LGBTQ history

LGBTQ history dates back to ancient times, when people expressed same-sex love and diverse gender identities in many parts of the world. Though these stories were often hidden due to unfair treatment, we are now learning more about the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer communities.

In 1994, people in the United States began celebrating LGBTQ History Month every October. This helps everyone learn about the past struggles and successes of LGBTQ people and their fight for equal LGBTQ rights and civil rights. October also includes National Coming Out Day on October 11.

One big moment in LGBTQ history happened in 2001 when Queen Beatrix signed a law making the Netherlands the first country to legalize same-sex marriage. Many countries have since followed this important step toward fairness and equality.

East Asia

China and Taiwan

For a long time, stories about people loving others of the same sex have been part of China's history. Ancient Chinese books talk about men who loved other men, though stories about women loving women are less common. One famous story is about a man named Mizi Xia sharing a special peach with his lover. Another story tells of an emperor who carefully cut off his own sleeve so as not to wake his sleeping lover. Over time, attitudes changed, and by the time of the Qing dynasty, laws were made against men loving men, though the punishments were not very harsh.

In 2019, Taiwan made a big change by allowing people of the same sex to marry, becoming the first place in its area to do so.

Japan and Korea

In Japan, ancient stories and art show that people sometimes loved others of the same sex. During a time called the Edo period, there were many relationships between older men and younger boys, which was a common practice then. Japanese books like The Tale of Genji include scenes where characters fall in love with or are attracted to boys. As Japan began to change and look more toward Western ways during the Meiji era, attitudes began to shift and laws were created that made such relationships illegal.

In Korea, too, there are records of noble people and Buddhist monks expressing love for others of the same sex, including some emperors from long ago who had male lovers.

North Asia

Early Russian researchers noted that Chukchi shamans in Siberia sometimes followed special spiritual practices. These shamans were believed to undergo a religious ceremony that allowed them to change their gender roles. After this ceremony, they would dress and act in ways typical of women, taking on roles such as healing and caring for others. These shamans might also form close partnerships with other men, sometimes even in a way similar to marriage, where they would take on roles like a partner or spouse. They would sometimes speak about feeling compelled by spirits to participate in these unique traditions.

Southeast Asia and the Pacific

In Thailand, people showing love and having relationships of the same sex have been known since the 1300s. Art in old temples shows men and women in loving relationships. In nearby Vietnam, records of people loving others of the same sex go back to at least the 1300s too.

In Indonesia, old stories talk about people who felt they were both boys and girls. Many places in Southeast Asia had rules against such relationships after European countries took control, but some areas like Cambodia now support equal marriage. In places like Samoa and Hawaii, people who didn’t fit typical boy or girl roles were accepted and respected long before outside influences arrived.

South Asia

The earliest mentions of rules against same-sex relationships in South Asia come from ancient Zoroastrian writings around 250 BC during the Parthian Empire, which covered parts of modern-day Pakistan. These writings influenced later religious laws in the area.

In India, ancient Hindu and Vedic texts often described people and gods moving beyond typical gender roles and showed love and relationships between people of the same sex. For example, the Kamasutra, an old Indian guide about love, talked about feelings for the same sex. There were also artworks in temples, like those in Khajuraho, that showed same-sex relationships. The Hijra are a community of people who live in a feminine way, and they may have been born male, female, or with natural differences in their bodies.

Middle East and North Africa

Abbasid Caliphate

During the Abbasid Caliphate, some literary texts and poems mentioned love between people of the same gender and ideas about gender and relationships. Poets wrote about their feelings for other men, including young boys who served in homes or worked in shops.

Egypt

Ancient Egypt

In very old Egypt, around 2400 BCE, two men named Khnumhotep and Niankhkhnum worked in a palace. Some think they might have loved each other because they are shown very close together in art, but others think they were just brothers.

Coptic Egypt

In the sixth or seventh century, a piece of paper with magic words shows a man named Apapolo wanting another man named Phello to love him back.

