On this day in queerstory: the first Deaf Queer Men Only gathering

October 2 doesn’t usually grab headlines. It’s the day after the glittery fanfare of October 1, the launch of LGBTQ+ History Month in the U.S. But just because it doesn’t scream with rainbow confetti doesn’t mean it’s quiet. This date hums with stories about community, identity, and the ways queer people carve out space where there was none before.

One of the brightest sparks on this day came in 2008, when the very first Deaf Queer Men Only (DQMO) gathering took place. Imagine it: queer men from Deaf communities around the world coming together, not just for a social event, but for something bigger. Workshops, talks, celebrations – a space specifically designed to honor Deaf culture and queer identity at the same time.

Why was this important? Because even within LGBTQ+ circles, Deaf people often found themselves sidelined. Interpreters weren’t always provided. Events weren’t always accessible. And queer spaces, which should have been about radical inclusion, sometimes left Deaf people out in the cold. DQMO was a joyful rebellion against that exclusion. It was about saying: our culture, our language, and our queerness all belong here.

That first gathering wasn’t the end of the story. DQMO has gone on to become a biennial international event, hosted in different cities, growing each time. The focus isn’t just on socializing – though there’s plenty of that – but also on building confidence, supporting one another, and making sure Deaf queer men are visible in their communities. Think of it as Pride, but with sign language at the center, and an ethos of empowerment stitched into every detail.

October 2 also has another layer. It falls right inside the opening week of LGBTQ+ History Month – which means that on this day, one of the official “icons of the day” is unveiled. Every year, a calendar of thirty-one queer icons is put together, each assigned to a date in October. They range from the famous to the forgotten: poets, politicians, athletes, activists, drag queens, teachers, philanthropists. People who’ve changed the world loudly, and people who’ve changed it quietly, behind the scenes.

That practice of naming an icon for October 2 may feel small, but it’s a reminder that queer history isn’t just about one or two marquee names repeated endlessly. It’s about depth, variety, surprise. Maybe October 2 introduces you to a playwright you’ve never read, or an activist whose story you’d never heard. It’s a daily invitation to expand your sense of what queer history looks like – and who gets to belong to it.

When you put it together, October 2 becomes a day that resists invisibility. The Deaf Queer Men Only gathering in 2008 said: we won’t be hidden inside our own communities. The icons of the day say: we won’t be erased from history. And the layering of both tells us something vital: queer history isn’t just about big legal victories or protest marches. Sometimes it’s about creating space – literally and figuratively – where people who’ve been pushed aside can finally step forward.

So how can we honor October 2 today? Maybe by learning a little sign language, even just a word or two. Maybe by seeking out the story of a queer figure you’ve never heard of before. Maybe by reflecting on whose voices we still overlook – and how we might make space for them.

Because queer history isn’t static. It grows every time a new gathering begins, every time a new name is remembered, every time someone insists that their identity is not negotiable. October 2 reminds us of that – that even the quieter days are alive with revolution, if we know how to listen.