March 7th – Perpetua and Felicity

Perpetua and Felicity 

7^th march 203

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Perpetua and Felicity were early Christian women, martyred in Carthage in the year 203. Their deaths are recorded in an account that allegedly includes pieces from Perpetua’s own diary along with other eyewitness accounts. At the time of their imprisonment Perpetura was a young married mother and Felicity was heavily pregnant. They were murdered for refusing to renounce their Christian faith and challenging societal pressures on the place of women in heteronormative family structures. As a result they are considered early heroes for the emancipation of Women and non-hetero families.

February 19th – Sylvia Rivera

Sylvia Rivera

2^nd July 1951 – 19^th February 2002

 

“Hell hath no Fury like a Drag Queen scorned.”

Sylvia Rivera

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Sylvia Rivera was a Drag queen and prominent LGBTI+ rights activist. She was a founding member of the Gay Liberation Front, the Gay Activists Alliance and Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries. She dedicated her life to raising awareness of homeless trans youth, drag queens and trans women of colour.

February 18th – Barbara Gittings

Barbara Gittings

31^st July 1932 – 18^th February 2007

“for 48 years I’ve had the satisfaction of working with other gay people all across the country to get the bigots off our backs, to oil the closet door hinges, to change prejudiced hearts and minds, and to show that gay love is good for us and for the rest of the world too. It’s hard work — but it’s vital, and it’s gratifying, and it’s often fun!”

Barbara Gittings 

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Barbara Gittings was an early Gay rights activist in America. After discovering the severe lack of educational materials on homosexuality during her early teens Barbara dedicated her life to raising awareness and making positive teaching material more easily available for gay and lesbian people. 

January 1st – CRH Mardi Gras Ball

CRH Mardi Gras Ball

1st January

 

In 1964 the Council on Religion and the Homosexual (CRH) formed with the idea of bringing different Christian leaders together with leaders in the Gay community in San Francisco to discuss Gay issues and pursue more rights for the gay community. To raise funds for the organisation a costume ball was put on at California Hall in San Francisco on 1st January 1965 and was attended by both clergy members and gay couples.

December 31st – Brandon Teena

Brandon Teena

12th December 1972 – 31st December 1993

Brandon Teena was a transgender man whose murder on 31st December 1993 was the basis for the film Boys Don’t Cry.