Posts by Sofia:

On this day in queerstory: ally prime minister Olof Palme assassinated

On February 28, 1986, Swedish prime minister Olof Palme was assassinated in Stockholm, according to police and medical examiner reports filed within hours of the shooting. While Palme was not himself part of the LGBTQ community, his documented political record places him squarely within queer rights history. Parliamentary transcripts, party manifestos, and diplomatic correspondence show […]

On this day in queerstory: Elizabeth Taylor is born

On February 27, 1932, screen legend Elizabeth Taylor was born in London, according to civil birth registers later reproduced in studio contracts, passport files, and union records that traced her movement from child performer to international star. While Taylor is most often remembered for her film career, archival evidence from the 1980s onward—charity incorporation documents, […]

On this day in queerstory: discriminatory Arizona Senate Bill 1062 is vetoed

On February 26, 2014, Governor Jan Brewer vetoed Arizona Senate Bill 1062, a measure that would have allowed businesses to refuse service on religious grounds—a proposal widely criticized by civil-rights groups as a license to discriminate against LGBTQ people. The veto letter, filed in the official records of Arizona, stated that the legislation was “broadly […]

On this day in queerstory: the death of playwright Tennessee Williams

On February 25, 1983, playwright Tennessee Williams was found dead in a New York hotel room, according to police and medical examiner reports filed that same day. The official records listed accidental death, closing the life of one of the most influential dramatists of the 20th century. Williams’ scripts, contracts, and correspondence—now preserved in theater […]

On this day in queerstory: sci-fi writer Octavia E. Butler dies

On February 24, 2006, acclaimed science-fiction writer Octavia E. Butler died at her home in Lake Forest Park, Washington, a fact recorded in county death registers and confirmed in publishers’ estate filings within days. Butler, one of the most influential speculative fiction authors of the 20th century, left behind manuscripts, notebooks, and contracts now preserved […]

On this day in queerstory: the US embraces marriage equality

On February 23, 2011, the administration of Barack Obama formally notified the U.S. Congress that it would no longer defend the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in court. The announcement came in a letter from Attorney General Eric Holder, a document preserved in Department of Justice archives and widely reproduced in legal databases. The […]