Medieval Egypt

After Islam became the main religion in Egypt, many people still accepted relationships between men, but religious leaders were not happy about it. Some men were especially interested in loving younger boys.

Early modern Egypt

In a place called Siwa Oasis, men often had relationships with other men, including boys. This was normal there for many years.

Contemporary Egypt

Today in Egypt, laws and society do not accept relationships between people of the same gender. Some people have been arrested just for being part of these communities, and they have faced unfair treatments. Still, some brave individuals work to help improve rights and acceptance for everyone, no matter who they love.

Assyria

In very old Assyria around 1075 BCE, there were rules about relationships between men. Some of these rules were very strict, but other parts of society showed more acceptance.

Babylonia

In Babylonia, old prayers showed that love between men was seen as equal to love between men and women.

Israel

Very old rules in Israel, written in books called the Torah, did not accept relationships between men. Stories from that time also talked about cities being destroyed because of such relationships.

Lebanon

In Lebanon, laws have long said some relationships between people of the same gender are not allowed. But in recent years, some groups have worked to change these laws and help protect everyone’s rights. There have been some positive changes, but it is still a difficult fight.

Persia

In ancient Persia, many poets wrote beautiful poems about their love for young boys who served in homes. These feelings were shared by many people and were part of the culture for a long time.

Turkey

Ottoman Empire

In the past, in what is now Turkey, people did not think of relationships between people of the same gender as wrong. They did not see men and women as exact opposites, so they did not think love between two men was unnatural.

Pre-Columbian Americas

Among Indigenous peoples of the Americas, before European colonization, many nations had important and respected roles for people who showed different ways of loving and expressing their gender. These roles were seen as sacred in some cultures, and these individuals were raised with special customs and duties to help the community.

Some Indigenous groups today use the term "Two-Spirit" to describe these roles, though not everyone agrees with this term. It is a newer way to talk about these traditions, which have their own unique names in each culture.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Further information: History of homosexuality § Africa, and LGBT rights in Africa § History of male homosexuality in Africa

Different cultures in Sub-Saharan Africa had unique ways of understanding relationships between people of the same gender. Among the Zande people of Congo, there were traditions where older men would take younger boys as companions. These relationships included close bonds and support, but changed over time as new influences arrived.

In Lesotho, some women formed strong, long-lasting friendships called motsoalle, often celebrated with special meals. These friendships were important but seen differently from relationships with men. As new cultural ideas spread, these traditions changed and became less common.

Europe

Classical antiquity

Ancient Celts

According to Aristotle, the Celts were unusual because their men openly preferred male lovers. This was noted by other writers from ancient times as well.

Ancient Greece

Main article: Homosexuality in ancient Greece

Same-sex relationships were common in ancient Greece, often between an older man and a younger one. These relationships were seen as ways to share knowledge and were supported by many, though not all, leaders of the time.

Sappho, born on the island of Lesbos, wrote poetry about love for both men and women. The word "Lesbian" comes from her home island.

Ancient Rome

Main article: Homosexuality in ancient Rome

In ancient Rome, same-sex relationships were common among men, especially with younger men or those of lower social status. The emperor Hadrian was known for his close relationship with a young man named Antinous.

Middle Ages

Main article: Homosexuality in medieval Europe

During the Middle Ages, many religious leaders spoke against same-sex relationships. These views were influenced by religious teachings of the time.

Renaissance

During the Renaissance, some cities like Florence and Venice had open communities where same-sex relationships were more accepted. However, the Roman Catholic Church strongly opposed these relationships, leading to strict laws and punishments.

Modern Europe

Psychology and terminology shifts

As psychology developed, scientists began to study same-sex relationships more closely. This led to new ways of understanding and talking about these relationships.

Homosexuality in Modern Great Britain

Main article: Timeline of LGBTQ history in the British Isles

In Great Britain, same-sex relationships were illegal for many years. Over time, laws began to change, leading to more acceptance and rights for people in these relationships.

