This Day in Queer History

On this day in 1782, Deborah Sampson enlisted as a Continental soldier under her brother's name. She served in combat, was wounded, and later lectured in her army uniform, defying every expectation of gender in early America.

On this day in 1936, German actress Therese Giehse married gay English writer John Hampson to obtain a British passport and escape the Nazis. She had been lovers with Erika Mann and returned to the stage after the war.

On this day, the first Mr. International Leather contest was held, with David Klos taking the title. The annual Chicago competition became a cornerstone of leather culture and queer community pride.

On this day, Sam Adams won the mayoral race in Portland, Oregon with 58% of the vote, becoming the first openly gay mayor of a major U.S. city.

On this day in 2012, activists planned Ukraine's first Pride march in Kyiv. Over 500 neo-Nazi nationalists attacked marchers while police watched, but the attempt to silence queer Ukrainians only strengthened their resolve.

On this day in 2017, a thousand people marched in Bucharest's 13th annual gay pride parade, joined by 30 ambassadors including the U.S. Ambassador, demanding rights amid government efforts to constitutionally ban same-sex marriage.