The 1940s were not a good time to be gay, and an even less stellar time to be trans. But we were there; on variety show stages, on the front lines, and strapped into the cockpit of the bombers, trans folk like us helped eradicate the Nazi menace...only to be left behind by our allies at the end.

The United States is tearing itself apart, and the occupying forces have made it clear that queer folk and minorities have no stake in this new world. Nearly a century and a half ago, a trans man for the Union sent his own response to that sentiment in lead.

For all of the nonsense about tradition, religion, and you-don’t-belong we all hear from our conservative relatives this time of year, historical Christmas traditions sure have a lot of genderqueer entities ready to feast on the bastards of this world. Here's some of them.

In November 1990, LIFE Magazine ran a now-legendary photograph of AIDS activist David Kirby’s last moments. Just out of frame was another eventual victim of AIDS, and the reason Therese was in the room at all; Peta, a two-spirit caretaker with their own story to tell. 

Synth pioneer Wendy Carlos has given us eighteen albums, a massive website of personal writings and archival recordings, and a generation of trans synthesizer enthusiasts in her wake. For Halloween, we’re taking a look at her writings, her work, and the queer musicians she’s influenced.