Answer: Death penalty
This was the first criminal trial for the crime of homosexuality in New France. A military drummer was found guilty of sodomy and sentenced to hang. Jesuit priests intervened and the man (whose name is unknown) was given a choice. His sentence would be commuted if he accepted a new position - as executioner for the colony. He accepted the offer. According to all the information available about the trial, only this unnamed man was placed on trial, and so the thought is that his partner was probably a First Nations man. First Nations individuals were not subject to French religious law and so his partner would not have been placed on trial with the military man.
From Quiz: LGBT History in Canada
Answer: Anderson Cooper
This broadcast journalist, author and talk show host known as the "silver fox", serves as the primary anchor of CNN's Anderson Cooper 360. It wasn't until 2012, when he gave permission to Andrew Sullivan to publish an email regarding his sexual orientation.
From Quiz: Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are
Answer: Netherlands
As with many other progressive laws, widening its citizens' rights and liberties, The Netherlands was the first country in the entire world to introduce full same-sex marriage on the 1st of April 2001.
From Quiz: Same Sex Marriage: The 15 Pioneers
Answer: socially sanctioned long term relationships between women
It'd be nice to have this in today's world, but unfortunately this practice, along with many others, died out as the Europeans took control of and divided up Africa - and were followed by missionaries.
From Quiz: Gay History Throughout the Ages Part I
Answer: Alan Turing
Alan Turing, regarded by many as being the "father of computer science", was an English cryptanalyst who was an important figure in Britain's encryption and decryption efforts throughout the Second World War. Unfortunately for Turing, he was prosecuted in 1952 for indecency under a section of the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1885, an Act which prohibited certain homosexual acts. As a consequence of breaking the law in such a manner, Alan Turing was forced to choose between a prison sentence or to subject himself to a course of hormones that would control his sexual urges. As the latter of the two options granted probation, Turing opted to take a course of oestrogen (stilboestrol). Two years later, in 1954, Alan Turing was found dead and the cause of death registered as suicide by poison.
From Quiz: Gay History (1950-1990)
Answer: Death
Before 1533, cases had mostly been dealt with by the church. King Henry VIII, however, was determined to reduce the power of the church whenever he could. The official penalty was death, with forfeiture of all property to the Crown.
From Quiz: History of Homosexuality Laws
Answer: Sacred Band of Thebes
The Sacred Band of Thebes was organized in 378 BCE by the Theban commander Gorgidas. According to the historian Plutarch, the reasoning was that lovers would be more committed to fighting for each other than would have been the case for strangers. The couples were originally spread out along the front lines to provide inspiration for the rest of the troops.
From Quiz: Don't Ask
Answer: Martina Navratilova
Born in Prague in 1956, Navratalova was one of the most dominant athletes of any era. She holds open-era records for singles titles (167), doubles titles (177), grand slam singles titles (18), grand slam doubles titles (31), grand slam mixed doubles titles (10), and the longest match win streak in women's tennis history (74). She defected to the United States in 1975 after losing in the semifinals of the U.S. Open to Chris Evert.
From Quiz: Queer History and Culture 2.0
Answer: Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan made this comment in 1978 while campaigning. His son married prior to the election. Barry Goldwater, a very conservative Republican politician, was a supporter of individual rights for all persons, including gays and lesbians.
From Quiz: 20th Century Gay History: Part II
Answer: 1965
There was a march on Washington in 1965 concerning discrimination in federal employment. It was led by Franklin Kameny and the Mattachine Society of Washington.
1979 brought about the largest LBGT march on Washington yet, for the tenth anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall Riots.
From Quiz: Gay and Lesbian Movement
Answer: Molly Wood
Alexander Wood, a merchant and magistrate, was investigating a rape case in 1810. A woman who claimed to have been raped, did not know who her attacker was but did state that she scratched the genitals of her attacker. Wood inspected the genitals of a number of suspects in order to try and find the attacker. It was suggested that the rape did not happen, the victim did not exist, and that Wood had made the whole thing up in order to satisfy his homosexual urges. There was no evidence that Wood acted inappropriately; however, he was ridiculed and given the nickname "Molly Wood." At the time, "Molly" was a derogatory term for homosexual men.
