Today in Gay History - 11/24/11: Castration, Reagan, England, Freddy Mercury, TN, Protests

November 24

November 24, 1933 - A law was passed in Germany to allow surgical castrations as a crime prevention measure and a therapeutic treatment for homosexuality.

November 24, 1980 - Ronald Reagan's son Ron was married in New York City. His father frequently defended his son's heterosexuality because of his career as a ballet dancer.

November 24, 1984 - England's first national conference on AIDS began, and was organized by the Terrence Higgins Trust.

November 24, 1991 - Freddie Mercury, lead singer for Queen, died of complications from AIDS. It was only the day before that he acknowledged that he had the disease. He left most of his estate to a former girlfriend, Mary Austen, who cared for him during his final months.

November 24, 1997 - The Associated Press reported that Edgehill United Methodist Church in Nashville Tennessee announced that no weddings would be performed there until same-sex couples were given the right to be married there.

November 24, 1998 - About 100 people demonstrated to protest the firing of Alicia Pedreira, a lesbian, from Kentucky Baptist Homes for Children in Louisville. According to her termination notice she was fired because "admitted homosexual lifestyle is contrary to Kentucky Baptist Homes for Children core values." Five other employees resigned in protest.

Such a beautiful wide ranging voice.

I haven't been replying to them, but have been reading them with much interest! Thanks much for posting!

1933 :puke: oh my gawd!