This Day in Queer History

On this day, the Criminal Tribes Act took effect, branding communities including the Hijra as criminal. Across South Asia, Hijra people carried centuries of transgender identity under the weight of colonial law.

On this day in 1957, Debra Chasnoff was born. The documentary filmmaker's It's Elementary became a groundbreaking tool for addressing anti-gay prejudice in schools across the world.

On this day, the National Coalition of Black Gays sponsored the first Third World Lesbian and Gay Conference in Washington D.C., preparing for the upcoming March on Washington. Intersectional solidarity was building.

On this day in 2008, the Connecticut Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage in a 4-3 decision, making it the third state to affirm that marriage equality is a constitutional right.

On this day, Huffington Post launched Gay Voices, the first LGBT-focused section at a mainstream news outlet. Editor Noah Michelson helped bring queer stories into the national conversation.