Years later, Wood purchased land that was given the nickname "Molly Wood's Bush" and this area is now part of Toronto's gay village. In 2005, the business association for the area erected a statue of Alexander Wood and a beer was named for him. A play based on Wood's life was launched in 1994 called "Molly Wood".
From Quiz: LGBT History in Canada
Answer: Hysterectomy
A hysterectomy is the removal of the womb. The other surgeries received would generally be performed on transgender women (or other women who would benefit from them). Hart had a strong internal desire for a male gender expression from early childhood, and was accepted as a man by most of his family and wrote under male names during school and college, though he was forced to present as a girl there. He was one of the earliest high-profile transgender men in America.
From Quiz: Transgender History
Answer: Ellen Page
Ellen Page (now Elliot Page) came out at the LGTB youth conference "Time to Thrive" in 2014 saying, "I'm tired of hiding. I'm tired of lying by omission". She is one of rising celebs in Hollywood. Page is also known for being a tough defender of human rights (like in the case of the dictatorship in Burma), a Buddhist and a convinced vegan.
From Quiz: Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are
Answer: Siwa Oasis
The Siwa Oasis has always been especially known for its unusual level of historical acceptance towards homosexuality. Overall, homosexuality generally seems to have been accepted in Egypt, and there are speculations about several kings and gods being gay.
From Quiz: Gay History Throughout the Ages Part I
Answer: Wolfenden Report
The 'Report of the Departmental Committee on Homosexual Offences and Prostitution' was a document prepared by a committee chaired by Lord Wolfenden. It is a rather common occurrence for reports with long-winded titles to be referred to by a shorter, catchier name and in this case the everyday title became the 'Wolfenden Report'. In the context of its time the conclusions drawn by the committee were radical, even going so far as to suggest that "homosexual behaviour between consenting adults in private should no longer be a criminal offence".
From Quiz: Gay History (1950-1990)
Answer: France
This was France's first national Penal Code, adopted during the French Revolution. Its sponsor, Louis-Michel le Peletier, said that it only punished "true crimes, not the artificial offences condemned by superstition". This was incorporated in the the Napoleonic Code, which made a point of avoiding victimless crimes.
In 1794 Prussia reduced the penalty for engaging in homosexual acts from death to a maximum of four years' imprisonment.
From Quiz: History of Homosexuality Laws
Answer: 300
The Sacred Band of Thebes was composed of 150 age-structured couples, with a total of 300 men. The older member of each couple was a charioteer, and the younger was referred to as his companion. According to Plutarch's "Life of Pelopidas", the inspiration for the Band's formation came from Plato's "Symposium".
From Quiz: Don't Ask
Answer: 6
A hallmark of Kinsey's thought on sexuality was that sexual preference was not an absolute, and that most people were on a continuum between heterosexuality and homosexuality. As Kinsey put it: "The world is not to be divided into sheep and goats. It is a fundamental of taxonomy that nature rarely deals with discrete categories." His scale placed "absolute" heterosexuality at 0, and "absolute" homosexuality at 6. Kinsey's scale is still widely used today, though it has been supplanted with more nuanced models by more recent gender theorists like Judith Butler.
From Quiz: Queer History and Culture 2.0
Answer: Imperial Court System
One of the largest queer organizations in the United States, the Imperial Court System was founded in 1965 by Jose Sarria, who billed himself as the widow of Joshua Norton, the nineteenth-century San Francisco eccentric who claimed to be Emperor of the United States. Leaders in the Imperial Court System are often bestowed titles of nobility, and chapters of the organization are organized as "empires", though the terms "barony" and "ducal court" are used in special situations. The largest events of each chapter are the annual "coronations" of the year's new monarch(s). Causes that the various imperial courts have contributed to include AIDS causes, centers for domestic abuse victims, and homeless shelters. Amounts raised are substantial; the Imperial Court de San Diego claims over $25 million in donations over its lifetime.
