Biography


	The LGBTQ+ Portal

Introduction

LGBT is an initialism that stands for "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender". It may refer to anyone who is non-heterosexual, non-heteroromantic, or non-cisgender, instead of exclusively to people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. A variant, LGBTQ, adds the letter Q for those who identify as queer (which can be synonymous with LGBT) or are questioning their sexual or gender identity. Another variation, LGBTQ+, adds a plus sign "represents those who are part of the community, but for whom LGBTQ does not accurately capture or reflect their identity". Many further variations of the acronym exist, such as LGBT+ (simplified to encompass the Q concept within the plus sign), LGBTQIA+ (adding intersex, asexual, aromantic and agender), and 2SLGBTQ+ (adding two-spirit for a term specific to Indigenous North Americans). The LGBT label is not universally agreed to by everyone that it is generally intended to include. The variations GLBT and GLBTQ rearrange the letters in the acronym. In use since the late 1980s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for marginalized sexualities and gender identities.

LGBT is an adaptation of LGB, which in the mid-to-late 1980s began to replace the term gay (or gay and lesbian) in reference to the broader LGBT community. When not inclusive of transgender people, the shorter LGB is still used. (Full article...)

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Homosexuality is a sexual attraction, romantic attraction, or sexual behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions" exclusively to people of the same sex or gender. It "also refers to a person's sense of identity based on those attractions, related behaviors, and membership in a community of others who share those attractions."

Along with bisexuality and heterosexuality, homosexuality is one of the three main categories of sexual orientation within the heterosexual–homosexual continuum. Scientists do not yet know the exact cause of sexual orientation, but they theorize that it is caused by a complex interplay of genetic, hormonal, and environmental influences and do not view it as a choice. Although no single theory on the cause of sexual orientation has yet gained widespread support, scientists favor biologically based theories. There is considerably more evidence supporting nonsocial, biological causes of sexual orientation than social ones, especially for males. There is no substantive evidence which suggests parenting or early childhood experiences play a role with regard to sexual orientation. While some believe that homosexual activity is unnatural, scientific research shows that homosexuality is a normal and natural variation in human sexuality and is not in and of itself a source of negative psychological effects. There is insufficient evidence to support the use of psychological interventions to change sexual orientation. (Full article...)

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Lucas at the 2017 San Diego Comic-Con

Matthew Richard Lucas (born 5 March 1974) is an English actor, comedian, writer, and television presenter. He is best known for his work with David Walliams on the BBC sketch comedy series Little Britain (2003–2006) and Come Fly with Me (2010–2011).

Lucas first came to prominence on the comedy panel show Shooting Stars, in which he portrayed scorekeeper George Dawes from 1995 to 2009. From 2015 to 2017, he portrayed the role of Nardole in the BBC series Doctor Who. He has also appeared in films, including Astro Boy (2009), Alice in Wonderland (2010), Bridesmaids, Gnomeo & Juliet (both 2011), Small Apartments (2012), Paddington (2014), and Wonka (2023). Lucas presented the baking competition show The Great British Bake Off, alongside Noel Fielding from 2020 to 2023. (Full article...)

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“

The Bible contains six admonishments to homosexuals and 362 admonishments to heterosexuals. That doesn't mean that God doesn't love heterosexuals. It's just that they need more supervision.

”

—Lynn Lavner

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Current events

October 5: Supreme court of Mauritius rules the colonial era law criminalizing homosexuality unconstitutional
August 5: DaBaby Levitating remix losing US radio audiences after the rapper's comments on HIV/AIDS
May 19: Taiwan's legislature first in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage
February 1: Toronto serial killer Bruce McArthur pleads guilty to eight murders
October 30: 22nd annual ILGA-Europe conference meets in Brussels: in pictures
October 30: In pictures: thousands attend 16th annual Taiwan Pride

See also: 2024 in LGBT rights

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Boy with a Basket of Fruit (1593–94) is a painting by Caravaggio. The model was his friend and lover, the Sicilian painter Mario Minniti, about 16 years old at the time. At one level the painting is designed to demonstrate the artist's ability to depict everything realistically, from the boy's skin to the folds of the robe to the weave of the basket. A closer look however reveals that, as in another painting by him from that time (Basket of Fruit), the peaches have spots and the leaves are diseased, perhaps a comment by the artist on the closeness of beauty and decay in life.

