We'wha

Marc Zinaman

In 1990, the term Two-Spirit (also two spirit, 2S or two spirited) was devised as a modern umbrella to describe Indigenous people who fulfilled gender-variant roles in their cultures. Perhaps the most notable Lhamana in history–now also recognized as a significant Two-Spirited figurehead–was We’wha, who as a ceremonial leader, cultural ambassador and expert craftsperson helped preserve the Zuni way of life, and who in 1886 made a lasting impression in Washington, D.C. when they met personally with President Grover Cleveland.   

Francisco Correa Netto

Harper-Hugo Darling

Within queer history is a long legacy of love letters and scandals. What are considered to be the earliest queer love letters yet discovered are letters between the sexton Francisco Correa Netto and his lover, the musician Manuel Viegas. Within these letters and further records are a queer history of devastation, drama, and secret sexual love notes. 

Chawa Złoczower

Marc Zinaman

Though she was frequently a target of both political and social persecution, Eve Adams showed a tenacity and fighting spirit at every turning point during her radical, audacious life. As a visibly queer Jewish woman, Adams was unafraid to challenge societal norms and live unabashedly as herself, choosing to pursue whatever felt deeply normal to her, even if everyone else surrounding her challenged those pursuits. Though her life came to an untimely and tragic end, Adams’ complex and multifaceted story has been unearthed in more recent years thanks to the efforts of several thorough historians, and she is now remembered as a pioneering figure in the LGBTQ+ community. As an advocate for sexual freedom, a subversive anarchist, a trailblazer in the establishment of queer spaces for women, and the author of one of the earliest lesbian ethnographies in the U.S., Adams' work highlights the intersectionality of LGBTQ+ rights, radical politics, and the fight against antisemitism and fascism, while her life story survives as a poignant reminder of the courage and resilience of those who fought for the right to live and love openly.

Binyavanga Wainaina

Harper-Hugo Darling

Remembered as an iconic name in Kenya’s literary history, Binyavanga Wainaina’s voice remains relevant in his most famous satirical works as well as through his pan-African values. His nonfiction writing captured attention from around the globe as he dug his roots deeper in Kenya. An avid reader, he knew better than many the failings of the wider world in discussions of the wide continent of Africa, and he railed against them. Challenging stereotypes about African cooking, pointing out flaws in the very awards he applied for, and facing the failures of a larger literary world with equal parts humour and scathing heat. 

Emma Trosse

Harper-Hugo Darling

There is a rich queer linguistic history in Germany. Many of the words still used to talk about queerness originated there with people like Magnus Hirschfeld, a man whose contributions to the modern queer community cannot be overstated. A lesser discussed name is Emma Trosse, and with her, the beginnings of asexuality as an identity can be found. Standing on the legacy of Karl Heinrich Ulrichs and possibly writing some of her work defending queer identities before Hirschfeld, her name deserves more discussion.

23 Stories to End 2023

Dean Strauss

2023 has been an incredibly difficult year, but as we've written before, there are bright spots that are worth recognizing. As we push for safety, recognition, and support for our community in 2024, we can use this year's victories to guide us. We'd love to hear your highlights for the year too!

Eva Gore-Booth

Harper-Hugo Darling

Coining the term “Sex is an accident”, Eva Gore-Booth was faced with an uphill climb in her lifetime in the early 20th century. A poet, suffragist, and lifelong activist, her story is sometimes forgotten in the shadow of her more famous sister Countess Markievicz who had many of the same aims of gender and class equality. Eva found her path through her partnership with Esther Roper, her lover and lifelong companion.

Sumaya Dalmar

Marc Zinaman

Far too frequently and far too easily, we read or hear about the life of an LGBTQ person cut short, often occurring simply because that individual chose to exist as publicly queer. This is particularly true for trans and gender diverse people of color, whose rates of mortality either by suicide or murder continue to be alarmingly high on a global scale. Many of these individuals are just beginning to forge a path for themselves in life or figure out how they want to make an impression in the world, but are barely allowed to even get their foot off the ground. Such is the case with Sumaya Dalmar, who was one of the first people from Somalia to publicly come out as transgender, and one of the earliest individuals from her home country to publicly identify as LGBTQ at all.

