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January
"I do" just after midnight
Austria opens marriage: just after midnight in Velden, two women from Styria became the first couple to say yes under the new law.
02JanUnited Kingdom2019Death of trans television pioneer Julia Grant
In 1979, nine million people watched as Julia Grant went through her transition in front of the BBC cameras. A pioneer.
03JanUSA1897Hollywood's only female director loved women
Trousers, one great love, no labels: in the 1930s, Dorothy Arzner was Hollywood's only female director.
04JanIsrael2022Surrogacy for gay fathers too
Eleven years of legal battles, then a circular: how gay men in Israel won the right to surrogacy.
05JanCanada1974The "Brunswick Four" and Canada's Stonewall
Four lesbians sing a cheeky song in Toronto and are led away by the police. The beginning of an awakening.
06JanFrance1993Rudolf Nureyev and the long silence
He was considered the greatest dancer of his time and kept his illness secret until the end: Rudolf Nureyev died in 1993.
07JanUnited Kingdom2004No marriage, no pension
No marriage, no pension: how a British nurse fought for her trans partner in Luxembourg in 2004.
08JanPortugal2010Parliament says yes to marriage equality
Catholic, a papal visit on the way, and yet: on 8 January 2010, Portugal's parliament says yes to marriage equality.
09JanCosta Rica2018An advisory opinion for marriage equality
An advisory opinion from San José calls for marriage equality and strengthens trans people. With consequences far beyond Costa Rica.
10JanCameroon2014A text message, three years in prison and a lonely death
A text message as grounds for arrest: Roger Jean-Claude Mbede was persecuted in Cameroon for loving a man. He died at 34.
11JanGermany2011Karlsruhe strikes down compulsory surgery for trans people
No more scalpel as a condition: in 2011, Karlsruhe struck down compulsory surgery for trans people in Germany.
12JanUSA1991"The Golden Girls" and the question of who may marry
Blanche's brother wants to get married: in 1991, "The Golden Girls" asked a question that US television otherwise avoided.
13JanNorthern Ireland2020Marriage equality came while Stormont was silent
A cunning deadline from London opened marriage to all in Northern Ireland. Stormont came back two days too late.
14JanLithuania2020A kiss, eight hundred comments and a ruling from Strasbourg
A kiss on Facebook, hundreds of hate comments, no investigation. Until Strasbourg presented Lithuania with the bill.
15JanFrance1815The tragedienne the Church shut its doors on
A Parisian stage legend loved women. At her funeral, the crowd stormed the church that had turned her away.
16JanIreland2017The end of the lifetime blood donation ban
After more than thirty years, gay men in Ireland were allowed to give blood again. A student had fought for it.
17JanScotland2023London blocks Scotland's reform for trans people
London blocks a Scottish law for the first time: the reform for trans people falls to a veto from Westminster.
18JanIreland2015The minister who spoke plainly on his birthday
A coming out on the radio, on his 36th birthday: Leo Varadkar becomes Ireland's first openly gay minister.
19JanTaiwan2023Marriage regardless of passport
Almost four years after marriage equality, Taiwan finally opened its registry offices to binational couples too.
20JanUnited Kingdom2012The first conviction for stirring up hatred against gay people
A doll on a gallows before Pride: in 2012, Derby sees Britain's first conviction for stirring up hatred against gay people.
21JanNetherlands1969Europe's first gay demonstration
Six months before Stonewall, young people in The Hague dared to hold Europe's first gay demonstration.
22JanFrance2008Strasbourg overturns an adoption refusal
Strasbourg ruled in favour of a lesbian teacher: her orientation is no reason to deny an adoption.
23JanThailand2025South-East Asia says yes for the first time
Bangkok, a shopping mall, almost two hundred couples: Thailand becomes the first country in South-East Asia to open marriage to all.
24JanBrazil2019The member of parliament who chose to live
He did not want to be a martyr, he wanted to live: in 2019, Brazil's first openly gay member of parliament fled death threats.
25JanRussia2013Almost unanimously against visibility
Inside, almost the entire Duma raised its hand; outside, kissing couples were attacked and taken away.
26JanIceland2009A government falls, a lesbian prime minister steps up
Iceland's government falls in the financial crisis. That same day, the name of the first lesbian head of government comes up.
27JanGermany2023The Bundestag remembers queer Nazi victims for the first time
For the first time, the Bundestag put the queer victims of the Nazis at the centre of Holocaust Remembrance Day. A late sign.
28JanUganda2011The microphone at David Kato's grave
At David Kato's grave, the pastor preached against homosexuality. His friends took the microphone away from him.
29JanFrance2013The speech that made Taubira an icon
A minister, a speech, a poem: how Christiane Taubira shaped France's debate on marriage equality in 2013.
30JanAustralia1999"Half a man" in the Melbourne final
Unseeded, 19 and openly lesbian: Amélie Mauresmo storms into the 1999 final and has to endure taunts from Hingis.
31JanSlovenia2023Marriage equality despite two lost referendums
Two referendums failed, then came the Constitutional Court: how Slovenia introduced marriage equality in 2023.
February
Two mothers, two fathers, one family
Since 2003, female and male couples in Sweden have been allowed to adopt. The joy was great; disillusionment soon followed.
02FebUnited Kingdom1859The doctor who did not condemn homosexuality
Doctor, researcher, pioneer: Havelock Ellis wrote the first English textbook on homosexuality. It was banned.
03FebBangladesh2025The murder of Shila
She fought for the rights of the Hijras in Bangladesh. Then Shila was murdered in her own home.
04FebScotland2014One hundred and five votes for marriage equality
Scotland says yes: by an overwhelming majority, Holyrood opened marriage to same-sex couples.
05FebGermany2021"We are already here"
One hundred and eighty-five actors come out together in SZ Magazin and ask the industry uncomfortable questions.
06FebCanada1981Toronto rises up after the bathhouse raids
After the raids, thousands took to the streets in Toronto. The night that became Canada's Stonewall.
07FebUSA2012Appeals court strikes down California's marriage ban
California took marriage away from gay men and lesbians again. An appeals court saw that as a breach of the constitution.
08FebFrance1945The Republic confirms Vichy's homophobic law
After the liberation, much Vichy law fell. But de Gaulle confirmed one homophobic law, and it stood until 1982.
09FebUSA1999A Teletubby is "outed"
A preacher, a purple children's character and a handbag: how Tinky Winky became the "gay Teletubby" in 1999.
10FebFrance2010Being trans is no longer an illness
An inconspicuous decree made France the first country to stop classifying being trans as a mental illness.
11FebUSA1967The protest outside the Black Cat Tavern
Two and a half years before Stonewall, hundreds took to the streets of Los Angeles for queer rights.
12FebKenya2010The mob of Mtwapa
A rumour, a hate campaign, a mob: how an HIV clinic in Kenya became the target of vigilante justice.
13FebSouth Africa2018A love story with a pornography label
A gay love drama in an initiation camp: in 2018, an X18 rating pushed "Inxeba" out of South Africa's cinemas.
