October 27

October 27, 1903 - In “Die Zeit”, Sigmund Freud was quoted as saying homosexuals are not sick and should not be treated as sick.

October 27, 1951 - The French postal service issued stamps with gay lovers Paul Verlaine and Arthur Rimbaud.

October 27, 1970 - Forty members of the Gay Activist Alliance invaded the offices of Harper magazine to protest an article which presented homosexuality as a mental illness. GAA president Arthur Evans verbally attacked editor Midge Decter for publishing an article which would add to the suffering of homosexuals. The protest led to a three part television news series on gay liberation.

October 27, 1977 - A meeting between Quebec Human Rights Commission and representatives of gay group ADGQ results in public recommendation that government amend Human Rights Charter to include sexual orientation.

October 27, 1990 - US Congress repealed a law barring homosexuals from being admitted to the United States on grounds of mental illness.

October 27, 1992 - The Federal Court of Canada ordered the military to lift the ban on gay and lesbian service personnel. The Defence Department declined to appeal the decision.

October 27, 1993 - Allen Schindler, a gay American sailor, was beaten to death by his shipmates.

October 27, 1997 - BET-TV withdrew an invitation to Keith Boykin to appear on a show with Angie and Debbie Winans. The Winans objected to his presence on the show, which featured their anti-gay song “It’s Not Natural.”

October 27, 1999 - The Ontario provincial government changed 67 statutes to give same-sex couples equal treatment to heterosexual couples.

October 27, 1999 - Democratic presidential nomination candidates Al Gore and Bill Bradley promised that if elected they would do everything in their power to ensure equal rights for gay and lesbian Americans.