This Day in Queer History

On this day, openly gay actor John Barrowman was born. The Doctor Who star nearly landed the role of Will on Will & Grace but was deemed "too straight," losing the part to straight actor Eric McCormack.

On this day in 1975, Madison, Wisconsin passed a bill granting civil rights protections to gays and lesbians, becoming one of the earliest American cities to legislate equality.

On this day, Torben Lund became Denmark's first openly gay member of Parliament. Alongside Yvonne Herlov Andersen, the first openly lesbian member, they broke barriers in Danish politics.

On this day, Reuben Zellman became the first transgender person accepted into a Reform Judaism seminary. He is now an assistant rabbi and music director at Congregation Beth El in Berkeley, California.

On this day in 2007, Rabbi Toba Spitzer became the first openly LGBTQ person to head an American Rabbinical Association, elected president of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association in Arizona.