October 10

October 10, 1949 - The periodical Newsweek published a story titled “Queer People” calling gays perverts and comparing them to exhibitionists and sexual sadists. It challenged the idea that homosexuals hurt no one but themselves.

October 10, 1953 - British newspaper “The Times” reported that Rupert Croft-Cooke was sentenced to nine months in prison and Joseph Alexander was sentenced to three months after they were accused of homosexual acts by two Royal Navy cooks. Croft-Cooke wrote about the case in “The Verdict of You All.”

October 10, 1987 - In Washington DC 2,000 gay and lesbian couples were united in a mass commitment ceremony in front of the IRS building. That morning, Rev Troy Perry, founder of Metropolitan Community Church, led a worship service at the First Congregational Church in Washington DC, and the crowd overflowed the church. The same day in Washington DC, a memorial service was held for Harvey Milk at the Congressional Cemetery at the burial plot purchased by the Never Forget Foundation to memorialize gay heroes.

October 10, 1990 - OutRage, a London direct action group, held a Kiss-In at Brief Encounter, a gay pub which had recently banned same-sex kissing.

October 10, 1995 - The US Supreme Court began hearing oral arguments in the case of Romer v Evans, Colorado’s Amendment 2 which would havebanned all gay rights laws in Colorado.

October 10, 1997 - Lesbians organized a Daiku no Hi (Dyke Day) in Tokyo. It drew about 200 participants and received much media attention.

October 10, 1998 - Jackie Foster, a British broadcaster, actor, and lesbian activist, died at age 70.

October 10, 1998 - The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America held a conference in Minneapolis Minnesota on gay and lesbian clergy.

October 10, 1999 - The Washington Post reported that a Harvard University research team conducted a study which demonstrated that gay men and lesbians are better than heterosexuals at identifying other gay men and lesbians.

October 10, 1999 - Catholic Bishop Pat Buckley of Belfast came out.

October 10 1973 - Toronto City council passes resolution banning discrimination in municipal hiring on basis of sexual orientation. First such legislation in Canada.