14FebJapan2019A Valentine's Day in court
Instead of roses, a lawsuit: how thirteen couples took Japan's marriage ban to court on Valentine's Day.
15FebGreece2024Yes to marriage equality, against the will of the Church
Greece became the first Orthodox-majority country to open marriage to same-sex couples.
16FebSaint Vincent and the Grenadines2024Court upholds the ban on sex between men
A court in Saint Vincent upholds the colonial ban on sex between men in 2024. The claimants were living in exile.
17FebIndonesia2016The Ulema Council declares queer people "haram"
A council of scholars declares queer people "haram": how Indonesia tipped into a wave of repression in 2016.
18FebGambia2014President calls homosexuals "vermin"
Gambia's president calls homosexuals "vermin" and wants to fight them like malaria mosquitoes. The world reacts with horror.
19FebGermany2013Karlsruhe opens successive adoption
A ruling from Karlsruhe allowed civil partners to adopt their partner's adopted child too.
20FebUSA2004A Friday full of marriage licences
Sixty-six couples, one afternoon: how a county clerk in New Mexico anticipated marriage equality in 2004.
21FebUSA1997A governor stops the marriage ban
A red pen against the marriage ban: how Washington's governor thwarted the Republicans in 1997 and still lost.
22FebAzerbaijan2022The murder of Avaz Hafizli
He chained himself to the gate of the prosecutor's office for queer rights. Five months later he was dead.
23FebGermany1933Göring's decree against queer venues
How Göring targeted Berlin's queer scene three weeks after Hitler came to power.
24FebUganda2014Life imprisonment for love
Life imprisonment for homosexuality: on this day, Uganda's president signed a law with devastating consequences.
25FebMalaysia2021A victory in court, with a catch
Malaysia's highest court strikes down a Sharia ban on gay sex. But the ruling has a catch.
26FebFrance2002Strasbourg denies a gay man the right to adopt
A gay Parisian wants to adopt a child. Strasbourg says no and only corrects itself six years later.
27FebUnited Kingdom1932The diva who stood up against AIDS
Glamour, scandals, eight marriages. But Elizabeth Taylor's most important role was in the fight against AIDS.
28FebAustria1824The man who invented the word "homosexual"
Millions use his word every day, hardly anyone knows his name: Karl Maria Kertbeny invented "homosexual".
29FebSeychelles2016Cabinet decides to end the ban on homosexuality
A leap day that counts: in 2016, the Seychelles decided to end an old colonial law against gay men.
March
Marriage equality, fifteen years after partnership
Fifteen years after registered partnership, Finland opened marriage to all on the same calendar day.
02MarSpain2023A form instead of an expert report
A form instead of an expert report: Spain relies on self-determination for legal gender.
03MarSlovenia2015A yes that took seven years
In 2015, Slovenia's parliament said yes to marriage equality and the people said no. Only seven years later did the dream come true after all.
04MarSouth Africa1988When criminal law discovered lesbian love
Shortly before the end of apartheid, South Africa's criminal law discovered lesbian love. And punished it.
05MarFrance1944Max Jacob dies in Drancy camp
A queer poet, friend of Picasso and Cocteau, dies in Drancy camp, shortly before deportation to Auschwitz.
06MarFrance2024A state asks for forgiveness
Forty years of persecution, a late apology: France's parliament voted unanimously for compensation.
07MarSoviet Union1934Stalin recriminalises sex between men
First a pioneer, then a persecutor: how the Soviet Union took back the freedom of the revolutionary years in 1934.
08MarKyrgyzstan2019Rainbow flags on Women's Day
A women's march in Bishkek in 2019 became Central Asia's first Pride and unleashed a storm of outrage.
09MarUSA1995Death after the talk show
A confession on a talk show, three days later a fatal shot: the Scott Amedure case shook the United States.
10MarChile2022The morning Chile opened marriage
Two fathers, two children, one "I do": on 10 March 2022, Chile's first same-sex couple married in Santiago.
11MarSenegal2026Parliament doubles prison terms for same-sex love
One hundred and thirty-five yes votes, none against: on 11 March 2026, Senegal drastically tightened its law against homosexuality.
12MarCambodia1995The wedding in Kro Bao Ach Kok
Two women, one village, one celebration: in 1995, Khav Sokha and Pum Eth married with the blessing of the authorities. An isolated case.
13MarUSA1964The murder of Kitty Genovese and the invisible partner
A murder that shook New York. And a woman who mourned Kitty Genovese but had to remain invisible.
14MarBrazil2018The murder of Marielle Franco
Thirteen shots in Rio: in 2018, city councillor Marielle Franco was murdered. Her death moved people around the world.
15MarCzech Republic2006Not a vote to spare
One hundred and one votes, not one more: how the Czech Republic became the first Eastern Bloc country to introduce partnerships for homosexuals.
16MarKosovo2022A stalemate in parliament
One sentence in the Civil Code, a stalemate in parliament: how Kosovo put the brakes on same-sex partnerships in 2022.
17MarUSA2016An Irish LGBT group marches in New York's St Patrick's Day Parade for the first time
Excluded, fired, arrested for 25 years. Then an Irish LGBT group was finally allowed to march in New York.
18MarHungary2025Parliament bans Pride
A law against Pride, passed in a single day. Hungary's answer came at the end of June, with over a hundred thousand people.
19MarPuerto Rico1999The governor who changed his mind
In 1999, a governor bans marriage equality in Puerto Rico. Years later, the same man campaigns for it.
20MarPoland2026Supreme Administrative Court opens the register to marriages from other EU countries
A court opens Poland's register to same-sex marriages from other EU countries. A victory against headwinds.
21MarSerbia1920The suffragette who stayed in Bajina Bašta
She fought for women's suffrage, rescued Serbian orphans and left everything to her companion Vera Holme.
22MarUSA2014One Saturday, three hundred marriages
A ruling on Friday, weddings on Saturday, a halt in the afternoon. In between, more than three hundred couples said yes.
23MarMonaco2023World Athletics excludes trans women
On Trans Day of Visibility of all days, World Athletics banned trans women from women's competition.
24MarUSA1987ACT UP blocks Wall Street
Twelve days after it was founded, ACT UP blocked Wall Street. An action that changed AIDS policy.
25MarTrinidad and Tobago2025A court recriminalises gay sex
Colonial law struck down, colonial law back again: a court in Trinidad made sex between men a crime once more.
26MarSwitzerland2007The Yogyakarta Principles are presented in Geneva
A paper from Geneva set out in 2007 what human rights mean for queer people. It still has an impact today.
27MarBrunei2019Amnesty sounds the alarm over stoning
Amnesty warned in 2019: in Brunei, sex between men was to be punished by stoning. Then came the boycott.
28MarUSA2022Florida and the "Don't Say Gay" law
One law, two names: parents' rights for some, "Don't Say Gay" for others. Florida made history.
29MarEngland and Wales2014"I do" at midnight
One minute after midnight, the first gay and lesbian couples in England and Wales said "I do".
