Tuesday, 21 February 2012

February 21st in Queer History

Born this day

Anais Nin  (1903 –  1977) French
Author

W. H. Auden   (1907 –  1973) UK / US
Poet

Humphry Berkeley (1926 –  1994) UK
Politician


Barbara Jordan  (1936 – 1996)  US
Politician, who gained national attention for her intelligence, acumen, and oratorical skill as a member of the United States House of Representatives Judiciary Committee during hearings on the articles of impeachment against Richard Nixon over the Watergate scandal. In her career as a legislator and educator she was a vigorous proponent of equal rights, especially for African Americans and women. A deeply closeted lesbian, she did not, however, speak out for the cause of glbtq rights.

Keith Prentice  (1940 –  1992) US
Actor

Sam Garrison  (1942 –  2007) US
Lawyer / Activist

David Geffen  (1943 – ) US
Legendary music promoter, film producer, entertainment business mogul and philanthropist.

Peter Hitchener  (1946 –  ) Australian
Presenter

Phil Reed  (1949 –  2008) US
Politician

Isaac Julien  (1960 – ) UK
Artist / Director

Chuck Palahnuik (1962  – ) US
Author / Journalist

Jenny Hiloudaki (1968 – ) Greek
Model / Author

Ramy Eletreby  (1981 –  ) US
Actor / Journalist

Died this day

Harriet Hosmer  (1830 - 1908 ) US
Sculptor

Sodomy in history, February 21st

1788 — New York amends its sodomy law to also require the forfeiture of estate of convicted sodomites.

1903 — New York City police raid the Ariston baths and arrest 26 men for sexual activity (the first recorded raid on a US gay bathhouse). 7 later sentenced to between 4 and 20 years imprisonment. The others in the place are released with a warning and made to leave the building passing through a jeering crowd that had gathered.

1947 — A New York court upholds the conviction of a man for public indecency for sending a young man a letter stating his desire to fuck him. A month later, another court frees him because there was actually no law against what he did.

1963 — American Samoa passes a sodomy law, basing it on the Georgia law, so that two women can not be prosecuted under it.

1963 — The District of Columbia Court of Appeals upholds another solicitation conviction of a man with the corroborating evidence that he had put forth no character witnesses for himself.

1975 — The Washington Court of Appeals rejects a defendant’s contention that fellatio was not a violation of the state’s sodomy law.


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