This Day in Queer History

This month, Laurence Michael Dillon was born. A British physician and the first trans man to undergo phalloplasty, he also performed surgery on Roberta Cowell, one of Britain's first trans women.

This month in 1960, Andy Thayer was born. The openly gay socialist and activist co-founded the Gay Liberation Network, one of Chicago's largest LGBTQ+ direct-action groups, and has fought for queer rights and anti-war causes for decades.

This month in 1970, lesbian feminists staged the Lavender Menace action in New York to protest lesbophobia in the women's movement. Rita Mae Brown, Karla Jay, and others demanded visibility and solidarity.

This month in 1972, John Waters' notorious Pink Flamingos opened in theaters, starring drag queen Divine in a role that shocked audiences and cemented the film as a landmark of queer countercultural cinema.

This month in 1974, gay activists marched in Porto for the first time, demanding an end to sodomy laws following the overthrow of the Salazar regime. Revolution opened the door; queer people walked through.

On this day in 1974, Studio One opened in West Hollywood. While it became iconic in gay nightlife, the venue also drew protests for racist door policies and exclusion of women, revealing deep divisions within the community itself.

This month in 1975, Maine decriminalized homosexuality between consenting adults by repealing its sodomy laws, joining the growing movement to end the legal persecution of queer intimacy.

On this day in 1976, Christopher Street magazine debuted in New York City. Aiming to become a gay New Yorker, the publication offered serious political discussion and sharp satire for 231 issues over nearly two decades.

This month, Wyoming decriminalized private consensual adult homosexual acts. Each state that chose to stop criminalizing intimacy brought the nation closer to recognizing that love is not a crime.

This month in 1982, Scientific American published an ad from the Lesbian and Gay Associated Engineers and Scientists, bringing queer visibility into the world of science and research.

This month in 1984, Advocate Men magazine debuted, expanding the reach of queer media and giving gay men a publication that centered their lives, culture, and desire.

This month in 1986, lesbian adventurer Ann Bancroft became the first woman to reach the North Pole by dogsled. She later became the first woman to cross both polar ice caps. Fearless in every direction.

This month, the Indigo Girls released their debut album Strange Fires. The beloved folk-rock duo would go on to become iconic voices in both music and LGBTQ+ activism for decades.