30MarUnited Kingdom1834The Easter wedding of Anne Lister and Ann Walker
A church pew, a communion, two women: how Anne Lister and Ann Walker secretly married in York in 1834.
31MarJapan2015Shibuya is the first place to recognise same-sex couples
On 31 March 2015, Tokyo's trendy Shibuya ward became the first place in Japan to recognise same-sex couples.
April
A newspaper launch that was no April Fool's joke
Only the date looked like an April Fool's joke: in 1971, a newspaper launched in San Francisco that made history.
02AprUSA1974The Oscars streaker who became too political
Naked on the Oscars stage, shot dead in his gallery: the short, wild life of Robert Opel.
03AprHungary2022Spoiling the ballot against Orbán's referendum
A cross for yes and for no: how Hungary's civil society made Orbán's referendum come to nothing in 2022.
04AprFrance1981Ten thousand march for their freedom
Paris, shortly before the election: ten thousand gay men and lesbians take to the streets and change French politics.
05AprItaly1972Italy's gay movement becomes visible outside the Sanremo Casino
Sanremo, 1972: Psychiatrists, we will cure you! How a small group brought the Italian gay movement into the light.
06AprIreland2015Adoption rights for rainbow families
Ireland opened adoption to rainbow families. Lesbian mothers waited another five years for full recognition.
07AprUSA1990A museum in the dock
On opening day the police came: in 1990, a museum in Cincinnati and its Mapplethorpe photos went on trial.
08AprUSA1947An institute breaks open the boxes
Before 1947, America hardly talked about sex. Then Alfred Kinsey founded an institute that broke open old boxes.
09AprItaly1476The anonymous accusation against Leonardo da Vinci
A note in the letterbox, four names, one genius: how Leonardo da Vinci was accused of sodomy in Florence in 1476.
10AprAustralia2019Tasmania makes the gender marker optional
A casting vote against her own party made Tasmania a pioneer on gender markers in 2019.
11AprGermany1945Liberated, but not for everyone
On 11 April 1945, Buchenwald was liberated. For gay prisoners, the persecution was not over.
12AprUSA2019The Pentagon excludes trans people again
Only in 2016 were trans people allowed to serve openly in the US military. Three years later, the Pentagon slammed the door shut again.
13AprChina2018When Weibo wanted to ban gay content
Weibo wanted to sweep gay content off the internet. After three days of protest under #IAmGay, the ban was history.
14AprCook Islands2023A colonial relic disappears
In 2023, the Cook Islands removed a colonial ban from their criminal law. A long road came to an end.
15AprGermany1925The Haarmann case and its forgotten victims
Hanover, 1925: a serial killer is executed. His victims often came from a world nobody asked about.
16AprUnited Kingdom2025Supreme Court defines "woman" biologically
A London ruling in 2025 determined who counts as a woman in British equality law. With consequences for trans people.
17AprLithuania2025Constitutional Court opens partnership to same-sex couples
Lithuania's Constitutional Court struck down a partnership limited to man and woman, ending years of deadlock.
18AprHungary2011Marriage equality is ruled out in the constitution
Long before the Pride ban: how Hungary ruled out marriage equality in its constitution in 2011.
19AprUSA1927Ten days in jail for Mae West
In 1927, Mae West goes to jail. But the real scandal was her play about gay men.
20AprTaiwan2000The rose boy who changed Taiwan's schools
A boy who only wanted to go to the toilet in peace changed Taiwan's schools. Since 2023, a day of remembrance has honoured him.
21AprSpain2005Two days after the papal election, Madrid says yes to marriage equality
Two days after the papal election, Spain's parliament said yes to marriage equality. The Vatican was not pleased.
22AprEurope2015The Council of Europe strengthens the rights of trans people
Strasbourg, 2015: the Council of Europe stands behind trans people and calls for self-determination instead of sterilisation.
23AprUSA1984The AIDS virus is found, the vaccine never comes
In 1984, the US government promised an AIDS vaccine within two years. People are still waiting.
24AprKenya2015A name that was not allowed on the register
Kenya's courts made it clear in 2015: gay men and lesbians may also organise officially.
25AprBangladesh2016The murder of Xulhaz Mannan and Mahbub Tonoy
They founded Bangladesh's first queer magazine. For that, Xulhaz Mannan and Mahbub Tonoy were murdered.
26AprUnited Kingdom1895Oscar Wilde in the dock
Wilde on trial: on 26 April 1895, the trial began that brought down the celebrated playwright.
27AprKenya2018A love film is banned
Kenya banned "Rafiki" shortly before Cannes. The world applauded a love between two women from Nairobi anyway.
28AprSouth Africa2008The murder of national team player Eudy Simelane
She played for South Africa's national team and lived openly as a lesbian. On 28 April 2008, Eudy Simelane was found dead.
29AprCouncil of Europe2010A Swiss report against exclusion
A Swiss report, a clear signal: in 2010, the Council of Europe called for protection for queer and trans people.
30AprUnited Kingdom1999Nail bomb at the Admiral Duncan
A bag full of nails: the attack on the Admiral Duncan struck at the heart of London's queer scene.
May
Marriage becomes gender-neutral
Marriage equality comes into force: in 2009, Sweden becomes the seventh country in the world to open marriage to same-sex couples.
02MayUSA1983The first AIDS candlelight march
Candles against silence: in 1983, men with AIDS walked at the head of a march themselves for the first time.
03MayPoland2007Strasbourg overturns Warsaw's parade ban
Poland's mayor banned Pride, but thousands marched anyway. Two years later, Strasbourg ruled in their favour.
04MayNetherlands1970The wreath that was not allowed to stay
In 1970, two men wanted to commemorate gay Nazi victims on Dam Square. The police intervened, but the wreath left its mark.
05MayEthiopia1958A criminal code from a Geneva pen
A man from Valais wrote Ethiopia a criminal code in 1958. Unlike in Switzerland, it punished homosexuality.
06MayGermany1933Brass band, students, plunder. How Hirschfeld's institute was destroyed
Students marched to Hirschfeld's institute with brass music in 1933. It was the prelude to the book burning.
07MayUSA1987The first member of Congress to die of AIDS
The first member of the US Congress to die of AIDS: for a long time, silence surrounded how he was infected.
08MaySouth Africa1998High Court strikes down the sodomy ban
Two men at a party were enough for a punishment. Then a judge in Johannesburg struck down the law.
09MayEngland1726Death after the molly house raid
Three men died on the gallows at Tyburn in 1726, after a raid on a London meeting place for gay men.
10MayPhilippines2010A queer party on the ballot
Onto the ballot by court order: Ang Ladlad stands for election as the Philippines' first LGBT party.
11MayUSA2003A murder at a bus stop changes Newark
She told a man she was a lesbian and was killed for it. The Sakia Gunn case changed Newark.
12MayUSA1975California decriminalises consensual sex
A tie in the Senate, a flight from Colorado: in 1975, California's ban on consensual sex fell.
