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WHEN HOLIDAYS COLLIDE

Was Christopher Columbus

gay? A National Coming Out
Day mystery solved
By Jennifer Patterson
Oct 11, 2010, 9:36 pm

! 11 " 0 #

This was one busy day if you’re a closeted

Canadian. Monday is National Coming Out
Day as well as Canada’s Thanksgiving.

Many countries observe National Coming

Out Day including Switzerland, Germany,
Canada, Croatia, Poland and the United
Kingdom. Monday is also Columbus Day.
Coincidence?

Historians have contacted CultureMap with

a shocking new theory: Christopher
Columbus was gay. I know some gay men
might not want his name on their team's
roster — he massacred the natives, got a bit
money-hungry and was terrible with
directions. However, the evidence is
overwhelming. Since the Italian-born
explorer is no longer with us, I will take the
time to come out for Christopher Columbus.

Still unconvinced? Consider the following:

1. His name was Christopher Columbus.

Not Chris but Christopher. As author David

Rakoff says, “Of course it’s not ‘Adam and
Steve.’ It’s Adam and Stephen. No gay man
in his right mind would go by ‘Steve.’ ”

2. He always wore that frilly little hat. Gay

men are great at accessorizing.

3. He has a statue in SoMo (South

Montrose). Everyone knows that’s gay-
town.

4. He hung out with Queen Isabella a lot.

Queens love queens.

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5. His marriage was pure politics. He

married Filipa Moniz Perestrelo, the
daughter of the Porto Santo governor and
Portuguese nobleman of Genoese origin
Bartolomeu Perestrelo. Some records report
that Filipa died in 1485. Others speculate
that Columbus may have simply left his first
wife … because he was gay.

Sadly Columbus lived in a time when

homosexuality was viewed as sexual
deviance and unaccepted. Stand up for the
explorer and come out for him.

Inform strangers, "Christopher Columbus

was gay and I accept him for that."

There's a statue of Christopher Columbus

in SoMo. Enough said? Tony Bullard

It's National Coming Out Day. diogenesii.wordpress.com

And also Columbus Day ... You think that's coincidence?

Rendering by Currier and Ives/Library of Congress

Shopping for pumpkins in Ottawa for Canadian

Thanksgiving. Photo by Lars Plougmann

! 11 " 0 #

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