Thursday, 28 February 2013

February 28th in Queer History


Events this day in Queer History

1977 – Gaysweek first published in New York, USA
2007 – Equalised age of consent comes into force in Jersey, UK

Born this day

Vincente Minnelli  (1903 –  1986)
Stage and film director, famous for directing such classic movie musicals as Meet Me in St. Louis, The Band Wagon, and An American in Paris. He was married to Judy Garland from 1945 until 1951, with whom he was the father of Liza Minnelli.

Stephen Spender (1909 –  1995), UK
English poet, novelist and essayist who concentrated on themes of social injustice and the class struggle in his work. Spender's sexuality has been the subject of debate. He had many affairs with men, especially in his earlier years, but later had heterosexual relationships and was twice married.

Tommy Tune  (1939 – ), US
Actor, dancer, singer, theatre director, producer, and choreographer. Over the course of his career, he has won nine Tony Awards and the National Medal of Arts.

William Finn  (1952 – ),  US
Composer and lyricist of musicals. His musical Falsettos received the 1992 Tony Awards for Best Music and Lyrics and for Best Book.

Rosie Mendez (1963 – ),  US
Democratic Party politician in New York. She is a member of the New York City Council from Manhattan.

Danielle Egnew  (1969 – ),  US
Singer / Actress

Died this day


Henry James – US / UK   (1843 - 1916)
American-born writer, regarded as one of the key figures of 19th-century literary realism. He is primarily known for the series of novels in which he portrays the encounter of Americans with Europe and Europeans.
Though closeted, Henry James had a number of intimate relations with young men, and his sexual orientation imbued his fiction.

Edmund John UK (1883 - 1917)
British poet of the Uranian school, a small and somewhat clandestine group of male pederastic poets Much of his work was condemned by critics for being overly decadent and unfashionable.

Stephen Tennant (1906 - 1987) UK
British aristocrat known for his decadent lifestyle. It is said, albeit apocryphally, that he spent most of his life in bed.

Rev Peter Gomes (1942 – 2011) US
Gay, Black, Baptist, Republican clergyman

Sodomy in history, February 28th

1799 — The Mississippi Territory’s first criminal code contains no mention either of sodomy or common-law crimes.

1894 — The Massachusetts Supreme Court rules that sodomy indictments do not have to be specific.

1994 — The Louisiana Supreme Court rules that solicitation for sodomy without an offer of compensation does not constitute an attempt to commit sodomy.


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