Oscar Wilde

Oscar Wilde, a famous writer, helped bring attention to same-sex relationships in the late 1800s through his life and work.

Alan Turing

Alan Turing, a brilliant mathematician who helped break secret codes during World War II, faced difficulties because of his same-sex relationships. His story highlights the challenges faced by people in the mid-20th century.

Decriminalization of homosexuality in France

See also: LGBTQ history in France, LGBT rights in France, and LGBT culture in Paris

In 1791, Revolutionary France became one of the first countries to remove laws against same-sex relationships between adults.

Soviet Union

The Soviet government removed laws against same-sex relationships in 1917, soon after the revolution. This change was part of broader efforts to reform laws and society.

Modern Germany

Emancipation movement (1890s–1934)

See also: Friedrich Radszuweit, Adolf Brand, Selli Engler, Lotte Hahm, Anna Rüling, Mädchen in Uniform (1931 film), Die Freundin, Die Freundschaft, and Institut für Sexualwissenschaft

Before the 1930s, Berlin was known for its active communities and support for people with diverse gender identities and sexualities. Many organizations worked to promote understanding and acceptance.

Nazi Germany

Main article: Persecution of homosexuals in Nazi Germany

During the time of Nazi Germany, many people were treated unfairly because of their relationships or identity. This period was very difficult for many.

Decriminalization of homosexuality in Germany

After World War II, laws in Germany changed, leading to more acceptance of same-sex relationships. By 1993, these relationships were fully legal and equal under the law.

United States

See also: History of bisexuals in the United States, History of gay men in the United States, History of lesbianism in the United States, and History of transgender people in the United States

The history of people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender in the United States dates back to long before the country was formed. Early laws often treated these identities harshly, but over time, attitudes and laws began to change.

In more recent decades, especially starting in the 1990s, people in the United States began to recognize and celebrate the contributions of LGBTQ individuals more openly. This led to the creation of LGBTQ History Month, an annual observance that started in the United States in 1994 and has since spread to other countries. It is a time to learn about and honor the history and achievements of LGBTQ people.

Same-sex marriage

Main article: Same-sex marriage

In recent years, many countries have started to allow people of the same sex to get married. This means that couples who love each other can have the same rights as other married couples, like sharing benefits, making decisions for each other, and adopting children.

The first country to allow same-sex marriage was the Netherlands in 2001. Since then, many other countries have followed, including Belgium, Spain, Canada, and the United States, among others. This change has helped many families feel more equal and supported.

Student groups

Main article: Gay–straight alliance

Since the mid-1970s, students at high schools and universities have created groups to support people who may have different feelings about love and identity. These groups, often called Gay–Straight Alliances (GSAs), help everyone feel welcome and work to teach others about these topics. Sometimes, these groups have faced challenges and were not allowed to meet like other student groups. For example, in 2006, a university tried to stop their GSA from meeting, but after students spoke up and many people showed their support, the university changed its mind and allowed the group to continue.

In 2016, the GSA Network changed its name to Genders & Sexualities Alliance Network to better include all the young people who are part of the organization.

Historical study of homosexuality

See also: Queer studies

In the late 1800s, people like Heinrich Hössli and K. H. Ulrichs started studying love and identities that did not fit traditional norms, but they found very little information except from places like ancient Greece and parts of Islam. Scholars in England, like Richard Burton and Havelock Ellis, added more details. In Germany, Albert Moll made lists of well-known people who felt this way. However, serious research slowed down because of tough times in the 1930s.

Later, during the growth of movements for fairness in places like California, more stories began to be shared. Scholars after important moments in the 1960s and 1970s, such as John D'Emilio and Jonathan Ned Katz, helped bring more of this history to light. Even today, much of the story from different parts of the world is still being discovered.

School curricula

In 2011, California became the first U.S. state to require schools to include the history of diverse love and identities in their lessons. The first books for this were published in 2017, after some people disagreed. Other states like Colorado, New Jersey, and Illinois later made similar rules. Some southern states have laws that stop this history from being taught in schools.