Xuân Diệu

Marc Zinaman

In Vietnam, Xuân Diệu is considered a highly celebrated poet, whose innovative writing style and collective body of work left an indelible mark on the country’s literary landscape. In particular, Xuân Diệu’s influence in Vietnam reigns over the realm of romantic poetry, to the extent that he is still dubbed there “the King of Love Poetry”. Though he spent decades composing countless works about intimacy, passion and longing, Xuân Diệu kept much of his writing gender-neutral and lived a highly secretive personal life, concealing his sexuality and relationships with men for the entirety of his career.

Amelio Robles Ávila

Harper-Hugo Darling

Amelio Robles Ávila was an interesting man, but not one that would usually find himself written so largely into the history books. He joined the Mexican Revolution in either 1911 or 1912 and had a successful career as a colonel in the army throughout the revolution. He would be decorated for his service after it was complete, and then settled with his wife in a small town and lived in relative quiet. What draws so many eyes to his story, in particular, is one facet: he was assigned female at birth.

Alla Nazimova

Marc Zinaman

At one point billed as “The World’s Greatest Actress”, Alla Nazimova, who was also for a time the highest paid actress in the film industry, is somehow a name that is still relatively unknown to most. Despite the pioneering work she did in both movies and onstage, including being the first woman to start her own film production company in the 1910s, the majority of Nazimova’s career has been lost to history, as almost all of her films were never preserved. Additionally, having bedded some of the most famous queer women in the entertainment industry and coining the term “Sewing Circle” to refer to the community of lesbian and bisexual actresses and artists who concealed their true sexuality from the public, Nazimova was also an extremely pivotal but oft forgotten LGBTQ pioneer who has been dubbed the “Founding Mother of Sapphic Hollywood.”

Isa Shahmarli

Reem Itani
Guest Author

Although LGBTQ+ rights in Eastern Europe and Western Asia have gotten more coverage recently, many do not know how dire the situation is in Azerbaijan. As a result, many overlooked the contributions that Azerbaijani activist Isa Shahmarli made to the fight for LGBTQ+ rights, resulting in a lack of scholarship on his activism. Some of his contributions include actions he took as the founder and Chairman of Azad LGBT, bolstering queer representation, and providing a safe space for queer Azerbaijanis. Sadly, he committed suicide on January 22, 2014, when he was only 20 years old. Despite this devastating event, Shahmarli has given LGBTQ+ individuals in Azerbaijan and other Muslim-majority countries hope for a future more inclusive of the rainbow. 

Dorce Gamalama

Marc Zinaman

Dubbed by many “The Oprah of Indonesia”, Dorce Gamalama rose from the ashes of a difficult childhood to become one of the most notable and beloved transgender icons in her home country. Despite the challenges of living in a nation with limited LGBTQ rights, Dorce met any resistance and curiosity to her transition with humor and wit, and persevered to live as her true self while also promoting a life of kindness and generosity. Dorce’s integral role in the Indonesian television industry helped shed light on trans visibility in an otherwise predominantly religious and conservative country and shifted many Indonesian people’s perceptions towards transgender people on the whole.

Mary Renault

A.E. Kerry
Guest Author

History has the power to inform and present broader perspectives on the human experience. For many queer people in the mid 20th century, the history of Classical Greece provided a space where their existence was not just precedented but celebrated. Mary Eileen Challans, known by the pseudonym Mary Renault, was profoundly impacted by ancient Greek literature, which explored same-sex relationships in a way that was unthinkable in contemporary Britain. At times torn between her calling as a writer and her duty as a nurse, Mary authored contemporary and historical novels for over 40 years. They were unusual at the time for their open and empathetic portrayal of queer lives. Her books explored contemporary issues, including both World Wars, the escalating persecution of homosexuals, and apartheid. Throughout all this she was anchored by her partner of 48 years, Julie Mullard.

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