Gay xmas

Why has Halloween caught on so strongly in the LGBTQ2S+ community? One reason could be that LGBTQ2S+ people expend large parts of their lives hiding their genuine selves, and presenting in a way that’s at odds with their desires and identity. Halloween’s emphasis on dressing up as something you’re typically not ends up being a powerful outlet to show ourselves in a way that expresses who you really are. (And if you’re already doing that anyway, Halloween gives you an excuse to spin the dial up to 11.)

What’s the history that led to Halloween’s status as the de facto LGBTQ2S+ holiday? And why is it often called “Gay Christmas,” anyway? Study on to find out!

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A history of gay Halloween celebrations

In the November 1, 1907 of The Pittsburgh Press, an article described “girls who had donned male attire” being arrested for their transgression against gender norms — or as the article describes it, “appeared at the Central police station and took their medicine.” In 1913, police once again arrested both “women in men’s clothes” and “three boys who were making carly appearances in feminine costumes.” It wasn’t unti

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