Simone de Beauvoir, Sergei Parajanov, Rio Reiser, Countee Cullen, Katherine Mansfield
Born: Simone de Beauvoir (1908), Sergei Parajanov (1924), Rio Reiser (1950)
Died: Countee Cullen (1946), Katherine Mansfield (1923)
Born on this day
Simone de Beauvoir
“One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman” – the author of “The Second Sex” also loved women, a side of her life that remains controversial.
09JanBorn 1924102nd birthdaySergei Parajanov
A visionary filmmaker whose dreamlike films defied Soviet realism – he was sent to a labour camp, among other things for homosexuality.
09JanBorn 195076th birthdayRio Reiser
The voice of German protest rock was practically the country’s first openly gay rock musician – at a time when Paragraph 175 was still in force.
Died on this day
Countee Cullen
His formally crafted poetry explored race, belief and beauty, while his private correspondence opens further questions about desire.
09JanDied 1923103rd anniversary of deathKatherine Mansfield
New Zealand’s great short-story writer loved both women and men, and changed the modern short story before dying at 34.