13MayCanada1976Montreal cleans up for the Olympics
Before the 1976 Olympics, Montreal wanted to look clean. The raids on queer venues sparked resistance instead.
14MayBrazil2013Marriage equality by resolution of the Judicial Council
Brazil opens marriage by judicial resolution: notaries may no longer turn away same-sex couples.
15MayLuxembourg2015A prime minister says "I do"
Luxembourg's prime minister says "I do": Xavier Bettel becomes the first EU head of government to marry his partner.
16MayFinland1981The placard the police confiscated
Helsinki, 1981: a placard reading "We encourage homosexuality" brought the police onto the scene.
17MayWorldwide1990The WHO removes homosexuality from its list of diseases
On 17 May 1990, the WHO removed homosexuality from its catalogue of diseases. IDAHOBIT still commemorates this today.
18MayUSA2006"Will & Grace" says goodbye
Gay lead characters, eighteen million viewers and a finale that eleven years later became a daydream.
19MayAustralia2010A register instead of a wedding
In New South Wales in 2010 there was no wedding, just an entry. A beginning for some, an insult for others.
20MayItaly2016Rome finally recognises same-sex couples
Italy recognises same-sex couples in law for the first time. Late, but not too late.
21MayGhana2021A meeting becomes a crime
A meeting as a crime: twenty-one people stood trial in Ghana for having gathered together.
22MayIreland2015One sentence in the constitution, decided at the ballot box
Ireland became the first country in the world to say yes to marriage equality by popular vote. Only one constituency voted against.
23MayUSA1920Harvard's "Secret Court" persecutes gay students
In 1920, Harvard set up a secret tribunal against gay students. The case only came to light in 2002.
24MayTaiwan2019Asia's first marriage equality comes into force
On 24 May 2019, Taiwan became the first country in Asia to open marriage to all. More than five hundred couples said "I do".
25MayUSA2018The death of Roxsana Hernández in ICE custody
A trans asylum seeker dies in ICE custody. Two autopsies reach different conclusions.
26MayGreenland2015Parliament says yes to marriage equality
In 2015, Greenland said yes to marriage equality without a single vote against. Then Denmark still had to agree.
27MayGermany2008A cube for the forgotten victims
A grey cube in Berlin honours persecuted gay men. One witness was missing at the ceremony and only came forward afterwards.
28MayMoldova2012An equality law with the handbrake on
Moldova, 2012: an equality law that protected sexual orientation only at work.
29MayMalawi2010Pardoned, but not free
Fourteen years of hard labour for an engagement party: then Ban Ki-moon stepped in.
30MayHong Kong2019Court strikes down criminal provisions against gay sex
Hong Kong strikes down four criminal provisions that applied only to gay sex. An activist had challenged them.
31MayUSA2013Lutheran church elects its first openly gay bishop
A Lutheran from California makes church history: Guy Erwin becomes the first openly gay ELCA bishop.
June
Belgium comes second
The second country in the world opens marriage to everyone.
02JunDenmark2006Nine years of struggle for the right to a family
53 to 52. With a majority of a single vote, the Danish parliament ended in 2006 a nine-year ban that had denied lesbian women the right to a medically assisted pregnancy.
03JunGreece1818The Lion of the lovers
They were 300 warriors, divided into 150 pairs of lovers, and were considered invincible. Their story was almost forgotten until a British architect literally stumbled over it on a ride in 1818.
04JunUSA1971Cake instead of kisses: an engagement party as protest
Coffee, cake and wedding cake at the New York marriage bureau. What looked like a celebration was one of the cleverest protests of the early queer movement, a full 34 years before same-sex marriage in New York became even remotely conceivable.
05JunSwitzerland2005A world first at the ballot box
58 per cent yes: how Switzerland made queer history at the ballot box.
06JunUSA1976Murder out of hate: the death that created a movement
A murder in a car park in Arizona: the death of Richard Heakin in 1976 created a movement.
07JunUnited Kingdom1954The death of a genius
On 7 June 1954, Alan Turing, father of computer science, died of cyanide poisoning. The state had punished him for his homosexuality.
08JunSpain1901The marriage that was not allowed to exist
Two teachers marry in a Catholic church in Spain in 1901, shaking church and society.
09JunFrance1701The brother of the Sun King
"Monsieur" lived openly as a homosexual at the court of Versailles; as the Sun King's brother he was all but untouchable.
10JunUSA2016Non-binary for the first time: a ruling changes the law
A court in Oregon officially recognises a person as non-binary for the first time in the US, a precedent that sent a signal.
11JunGermany1994The end of the anti-gay paragraph
After 123 years of criminalisation, Paragraph 175 is repealed. Germany abolishes its ban on male homosexuality.
12JunUSA2016Massacre at the Pulse nightclub shakes the world
A gunman kills 49 people at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando. The worst hate crime against the LGBTQ+ community in the US.
13JunBavaria1886The death of the fairy-tale king
Deposed for "moral insanity": on 13 June 1886, King Ludwig II dies in unexplained circumstances.
14JunUSA2020Silence as an outcry
15,000 people dressed in white march for Black trans lives, remembering a trans woman who died in prison.
15JunAustria2019Half a million on the Ringstrasse
When Austria's federal president opens a Rainbow Parade for the first time, half a million people are there.
16JunUSA2008Legally married at last after 55 years
Two pioneers marry for the second time and become California's first legal same-sex marriage.
17JunNorway2008The first Scandinavian country to open marriage to all
"We have worked so long for this": on 17 June 2008, Norway's parliament voted for marriage equality.
18JunUSA2025A setback for trans young people
6 to 3 against trans young people: in 2025, the Supreme Court paved the way for bans in more than 25 US states.
19JunCanada2017Twelve years of struggle for one law
Twelve years of struggle, one law: in 2017 Canada enshrines trans rights in its Human Rights Act.
20JunEstonia2023The first marriage equality in the Baltics
Estonia breaks a taboo in 2023: it becomes the first post-Soviet country to open marriage to everyone.
21JunNamibia2024Acquittal for love
Namibia's High Court declares the colonial sodomy law unconstitutional: a milestone for queer rights in Africa.
22JunUSA1969The death of Dorothy
"Somewhere Over the Rainbow" was more than a song: it was the anthem of a persecuted community.
23JunUSA2015The Stonewall Inn becomes an official city landmark
In 2015, the Stonewall Inn in New York becomes an official city landmark: the first building ever to be honoured for its LGBTQ history.
24JunUSA1973"We're gonna burn this place down": the New Orleans massacre
32 dead, no culprit, no compassion: the arson attack on the UpStairs Lounge in New Orleans in 1973.
25JunUSA1978The birth of the rainbow flag
On 25 June 1978, the rainbow flag flew in San Francisco for the first time: dyed in buckets, sewn in a single night.
26JunGermany2017A spontaneous question sets marriage equality in motion
A question from the audience, asked out of love, set Germany's marriage equality in motion in 2017.
