December 9th

12-10-1830 – 05-15-1886 Emily Dickinson – Born in Amherst, Massachusetts. She is considered one of the most important American poets. While there is no concrete evidence that Dickinson was a lesbian, she is believed to have been in love with several men over time, some Dickinson scholars believe she may have been bisexual. It has been rumored that she was lovers with Kate Scott Turner. There are also the letters written in 1852 that were sent to her sister-in-law Susan Gilbert. It is clear from Emily’s letters that her love for Susan was deep and enduring. The letters are more than demonstrative expressions of affections; many are erotic in nature. Her feelings for Susan were not short-lived; the two women corresponded for many years without Emily’s passion fading. Susan’s letters were destroyed after Emily’s death, so we only have Emily’s side of the conversation.

12-10-1985 Raven-Symoné – Born in Atlanta, Georgia. She is an American actress, comedian, model, singer, songwriter, dancer, television producer, and talk show host. Her career was launched in 1989 after appearing in The Cosby Show as Olivia. Symoné came out on twitter August 2, 2013 tweeting she can “finally get married” and thanked the government for it. In an October 2014 interview with Oprah Winfrey, she acknowledged being in an “amazing, happy relationship” with her female partner. She rejects all labels and does not identify with being African-American or gay, but calls herself an American and a human who loves humans. She is the co-host of ABC show The View. In 2015, Symoné joined the cast in a recurring role on the primetime drama series Empire.

12-10-1960 Mark Takano – Born in Riverside, California. He is a Japanese-American politician who has been the United States Representative for California’s 41st congressional district since 2013. Takano became the first openly gay non-white person in the US Congress. A member of the Democratic party, Takano has served on the Riverside Community College Board of Trustees since 1990. While on the board, he got through a measure that provided Riverside Community College employees with domestic partner benefits. He was on Out’s 3rd Annual 100 Most Eligible Bachelors (2013).

12-10-1972   Brian Molko – Born in Brussels, Belgium to an American father of French and Italian heritage and a Scottish mother. He is a musician best known as the lead vocalist, guitarist, and lyricist of the band Placebo. Molko is openly bisexual, a theme reflected in some of his lyrics. In March 2021, Molko was featured in fashion designer Marc Jacobs “Heaven” collection.