Last Updated on January 12, 2024 by Kittredge Cherry
More than 1,000 people and events are included in the LGBTQ history calendar compiled by gay Episcopal pioneer Louie Crew Clay. It was added to the Q Spirit website in May 2021 and can be viewed at:
https://qspirit.net/lgbtq-history/
Louie Crew Clay (1936-2019) was a Rutgers University English professor and longtime advocate of LGBTQ rights in the church. He founded the Episcopal LGBTQ group Integrity in 1974.
“I am proud to preserve and promote LGBTQ history by posting Louie’s calendar here. There are many LGBTQ writers and other historical figures who made incredible contributions, yet they are in danger of being forgotten,” said Q Spirit founder Kittredge Cherry. “Louie was a true friend who supported my ministry for decades. As I work with his list, I sense Louie’s spirit here with me like a guardian angel.”
Crew Clay titled the list “LGBTQ Anniversaries of Note” and used it as the basis of daily social-media shares during the last five years of his life. Now daily highlights are being shared through the LGBTQ Saints group.
Q Spirit posted his original list, complete with witty comments in his unique deadpan style. In some cases, Q Spirit added a brief explanation, marked in parentheses. Proofreading the list is a massive undertaking and is underway.
Louie Crew Clay’s calendar preserves LGBTQ history
The calendar is a valuable historical document with birthdays of many people who influenced generations of LGBTQ-rights activists. He made a major effort to highlight women, transfolk and people of color. Contemporary LGBTQ church leaders are included, especially from the Episcopal tradition. In addition to queer historical figures and events, the list features living LGBTQ people from the arts, entertainment, sports and politics. Crew Clay also mixed in notable moments from his own life, work and activism.
Frequent mentions of “GWood” followed by numbers appear to be references to pages in the book “A History of Gay Literature: The Male Tradition” by Gregory Woods.
Crew Clay bequeathed his list to John Fortunato, who served as president in the 1980s. Fortunato is the author of the classic “Embracing the Exile: Healing Journeys of Gay Christians.” Q Spirit is posting Crew Clay’s original calendar list with Fortunato’s blessing.
Related calendars include:
Q Spirit Calendar of LGBTQ Saints
LGBT/Selected anniversaries (Wikipedia)
Books on LGBTQ American history
“A Queer History of the United States” by Michael Bronski
A Queer History of the United States for Young People by Michael Bronski, adapted by Richie Chevat. (Suitable for adults too.)
“Stand by Me: The Forgotten History of Gay Liberation” by Jim Downs
“Gay American History: Lesbians and Gay Men in the U.S.A.” by Jonathan Katz
____
Top image credit:
LGBTQ historical figures include, clockwise from top left, Saint Aelred, Louie Clay Crew by Tobias Haller, 1966 homophile protest march with Barbara Gittings, Radclyffe Hall, and Bayard Rustin by Sabrina Zarco.
___
This post is part of the LGBTQ Calendar series by Kittredge Cherry. The series celebrates religious and spiritual holidays, events in LGBT and queer history, holy days, feast days, festivals, anniversaries, liturgical seasons and other occasions of special interest to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people of faith and our allies.
This article was originally published on Q Spirit in May 2021 and was updated for accuracy on Sept. 27, 2021.
Copyright © Kittredge Cherry. All rights reserved.
Qspirit.net presents the Jesus in Love Blog on LGBTQ spirituality.
A force to be reckoned with, aqs Louie.
Today I learned of Louie’s death. About 12 years ago I “found” him somewhere online and immediately friended him on Facebook. He was a fascinating man — positive, loving, productive (super-productive), intellectual, and humorous yet serious and solemn — an effective activist for many good causes. At some point I stopped receiving his emails and FB posts, and I guess I was never curious enough to investigate why. I hope he is enjoying a well-deserved rest, and I’m sure he is being rewarded for all his accomplishments on earth.
Thanks for sharing your personal experience and tribute to the amazing Louie Crew Clay. Your description is right on target. He was “positive, loving, productive (super-productive), intellectual, and humorous yet serious and solemn.” May his memory be eternal!
Oh, this is wonderful, Kitt! Louis was very kind and thoughtful when we had a brief email correspondence a few years ago in regards to his poetry. I had no idea this calendar existed and oddly enough, just a couple of nights ago, I was thinking about Louis & if his legacy will last. Thank you for this. May your impact be celebrated too!
Thanks, Stephen! I’m glad to hear that you and Louie are connected on a psychic-spiritual level. His calendar has already brought me many unexpected blessings, including your comment.