27JunIceland2010How a head of government married on the first day of marriage equality
On 27 June 2010, Iceland became the ninth country with marriage equality, and the head of government promptly got married herself.
28JunUSA1969The uprising at the Stonewall Inn
In 1969, a raid on a New York bar becomes a turning point for the queer movement worldwide.
29JunGabon2020A step backwards, quickly reversed
On 29 June 2020, Gabon's Senate struck out the criminalisation of same-sex love that had only been introduced in 2019.
30JunGermany1934How a murder intensified the persecution of homosexuals
On 30 June 1934, Hitler had the SA chief Röhm arrested. His homosexuality became both a pretext and a weapon.
July
Marriage equality becomes reality
Marriage instead of partnership: how Switzerland became one of the last countries in Western Europe to open marriage.
02JulIndia2009A court ruling breaks with a colonial law
Delhi decriminalises homosexuality across the country for the first time: a historic ruling with repercussions to this day.
03JulSpain2005Madrid opens marriage as the third country in the world
30 years after Franco: in 2005 Spain becomes the third country in the world to let same-sex couples marry.
04JulUSA1965To the Liberty Bell on Independence Day
On 4 July of all days, gay men and lesbians stood before America's symbol of freedom to demand the rights they were denied.
05JulAntigua and Barbuda2022High Court decriminalises homosexuality
On 5 July 2022, the High Court strikes down colonial criminal laws. Up to 15 years in prison had been the threat until then.
06JulFrance1750The last execution for homosexuality
Two ordinary working men, a doorway, an example made: the last execution for homosexuality in France.
07JulGermany2017How "marriage for all" became reality in a single summer week
One sentence from the Chancellor, a race against the clock: how Germany passed "marriage for all" in just one week in 2017.
08JulEcuador2019When the highest court made marriage equality possible
On 8 July 2019, Ecuador became the fifth country in South America with marriage equality, thanks to a narrow 5–4 ruling.
09JulUSA2014A district court strikes down Colorado's marriage ban
On 9 July 2014, a judge declared Colorado's ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional.
10JulUSA2014Civil disobedience opens the marriage offices
"Civil disobedience": a Colorado court lets same-sex couples go on marrying despite a ban.
11JulFrance2016End of the ban on blood donation by gay men
After a 33-year ban: from 11 July 2016, gay and bisexual men in France were allowed to give blood again, with conditions.
12JulGerman Reich1940Himmler's decree against homosexuals
Himmler's decree of 12 July 1940 made concentration camp detention for homosexual men the rule rather than the exception.
13JulFrance1983End of the morality check in the civil service
In 1983 France abolished the morality check that could exclude homosexuals from the civil service.
14JulAustria1683Lynched in the firelight of the Turkish siege
In the middle of the Turkish siege, an enraged mob in Vienna kills a teenager because of their clothing.
15JulIreland2015Legal gender recognition by self-declaration
A 22-year struggle ends: Ireland allows trans people to change their legal gender without a medical report.
16JulHong Kong2025Bill on same-sex partnerships goes before parliament
A court forced Hong Kong to act, and in 2025 the bill reached parliament. In the end it was rejected.
17JulGermany2002Karlsruhe upholds the "little gay marriage"
In 2002, three CDU/CSU-led states took "gay marriage" to court and lost. A quiet, groundbreaking victory.
18JulRussia2022Daria Kasatkina breaks her silence
On 18 July 2022, Russia's best tennis player came out, just as the country was further curtailing queer rights.
19JulCanada2005The Senate opens marriage to same-sex couples
Fourth country in the world: in 2005 Canada's Senate opens marriage to same-sex couples.
20JulUganda2005An unlawful raid becomes a turning point
In 2005, officials stormed an activist's home in Kampala without a search warrant. The case made legal history.
21JulSoviet Union1980Protest on Red Square during the Olympic Games
During the 1980 Olympics, a FUORI! activist protests against Article 121 on Red Square and is arrested by the KGB.
22JulUSA1964Kameny's challenge to pathologisation
Before the Stonewall era: in 1964 Kameny compares the fight for gay rights with the work of the NAACP and Jewish civil rights groups.
23JulGermany2009Compulsory divorce for trans people is abolished
Before "marriage for all": in 2009 a trans woman in Germany was allowed to stay married instead of having to divorce.
24JulMontenegro2013Pride under a hail of stones
40 marchers, 200 attackers, chants of "Kill the gays": Montenegro's first Pride and its aftermath.
25JulUSA1985Rock Hudson's AIDS disclosure
Rock Hudson led a double life for decades. On 25 July 1985 his secret became world news.
26JulFrance2024Drag queens and queer visibility at the Olympic opening ceremony
Queer visibility meets the global stage: how one scene at the 2024 Olympics became a political issue.
27JulGreat Britain1967Decriminalised, but only behind closed doors
On 27 July 1967, sex between men was decriminalised in England and Wales. But only over 21 and out of sight.
28JulUSA1961Illinois becomes the first state to abolish its sodomy law
A signature that barely anyone noticed: in 1961 Illinois became the first US state to repeal its sodomy law.
29JulRussia2019A kiss in the Luzhniki Stadium
A kiss in Moscow: in 2019 Rammstein's guitarists took a stand against Russia's gay propaganda law in front of 80,000 people.
30JulIsrael2015The attack on Jerusalem Pride
She marched for her friends: how an attack on Jerusalem Pride in 2015 ended in death.
31JulSouth Africa2003The detour to Africa's first marriage equality
Two women, one rejected application: the detour that led South Africa to marriage equality.
August
The first "I do" at Hanover register office
On 1 August 2001, the first two men in Germany officially said "I do" in Hanover.
02AugAustria1971The minor criminal law reform
In 1971 Austria lifts its total ban on homosexuality, but new laws continue to discriminate.
03AugIreland1916The diaries that destroyed a campaign for clemency
His diaries sealed his fate: how homosexuality cost an Irish national hero his life.
04AugUruguay2019Referendum against trans law fails
Conservatives wanted to overturn Uruguay's trans law. On 4 August 2019 they clearly fail at the ballot box.
05AugUSA2003First openly gay Anglican bishop confirmed
Despite last-minute allegations: on 5 August 2003, Gene Robinson was confirmed as a bishop.
06AugCanada2021The first openly trans person to win Olympic gold
A penalty shoot-out in Yokohama: Quinn becomes the first openly trans and non-binary person to win Olympic gold.
07AugUSA1995Tyra Hunter dies after being denied emergency care
Tyra Hunter dies because she is denied medical help on account of her trans identity.
08AugNew Zealand1986End of the prosecution of gay men
After a fierce dispute, the law decriminalising homosexuality comes into force in New Zealand in 1986.
09AugEngland2013The folk voice who found herself at 76
She shaped British folk. At 76 she began to live as a woman: Louisa Jo Killen, who died in 2013.
10AugBelize2016Supreme Court strikes down sodomy law
After years of struggle by Caleb Orozco, the court strikes down the colonial sodomy ban.
