On this day in queerstory: queer art in Ireland

On November 25, queer history quietly traces lines of care, survival and identity — not through headlines of political battles, but through personal relationships, professional excellence, and hard-earned survival.

A lesser-known but deeply significant figure tied to this date is Elizabeth M. Cushier, born November 25, 1837. According to LGBTQ-history records, Cushier was one of the first women in New York to earn a medical degree, later becoming a respected obstetrician.

What has drawn historical attention for queer communities is her lifelong partnership with Dr Emily Blackwell, herself a pioneering female physician.

Their shared life, which lasted decades, speaks to a hidden history of queer companionship in the 19th century — a love both private and powerful, lived in parallel with careers and social impact. Their story reminds us that queer legacies extend beyond activism: sometimes they were forged in the quiet corridors of hospitals and in the intellectual intimacy of professional women supporting each other.

Fast forward more than a century: on November 25, 2005, Pierre Seel, a Nazi concentration-camp survivor who was persecuted for being gay, died at the age of 82.

Seel’s testimony — publicized late in his life — became a vital bridge between queer experiences and Holocaust history. He survived years of abuse, and his willingness to speak out about the horrors he endured under the Nazi regime provided rare, painful documentation of queer suffering during World War II.

Seel’s voice contributed to a broader reckoning with queer persecution in 20th-century Europe. By sharing his experiences, he helped ensure that the narrative of the Holocaust would not erase queer victims. His life, and his death on November 25, showed that memory is also an act of recovery — a way to respect those who were once silenced.

Another thread that ties into November 25 is the annual Outburst Queer Arts Festival in Northern Ireland.

Though the festival spans much of November, this date often falls within its programming. Outburst draws together film, theatre, spoken-word, visual art and debate — creating a space where queer creativity is not just seen, but celebrated. The festival has become a major platform for queer artists locally and internationally, and it underscores how artistic visibility remains vital even today.

Taken together, November 25 offers a textured portrait of queer history. You have Elizabeth Cushier and Emily Blackwell building a life and practicing medicine in an era when few accepted women — let alone queer women — in the profession. You have Pierre Seel illuminating some of the darkest chapters of queer persecution. And you have modern queer artists gathering in Northern Ireland to affirm creativity, performance and solidarity in the public eye.

This date is not defined by protests or legal wins, but by survival, care, art, and memory. It shows how queer lives have always been woven into societal institutions — medicine, culture, storytelling — and how those spaces are still crucial for recognition, belonging, and legacy.

On November 25, queer history reminds us of endurance: how love, visibility, and courage have persisted across centuries, even when recognition was rare and safety was far from guaranteed.