis came out in an interview with Us magazine. One of the best-selling recording artists of all time, with over 100 million records sold, he lived his truth publicly.

On this day, Heterosexuals Unafraid of Gays (HUG) was founded in Wellington, proving that allyship could be bold, visible, and even a little cheeky.

On this day in 1988, Leonard Matlovich died of AIDS. His tombstone reads: 'They gave me a medal for killing two men and a discharge for loving one.' A veteran's legacy of defiance.

On this day, British Columbia passed legislation granting same-sex couples access to pension benefits equal to those of straight married couples, an important step toward financial equality.

On this day in 2008, All My Life by Maher Sabry premiered as the first Egyptian film to portray gay life. The activist filmmaker pioneered sympathetic depictions of queer love on both the Egyptian stage and screen.

On this day, Sunil Babu Pant served as Nepal's only openly gay member of Parliament, the first openly gay federal legislator in Asia. He founded the Blue Diamond Society to shelter battered LGBTQ people.