11AugUSA1981How the first AIDS charity was born in a New York living room
80 gay men collect money in a living room and so found GMHC.
12AugSwitzerland1955The sealed diaries
Thomas Mann locked his diaries away for 20 years. They tell of his love for men.
13AugItaly1958Domenico Dolce, half a life in hiding
Before the global brand Dolce & Gabbana there was a couple who kept their relationship quiet for years.
14AugUSA1980The man who almost became US Vice President
In 1980 a gay activist wanted to become US Vice President, and gave one of the strongest speeches of the Democratic convention.
15AugBulgaria2024President signs law against queer visibility in schools
Bulgaria's President signs a law that declares queer topics in schools to be "propaganda".
16AugIndia2008The first Queer Azaadi March in Mumbai
Mumbai's first Queer Azaadi March takes aim at a British colonial law.
17AugUSA1977The US tennis association bows to the court
A milestone: after a court ruling, Renée Richards is allowed to play in the US Open as a woman.
18AugUSA1990A law that needed an innocent name
In 1990 Bush signs the biggest US AIDS law. The person it was named after had to be heterosexual.
19AugNew Zealand2013Marriage equality becomes reality
For the first time, same-sex couples marry in New Zealand, one of them above the clouds.
20AugGermany1996Farewell to Rio Reiser
He sang "Junimond" and lived openly as a gay man while Paragraph 175 was still in force. Rio Reiser, who died in 1996.
21AugSingapore2022The end of Section 377A
Introduced in 1938, repealed in 2022: how Singapore decriminalised sex between men.
22AugUSA1966When the church held a conference on homosexuality
A theologian stated in 1966: there was no reason to deny homosexual couples marriage.
23AugFrance1931Coccinelle, the country's first trans icon
She had surgery in Casablanca in 1958 and became France's first trans icon.
24AugCanada1965The confession that overturned a law
Questioned about arson, a confession, then indefinite detention: the case that shook Canada.
25AugUSA1984Truman Capote dies in Los Angeles
The writer Truman Capote lived openly as a gay man long before queer visibility was taken for granted.
26AugSwitzerland2018Zurich says goodbye to Röbi Rapp
He appeared on stage as a woman when that was dangerous. In 2018 Zurich said goodbye to Röbi Rapp.
27AugAustralia1975The first state to call time
One sitting day was enough: in 1975 South Australia became the first Australian state to decriminalise homosexuality.
28AugJapan1994The country's first Pride parade makes its way through Tokyo
Japan's first Pride began with a handful of brave people. Several hundred were waiting at the finish.
29AugGermany1867The speech that nobody wanted to hear
A lawyer demands an end to the criminal laws against love between men. The hall shouts him down.
30AugUSA1956The study that overturned a dogma
Three assessors, sixty test records, no difference: in 1956 a psychologist overturned a dogma.
31AugCuba2010Castro's admission with a false bottom
Castro admitted the persecution of gay men in Cuba. And in the same breath partly talked his way out of it.
September
The first of September, twice
Tightening and decriminalisation fell on the same day. Thirty-four years lay between them.
02SepItaly2005The film nobody thought would find an audience
On 2 September 2005, Venice saw "Brokeback Mountain". After that, queer cinema was never the same.
03SepGermany2017What the Stasi could not break
The man the Stasi wanted to break built up the gay civil rights movement of East Germany.
04SepGreat Britain1957The report that drew the line
Not a sin, not an illness: how a report from London shifted the debate on homosexuality.
05SepHong Kong2023When the highest court held the government to account
In 2023, Hong Kong's highest court obliged the government to recognise same-sex couples.
06SepIndia2018The end of a colonial law
Five judges, one unanimous ruling: how India finally broke with Section 377 in 2018.
07SepUSA2021The preacher who sang "I Was Born This Way"
His 1977 Motown song became an anthem. Then he built up a church and an AIDS project.
08SepUSA1975Leonard Matlovich on the cover of Time magazine
A medal for war, a discharge for love: how a sergeant challenged the US military in 1975.
09SepGreat Britain1949Gold in Innsbruck, and then the truth
He wanted to dance, but his father forbade it. John Curry became Olympic champion and openly gay, in the middle of the seventies.
10SepGreat Britain2009A very late apology to Alan Turing
A petition, a government statement, a very late apology: Britain and Alan Turing, September 2009.
11SepUSA2001Victim 0001 was a gay Franciscan
He was the first recorded victim of 9/11 and a gay priest. Even so, Mychal Judge will not be made a saint.
12SepChile2018The law that an Oscar helped to write
Chile's law for trans people was stuck for five years. Then a film with a trans lead actress won the Oscar.
13SepFrance2002Murdered because he was gay
They murdered their son because he was gay. Even so, François Chenu's parents wrote letters to the killers.
14SepGermany1926The man who made himself the object of research
Blackmailed, almost at the end, then finally the complaint to the police: Karl Friedrich Jordan wrote down his own life in 1900.
15SepChina1995The deleted word
Lesbian rights are human rights: in Beijing, the sentence was dropped from the UN text.
16SepNepal2015A constitution that names queer people
In 2015 Nepal becomes the first country in Asia to name queer people explicitly in its constitution.
17SepUSA1985Four years of silence, then a follow-up question
In 1985 a US President said the word AIDS for the first time. By then around eight thousand Americans had already died of it.
18SepGreat Britain2003The end of Section 28
Hidden in a law on local government finance: in 2003 Britain's school gag, Section 28, disappeared.
19SepVatican2013The interview that changed the tone
It was not the doctrine that changed but the tone: the interview that stirred up the Church in 2013.
20SepSerbia2009 and 2015The twentieth of September in Belgrade, twice
Banned in 2009, on the streets with government ministers in 2015: Belgrade's long road to Pride.
21SepUSA1996A signature after midnight
No cameras, after midnight: how a US President blocked marriage equality for years.
22SepSwitzerland2002Zurich votes yes to same-sex couples
In 2002 Zurich voted yes to registered partnership for female and male couples.
23SepSouth Africa1999A day of its own for the B
Bisexual people were invisible for a long time. In 1999 three activists gave them a day of their own, thanks to Freddie Mercury.
24SepSwitzerland1482The knight and his servant at the stake
A knight and his servant are burned, officially for sodomy. But power politics also lay behind the verdict.
25SepCuba2022A people says yes to love
A one-party state lets the people decide: in 2022 Cuba opens marriage to everyone by popular vote.
26SepGermany2021Two trans women make parliamentary history
Two trans women in the Bundestag for the first time: an election night that changed Germany's queer politics.
27SepGreat Britain1999Strasbourg ends the military ban on gay men and lesbians
Strasbourg strikes down the British military ban on gay men and lesbians. Four people who had been dismissed fought back.
28SepAfrican Union2017A court declines to answer
A lesbian network wanted clarity from the African Court. No answer came, and that had consequences.
29SepFrance2015The wedding that was not supposed to happen
A politician in Marseille refuses to marry two women. The court draws a clear line.