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...the first edition of Patience and Sarah, winner of the 1971 Stonewall Book Award, was self-published and all copies sold by the author after six publishers rejected it for not being marketable?
... that Jim Foster and Madeline D. Davis were the first openly LGBT people to address a major U.S. national political convention when they spoke to the 1972 Democratic National Convention?
...that openly-gay actor Robert La Tourneaux considered his role as the gay hustler in the 1970 film The Boys in the Band to be the "kiss of death" for his career?
... that Norman Lear's 1977 soap opera spoof All That Glitters featured Linda Gray as the first recurring transgender character on American television?

More did you know facts

This month's birthdays

1 – Rachel Maddow (1973–), American cable television host
2 – Linda Hunt (1945–), American actress
3 – Anne Lister (1791–1840), English landowner and diarist
3 – Marlon Brando (1924–2004), American actor
3 – Cat Cora (1967–), American chef and TV personality
3 – David Hyde Pierce (1959–), American actor
4 – Robert Bauman, American politician and author, former Republican congressman (Maryland) (1973–1981)
4 – Clive Davis (1932–), American record producer and music industry executive
4 – Anthony Perkins (1932–1992), American actor
5 – Nigel Hawthorne (1929–2001), British actor
5 – Thomas Hitzlsperger (1982–), retired German soccer player
6 – Gale Wilhelm (1908–1991), American writer
7 – Harry Hay (1912–2002), American labor advocate, teacher, and LGBT rights activist
7 – Janis Ian (1951–), American singer-songwriter and musician
8 – Roberta Cowell (1918–2011), British racing driver and WWII fighter pilot
9 – Marc Jacobs (1963–), American fashion designer
9 – Cynthia Nixon (1966–), American actress
9 – Kristen Stewart (1990–), American actress
9 – Harris Wofford (1926–2019), American attorney & politician, U.S. Senator (Pennsylvania) (1991–1995)
10 – Gro Hammerseng-Edin (1980–), Norwegian handball player
10 – Tom Spencer (1948–2023), British politician and former Member of European Parliament
11 – Glenway Wescott (1901–1987), American writer
12 – Amy Ray (1964–), American singer-songwriter and member of Indigo Girls
12 – Magda Szubanski (1961–), Australian actress, comedian and writer
13 – Ole von Beust (1955–), German politician and former First Mayor of Hamburg
14 – Sir John Gielgud (1904–2000), English actor
14 – José María Mendiluce (1951–2015), Spanish writer and politician
14 – André Boisclair (1966–), Canadian politician & former leader of the Parti Québécois
14 – Da Brat (1974–), American rapper and actress
14 – Larissa França (1982–), Brazilian beach volleyball player
15 – Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519), Italian Renaissance polymath
15 – Luke Evans (1979–), Welsh actor and singer
15 – George Platt Lynes (1907–1955), American fashion photographer
15 – Bessie Smith (1894–1937), American blues singer
16 – Amelia Atwater-Rhodes (1984–), American fantasy/young adult lit author
16 – Raymond Chan Chi-chuen (1972–), Hong Kongese politician and radio host
16 – Dusty Springfield (1939–1999), English singer
17 – Thornton Wilder (1897–1975), American playwright and novelist
17 – Michal Jagelka (1977–), Czech actor and voice actor
18 – Alice Blinn (1889-1982), American educator, home efficiency expert, and magazine editor
18 – Maria Bello (1967–), American actress
19 – Prince Edmond de Polignac (1834–1901), French aristocrat & composer
19 – Dick Sargent (1930–1994), American actor
20 – Henry de Montherlant (1895–1972), French essayist and novelist
20 – Toller Cranston (1949–2015), Canadian figure skater and artist, 1976 Olympic Bronze Medalist
21 – Jessica Clark (1985–), English actress, model, and video blog host
22 – John Waters (1946–), American director, writer, visual artist, and media personality
23 – Élisabeth de Gramont, Duchess of Clermont-Tonnerre (1875–1954), French writer and aristocrat
23 – Halston (1932–1990), American fashion designer
23 – Dame Ethel Smyth (1858–1944), English composer and suffragist
24 – Jean-Paul Gaultier (1952–), French fashion designer
25 – Edward II (1267–1327), King of England
25 – Anja Pärson (1981–), Swedish alpine skier, 2006 Olympic Gold Medalist in Slalom
26 – Lily Parr (1905–1978), English professional women's association football player
26 – Ma Rainey (1886–1939), American singer
26 – Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889–1951), Austrian philosopher
27 – Russell T Davies (1963–), British television producer and screenwriter
27 – Prince Paul of Yugoslavia (1893–1976), Yugoslavian (Serbian) royalty
29 – Garrison Starr (1975–), American singer-songwriter
30 – Onir (1969–), Bengali Indian film director, editor, writer, and producer
30 – Alice B. Toklas (1877–1967), American-born member of Parisian avant-garde