November 5th

11-05-1955 Leslea Newman – Born in Brooklyn, New York. She is an American award-winning author and editor. Newman is Jewish, a feminist, and a lesbian. She has written and edited 70 books and anthologies. Her best-known work is the controversial Heather Has Two Mommies. Published in 1990, it was the first picture book that many gay and lesbian couples and their children could relate to. In 2004, she wrote The Boy Who Cried Fabulous. Nine of her books have been Lambda Literary Award finalists. In 2009 she received the Alice B. Award. Her children’s picture books Mommy, Mama and Me and Daddy, Papa and Me were 2010 Stonewall Honor Books as well as her 2013 book, October Mourning: A Song for Matthew Shepherd.

11-05-1968 Penelope “Penny” Ying-yen Wong – Born in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. Born to an Australian mother and Malaysian father, Wong was educated at Scotch College in Adelaide, Australia. She is an Australian Senator for South Australia, has been in office since 2002, and is the current Leader of the Opposition in the Senate. Wong is a member of the Labor Party. She is an out lesbian and was the first sitting member of the Australian Labor Party to come out while still in parliament. Her partner, Sophie Allouache, is a public servant and former University of Adelaide Students’ Association president. In 2010, Wong was selected by readers of the website, samesame.com.au, as one of the 25 most influential lesbians in Australia.

11-05-1983 Andrew Hayden-Smith – Born in Gateshead, England, United Kingdom. He is a British actor, voiceover artist, and television presenter. He appeared in the series of Dr. Who as Jake Simmonds. Hayden-Smith is gay, coming out in Attitude magazine in February 2005. In 2014, he joined the cast of the Channel 4 series Cucumber and E4 series Banana, both British television channels.