30SepParaguay1959The letter of an "amoral" man
In the middle of a witch-hunt against 108 men, an anonymous letter to the editor dared to object. Ten years before Stonewall.
October
The world's first "I do"
Forty years of love, a town hall and a kiss for the history books: how a worldwide movement began in Copenhagen.
02OctColombia2016When fear of "gender ideology" derailed peace
A peace agreement that protected LGBT people for the first time fell victim to fear of "gender ideology".
03OctGermany1990One country, two criminal codes
One country, two criminal codes: after reunification, the anti-gay Paragraph 175 still applied only in the West.
04OctMauritius2023The end of a colonial ban
The Supreme Court of Mauritius strikes down a colonial-era ban and decriminalises sex between men.
05OctGermany1978Six hundred and eighty-two men say "We are gay"
They showed their faces when it was still dangerous: in 1978, the "Stern" cover "We are gay" made history.
06OctUSA1998The attack on Matthew Shepard
Two men offered Matthew Shepard a lift home in Laramie. What happened next changed the United States.
07OctRomania2018The referendum that failed at empty polling stations
The church and the parties wanted to block marriage equality in Romania. But the voters let them down.
08OctSpain2024Queer equality becomes mandatory for companies
Mandatory from fifty employees: how Spain brought queer equality into the workplace.
09OctEstonia2014A narrow yes to registered partnerships
Estonia becomes the first former Soviet state with registered partnerships. By a margin of just two votes.
10OctGermany1936Himmler's secret card index
Himmler's secret card index: how the Nazi regime systematically registered and persecuted gay men from 1936.
11OctUSA1988The first Coming Out Day
Keith Haring drew the logo, eighteen states took part: this is how Coming Out Day began.
12OctSlovakia2022The terrorist attack outside Tepláreň
Fatal shots outside a queer bar in Bratislava: investigators later called it terrorism.
13OctVatican2014When the bishops spoke of the "gifts" of homosexual people
A sentence from Rome caused a worldwide stir: homosexual people had much to offer the Church. The joy was short-lived.
14OctChile2022An X on the ID card
A court ruling, a new ID card and a single letter: Chile recognises a non-binary person for the first time.
15OctFrance2019Fertility treatment for all women
The National Assembly opens fertility treatment to all women. The road there was a rocky one.
16OctTaiwan2016A farewell that moved a country
A couple for thirty-five years, strangers in the eyes of the law. A death in Taipei gave marriage equality new momentum.
17OctIndia2023The Supreme Court says no to marriage equality
India's Supreme Court rejected marriage equality and passed the decision to parliament.
18OctUSA1973The legal aid group that first had to defend itself
The state saw no need for a gay and lesbian legal aid organisation. So its very first case was itself.
19OctSweden1979Today I'm feeling a bit homosexual
Off sick because you felt homosexual: how Sweden abolished the diagnosis in 1979.
20OctUnited Kingdom1953The night Sir John was arrested
A knighthood, a plain-clothes policeman, a toilet in Chelsea: how John Gielgud's world was turned upside down in 1953.
21OctUSA1939Ninety-nine men in skirts
A ballroom, six police vans and an 1845 law against disguised faces.
22OctChile2015The day the state saw the couples
Confetti outside the civil registry: Chile recognised same-sex couples as families for the first time.
23OctGermany2002Marianne Hoppe and the most famous lavender marriage of Nazi-era theatre
Her marriage to Gustaf Gründgens was considered a cover. Both were bisexual, and the letters tell a different story.
24OctUnited Kingdom1929"Chloe liked Olivia"
In 1929, Virginia Woolf hid a lesbian dig in her essay. One judge did not come off well.
25OctGermany1979Serve yes, lead no
A ruling by the Federal Administrative Court blocked every career path for gay soldiers for more than twenty years.
26OctIreland1988A lecturer sues his state and wins
Eight to six: how David Norris brought down Ireland's ban on homosexuality in Strasbourg.
27OctItaly2021The Senate sinks the law against homophobia
The Vatican protested, the right cheered: why Italy still has no law against anti-queer hate speech.
28OctFrance1824A marquis in the mud outside Paris
A rendezvous, an assault, a scandal: how Paris ostracised the Marquis de Custine without any law at all.
29OctPanama2019"They're gay, they can't come in"
Panama's parliament wanted to ban marriage equality in the constitution. The resistance proved stronger.
30OctEgypt130A city for the emperor's beloved
An emperor, a dead lover and a city on the Nile: how Hadrian built a monument of stone to his grief.
31OctUSA1969Time puts homosexuals on its cover
Shortly after Stonewall, Time ran a cover story on homosexuals. An ambivalent document of its era.
November
Tokyo recognises same-sex couples
Tokyo issues partnership certificates for the first time. A big step for Japan, but still far from the goal.
02NovUSA2004Eleven states ban marriage equality in a single day
Bush against Kerry, and on the side a heavy blow for queer couples: the day of eleven marriage bans in the US.
03NovHong Kong2023The first Gay Games in Asia
A first for Asia: Hong Kong opened the Gay Games. A sporting festival between new beginnings, the pandemic and headwinds.
04NovUSA2008/2014One date, two turning points for marriage equality
One election night, two faces: on 4 November 2008, California lost marriage equality. Six years later came Kansas.
05NovMalawi2012Freedom for three days
Malawi suspends its laws against homosexuality. Three days later, the government wants nothing more to do with it.
06NovSpain2012The Constitutional Court says yes to marriage equality
For seven years, Spain's marriage equality hung in the balance. Then the Constitutional Court delivered a clear verdict.
07NovEU2013Asylum without hiding
Three gay men, one ruling from Luxembourg: those seeking protection do not have to hide their homosexuality.
08NovGermany2017Karlsruhe opens up the gender entry
Karlsruhe opens up the gender entry. On the same date, Herculine Barbin was once born.
09NovGermany (GDR)1989Coming Out on the night the Wall fell
A premiere on the night the Wall fell: the only GDR feature film about gay love opened in cinemas on 9 November of all days.
10NovUSA2025The Supreme Court turns Kim Davis away
Ten years after her refusal, Kim Davis wanted to take marriage equality to the Supreme Court. The answer was brief.
11NovPoland2013The rainbow burns
In 2013, nationalists set fire to a rainbow in Warsaw. The artist had never meant it as an LGBT symbol.
12NovSweden1679The death sentence against the soldier Mats Ersson
She lived as a man, served as a soldier and married a maid. In Stockholm in 1679, it cost her her head.
13NovGuyana2018Difference is as natural as breathing
Difference is as natural as breathing. How Guyana's highest court struck down a colonial law in 2018.
14NovBotswana2014The right to organise
A court in Gaborone rules in favour of a queer organisation, even though homosexuality was still a crime at the time.
15NovAustralia2017The country says yes
Almost sixty-two per cent for marriage equality: Australia votes by post, and the result is clear.
16NovUnited Kingdom1928A novel is burned for demanding tolerance
In 1928, a judge had a lesbian novel destroyed because it demanded tolerance. The ban backfired.