From Quiz: Queer History and Culture 1.0
Answer: The United States Olympic Committee requested a federal injunction against using the name "Olympic" for this group.
One wonders why the USOC never brought up the use of the term when it came to the Dog Olympics, Police Olympics, Nude Olympics, Special Olympics, or other groups using the name.
From Quiz: 20th Century Gay History: Part I
Answer: 1973
The American Psychological Association in 1973 said that 'homosexuality per se implies no impairment in judgement, stability, reliability, or general social and vocational capabilities.'
From Quiz: Gay and Lesbian Movement
Answer: Fruit machine
Frank Robert Wake is responsible for the development of a machine used to try and identify gay men. This homosexuality test was named after the term "fruit", derogatorily used to refer to gay men. In the 1950s and 1960s, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the military and the civil service all used the machine to try and identify and then fire gay men. The machine was similar to a dentist chair. An individual would sit in it and then look into a camera that would display all kinds of images, ranging in explicitness. The response to the pictures would be monitored, with the assumption being that pupil dilation would indicate homosexuality. The machine was marketed as measuring stress, which enabled the various organizations to use it. Once it was known what it was used for, people stopped signing up to participate in the test.
The idea was to try and fire all gay men from the various organizations that used the device and a substantial number of people were indeed fired. By the time the test was no longer used, the RCMP had files on nine thousand people. A 2018 documentary called "The Fruit Machine" was made about the impact on people who were affected by the test.
From Quiz: LGBT History in Canada
Answer: Neil Patrick Harris
Harris confirmed that he is gay in November 2006 by saying, "I am happy to dispel any rumors or misconceptions and am quite proud to say that I am a very content gay man living my life to the fullest and feel most fortunate to be working with wonderful people in the business I love.
From Quiz: Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are
Answer: Spain
On the 3rd of July 2005, the Spanish "Cortes" (Parliament) said "si" to equal marriage rights for everyone almost exactly two years after Belgium.
From Quiz: Same Sex Marriage: The 15 Pioneers
Answer: shamans
They were usually recognized early in life, and if the parents and the child consented they were raised to learn to become shamans. They were called 'Two-Spirit' individuals.
From Quiz: Gay History Throughout the Ages Part I
Answer: 1861
Under an amendment to the Offences Against the Person Act (1861), the penalty was reduced to life imprisonment.
From Quiz: History of Homosexuality Laws
Answer: Pelopidas
When Pelopidas assumed command of the Sacred Band of Thebes, he determined that they would fight as a unit, rather than being dispersed, and that remained the practice for the duration of their existence. This coincided with the period of Theban supremacy in Greece, and the Band received much credit for the military successes of the time.
From Quiz: Don't Ask
Answer: October 11
National Coming Out Day dates to 1988, and commemorates the previous year's Second National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights. It is celebrated by wearing pride symbols (including pink triangles, rainbow flags, and lambda signs) and generally presenting a positive LGBT presence. Perhaps the best known symbol of the day is a portrait done by Keith Haring.
From Quiz: Queer History and Culture 2.0
Answer: James Baldwin
Though Baldwin was better known for his place in the intelligentsia of the Civil Rights movement, he was never lax in asserting his place in the discourse of gender and sexuality. In his own words: "Love does not begin and end the way we seem to think it does. Love is battle, love is a war; love is growing up."
From Quiz: Queer History and Culture 1.0
Answer: Wisconsin
Wisconsin outlawed this kind of discrimination in 1982. Since then, the following states had joined Wisconsin as of March 2002: California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
From Quiz: Gay and Lesbian Movement
Answer: Toronto
WorldPride was a massive event in Toronto. Opening festivities took place at Nathan Phillips Square and included performances by Melissa Etheridge and Deborah Cox. There was an international human rights conference and a variety of other events throughout the celebration that took place from June 20 to June 29, 2014. There were three marches that took place; there was a Trans march, a Dyke march and the Pride parade. Almost three hundred floats took place in the Pride parade and approximately twelve thousand participants registered to be a part of the parade. There were so many floats and participants that the parade took more than five hours, making it one of the longest parades in Toronto's history. There were numerous free concerts that took place in Toronto's gay village and a closing ceremony that included entertainment from Tegan and Sara, Robin S and CeCe Peniston.
From Quiz: LGBT History in Canada
Answer: Lili Elbe
Lili Elbe was a painter who got her name and female sex legally recognized during her lifetime. It was a uterus transplant that killed her at the age of 48 as, like many surgeries at the time, the process was highly risky.
Chelsea Manning is an American whistleblower. Caitlyn Jenner is a high-profile Kardashian family member and Olympian. Lana Wachowski is one of the two transgender women sisters who directed "The Matrix", along with Lilly Wachowski.
From Quiz: Transgender History
Answer: Ellen DeGeneres
DeGeneres was born in 1958 in Louisiana. She has hosted the Academy Awards, Grammy Awards, and the Primetime Emmys. She has authored three books, and started her own record company, Eleveneleven. She has won 13 Emmys, 14 People's Choice Awards, and numerous other awards for her work and charitable efforts. She came out publicly as lesbian in an appearance on "The Oprah Winfrey Show".
From Quiz: Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are
Answer: Canada
The province of Québec was the first to offer to gays and lesbians equal treatment regarding marriage laws in March 2004. Other provinces follwed it afterwards like British Columbia, Saskatchewan, etc...The Parliament in Ottawa, after a voting in July 2005 decided to extend these rights federally to the whole of Canadian territory. Canada was then, the first country in the Americas respecting equal rights on this matter.
From Quiz: Same Sex Marriage: The 15 Pioneers
Answer: Assyrian
In some religious texts, there were even blessings for homosexual relationships! There were cults of both homosexual and transgender individuals along with homosexuality being an integral part of their worship in many areas.
From Quiz: Gay History Throughout the Ages Part I
Answer: 2 years imprisonment with hard labour
Oscar Wilde was convicted under a law which was later dubbed "the Blackmailer's Charter". The conviction arose from an unsuccessful private prosecution for defamation that he launched against the Marquess of Queensberry, who had described Wilde as a 'posing sodomite'.
From Quiz: History of Homosexuality Laws
Answer: Tegyra
Pelopidas led the Sacred Band of Thebes and a small cavalry force to try and capture the city of Locris, which was temporarily undefended, but the Spartans returned in force before he arrived. Battle was waged near Tegyra. The Theban forces included about 300 foot-soldiers (hoplites), while the Spartans had between 1,000 and 1,800. The battle had little military significance, but was psychologically important, representing as it did the first time that Thebes had defeated Sparta in a direct battle, and the first time that Sparta had been defeated by a smaller army.
From Quiz: Don't Ask
Answer: Leonard Bernstein
Bernstein was understood by most of his friends to have been a gay man who married Chilean actress Felicia Montealegre Cohn to enhance his chances for prime conductor positions by appearing "straight". However, Bernstein did have three children with Felicia, and the couple was outwardly happy. Much later, after years of living the life of an "out" gay man, Bernstein returned to Felicia to care for her during her ultimately fatal bout with lung cancer.
From Quiz: Queer History and Culture 2.0
Answer: Judas Priest
Halford's orientation had been an open secret in the rock world for several years preceding this interview, and he had not been a regular bandmember since 1991. In 2003, however, Halford rejoined the group for a well-received tour of Europe and a leading spot in 2004's Ozzfest. In 2005, the reconstituted ensemble released the album "Angel of Retribution" to critical acclaim and commercial success.
From Quiz: Queer History and Culture 1.0
Answer: Pink Triangle
Men convicted under the German law known as paragraph 175, which criminalized homosexual relations (including kissing and embracing), were sent to Nazi concentration camps. The Pink Triangle, now one of the most widely recognized symbols of the gay community, originated in these camps, where tens of thousands of gay men imprisoned during the Holocaust were forced to wear the triangle so they could be easily identified. In addition, some men thought to be gay were also sent to concentration camps, regardless of whether or not they'd even been charged under paragraph 175 ...
From Quiz: Gay and Lesbian Movement