17NovCanada2001The murder of Aaron Webster in Stanley Park
Vancouver, 2001: a group of young men beats Aaron Webster to death in Stanley Park. Thousands take to the streets.
18NovMexico1901The Ball of the 41
A ball, 41 arrests and a son-in-law who vanished: how one raid shaped Mexico's queer history.
19NovUSA2022The attack on Club Q
Five dead on the eve of Transgender Day of Remembrance: the attack on the queer bar Club Q.
20NovUSA1999A candle for Rita Hester
Before the first Transgender Day of Remembrance there was an unsolved murder. The story behind 20 November.
21NovIsrael2006A stamp in the register opens a back door
Five male couples marry in Toronto, and Israel refuses to register them. Then the Supreme Court puts its foot down.
22NovTurkey2016Strasbourg rules in favour of a queer magazine
Ten years after the seizure, the queer magazine Kaos GL wins its case in Strasbourg.
23NovUnited Kingdom1991Freddie Mercury breaks his silence
A day before his death, Freddie Mercury made his AIDS diagnosis public and gave the disease a face.
24NovTaiwan2018The people say no, parliament says yes anyway
In 2018, Taiwan voted against marriage equality. Six months later it came anyway, the first in all of Asia.
25NovEcuador1997A ruling ends criminalisation
A police raid on a bar, an alliance of courageous activists and, in the end, a historic ruling.
26NovNamibia2011A crown that sent a signal
The first Mister Gay Namibia: a catwalk as a political statement, a crown and, shortly afterwards, a brutal attack.
27NovNamibia2024Openly queer on the ballot for the first time
Two young men in Namibia dared what no one had dared before them: to stand openly queer for parliament.
28NovJapan2025Tokyo is the only high court to uphold the marriage ban
Five courts said yes to marriage equality, then came Tokyo. How a single ruling shocked Japan's queer community.
29NovCzechoslovakia1961When sexologists rewrote the criminal code
Communists, sexologists and a persistent activist: how Czechoslovakia decriminalised gay sex in 1961.
30NovUSA1993"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" becomes law
Clinton wanted to lift the ban on homosexuals in the military. In the end, he wrote it into law.
December
The case of Jennifer Laude
A US marine, a murdered trans woman, a verdict with a catch: the case of Jennifer Laude in the Philippines.
02DecSouth Africa1999Equality in immigration law
Immigration without a marriage certificate: how South Africa's Constitutional Court put same-sex couples on a par with married couples in 1999.
03DecSwitzerland2003The National Council says yes to registered partnerships
A yes from Bern: before marriage for all came registered partnership. The National Council led the way in 2003.
04DecIndia1998"Fire" is sent back to the censors
A lesbian couple on India's screens: after attacks on cinemas, the government sent "Fire" back to the censors.
05DecUnited Kingdom2005A wedding in a race against time
A fifteen-day waiting period was too long: how a couple in a hospice formed Britain's first civil partnership.
06DecSwitzerland2011When Geneva heard "Gay rights are human rights"
In 2011, Hillary Clinton made gay rights human rights in Geneva. A sentence with consequences.
07DecNetherlands1946A literary club as a cover
A literary club as a cover: in 1946, the world's oldest queer organisation was founded in Amsterdam.
08DecNorthern Ireland1982The end of criminalisation
A man from Belfast sues in Strasbourg and wins. The result: Northern Ireland lifts its ban on gay men in 1982.
09DecCyprus2015From criminal law to partnership
First banned, then recognised: Cyprus introduces civil partnership, including for same-sex couples.
10DecBhutan2020Decriminalisation on Human Rights Day
On Human Rights Day, Bhutan's parliament removed the ban on same-sex love from the criminal code.
11DecGermany1994An angel against forgetting
An angel with a broken neck: in 1994, Frankfurt received Germany's first memorial to persecuted homosexuals.
12DecAustralia2013Married for five days
Married for five days: in 2013, the happiness of thirty-one couples was shattered before Australia's highest court.
13DecMali2024The new criminal code makes homosexuality a crime
Since 13 December 2024, homosexuality has been a crime in Mali. A break with more than six decades of legal history.
14DecGermany (GDR)1988The People's Chamber abolishes Paragraph 151
The GDR abolished its anti-gay paragraph five years before West Germany and shortly before the fall of the Wall.
15DecUSA1973Homosexuality is no longer an illness
No longer ill: in 1973, American psychiatry removed homosexuality from its diagnostic manual.
16DecGeorgia2021A ruling for those attacked in Tbilisi
In 2013, priests led a mob against queer activists in Tbilisi. Strasbourg saw it as state acquiescence.
17DecHungary2007Parliament passes registered partnership
A law that came too early and stayed anyway: how Hungary passed registered partnership in 2007.
18DecVatican2023A blessing, but no wedding
In 2023, the Vatican allowed blessings for same-sex couples for the first time. With clear limits.
19DecChina2014A court says being gay does not need to be cured
Hypnosis and electric shocks against being gay: a Beijing court rules in favour of the victim for the first time.
20DecGermany2017A victim of Paragraph 175 dies without compensation
Wolfgang Lauinger survived Gestapo custody and Paragraph 175. He was denied compensation until his death.
21DecNepal2007The Supreme Court declares queer people equal citizens
A ruling from Kathmandu made queer people in Nepal equal citizens in 2007. With consequences to this day.
22DecUganda2008A ruling against the raid
A raid, a humiliation at the police station and a ruling: the constitution also applies to queer people.
23DecGermany1888The woman behind "Mädchen in Uniform"
She wrote one of the first lesbian film classics. In 1944, Christa Winsloe was murdered together with her partner.
24DecAndorra2014Equal rights for Christmas
A Christmas present from the Pyrenees: on 24 December 2014, Andorra put same-sex couples on a par with marriage.
25DecUnited Kingdom2016George Michael's last Christmas
He sang "Last Christmas" and died at Christmas. How George Michael turned a forced outing into pride.
26DecSpain1978Homosexuality is no longer a "social danger"
Spain, 1978: homosexuality is no longer considered a "social danger". But the community was still far from free.
27DecGermany1901Marlene Dietrich, tailcoat and a kiss for a woman
In a tailcoat she kissed a woman, long before Hollywood was ready for it: Marlene Dietrich was born in Berlin in 1901.
28DecArgentina2009"I do" at the end of the world
Two activists travel all the way to Tierra del Fuego to marry. Their wedding becomes the first of its kind in Latin America.
29DecSerbia1999The murder of Dejan Nebrigić
Murdered at twenty-nine: Dejan Nebrigić founded Serbia's first gay and lesbian organisation.
30DecNamibia2024New marriage law excludes same-sex couples
A new marriage law in Namibia: courts open doors for queer couples, parliament closes them again.
31DecUSA1993Brandon Teena and the failure of the authorities
Raped, mocked, murdered: in 1993, the case of Brandon Teena showed how the authorities failed trans people.
No facts found.